De-grunging a fuel tank

[Big Al]

I gotta blanket! 

But look at the advantages. I can live in the country in a small dwelling. I have a tractor in the Kitchen. A FMR TG500 engine in the lounge, and a den full of all sorts of interesting stuff, which would otherwise not be allowed. I can buy a fridge to replace the blown up one for £5, rather than buy a fashion statement. That is what the tractor is for, or other vehicle I feel like shoving in there. The cleaner cleans around them, does not moan, and gets paid £20. I can cook better than most women (not sure why they are supposed to be automatic cooks). Or I can go down the pub when I want. No campervan required. CASE SOLVED

Mind you a wife's caustic tongue might work wonders on a dirty fuel tank.

Shoving a magnet in the tank is a good idea as the iron in suspension as tiny bits will get removed along with the iron scrap, if used to scour the tank in some way. Indeed if I have a tank I suspect is a bit contaminated, but I am not going to clean it, I put a polymer magnet on the end furthest from the tap, so as to pull the magnetic crude out of suspension and away from the tap. Using sand or gravel introduces a non metallic substance to the frey which is not as easy to control, or remove. I have even had tanks with trapped stones in, complete with cornering noises as the damned thing rolls round the tank.
Anyway our adviser feels his method requires no additions to effect a clean inner tank. I just wonder if it will not find out weak tanks with rust spots, as you get on a Treinkel, for instance. Not that this is a reason not to clean and find out before a fire, but many is the tank I have cleaned to find it is holed on removing the crud. So that bucket of water needs to be handy, for the corrosive solutions will surely find those weak areas and make their escape, if they can. Also some tanks have the fuel tap threads brazed on. This will be attacked more vigorously than steel. Be aware of that possibility.

[Barry]

The Curser tank was coated in a nasty black treacle goo as was the tap and carb.
Petrol, diesel, carb cleaner and white spirit would not touch it.
Then I discovered meths softened it quite well.
I filled the tank with pea shingle from the farmers new drive and a couple of bottles of meths then did the shake rattle and roll for about ten minutes.

The inside of the tank came up like new and the meths evaporated off once it was all emptied out.
Just a good blow with a air line and Bobs your uncle.

[Bob Purton]

Al.
"But look at the advantages. I can live in the country in a small dwelling. I have a tractor in the Kitchen. A FMR TG500 engine in the lounge, and a den full of all sorts of interesting stuff, which would otherwise not be allowed. I can buy a fridge to replace the blown up one for £5, rather than buy a fashion statement. That is what the tractor is for, or other vehicle I feel like shoving in there. The cleaner cleans around them, does not moan, and gets paid £20. I can cook better than most women (not sure why they are supposed to be automatic cooks). Or I can go down the pub when I want. No campervan required. CASE SOLVED"

Yeh,  Keep telling yourself that!

Barry, wonder what the black goo was? Did the farmer catch you?

[Barry]

I think it is the reason my Cursor has only covered a few kilometres.   It must have been on its first tank of juice. My theory is that it had sugar in it for some reason? Perhaps as a joke or sabotage. It has green peace stickers on it so may have been a target. I will never know for sure but it wasn't the residue of a tank of evaporated fuel.

[richard]

Well Al I can vouch for the fact that you and David offerede the worst meal I have ever seen, smelt or tasted so that's a matter of opinion curry , pasta , baked beans and all sorts chucked in a pan - truly awful !! I have never forgotten it and often quoted it  it takes all sorts ( not necessarily in the same pan though  )

[Big Al]

That sounds like eating at a rally where you just pool resources instead of using up good drinking time. If cans, Hash MacGandy, though that should be without labels too. Dave was famous for his curried cabbage. Oxtail and Beer soup was pretty good. Rum soaked Ginster flambéed off with fried potatoes was good, too. A minimalist fan makes the most of the nourishment available. No campervan full of gear.

Interesting Barry. Something must have happened. 

[richard]

You've got it al Eriba puck caravan I think at Bath Rally some years ago but not forgotten ! Good crack though 

[Big Al]

Ah Bath. Yes that was when we had the front room with us, I think. We had at least 7 people and two Dalmatians in the Puck in the evening. That would be a vat of chunder. I then sold the Puck to a lady with one eye.