The Ford Barn

acstep · 10-30-2019, 11:35 AM

what can you use to clean a gas tank of 15 year old gas, varnish.

Bob Bidonde · 10-30-2019, 11:37 AM

Fresh gasoline with 15% alcohol

dennis lumbert · 10-30-2019, 12:00 PM

POR 15 cleaner/degreaser,(formally called marine clean)

rotorwrench · 10-30-2019, 12:13 PM

Drano crystals & water work but be careful mixing and handling. Sodium Hydroxide, or Lye for short, can burn you but it works really well to remove crap from a gas tank without hurting the metal.

1929 · 10-30-2019, 03:20 PM

I didn't find it difficult to just remove the whole tank, and clean it.

katy · 10-30-2019, 03:23 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

Drano crystals & water work but be careful mixing and handling. Sodium Hydroxide, or Lye for short, can burn you but it works really well to remove crap from a gas tank without hurting the metal.

If you splash any of that stuff on surfaces you don't want it on, the best thing to wash it off with is beer. It will neutralize the lye. How do I know? I worked in a brewery for 12 years and lye was used in the bottle washer. That was when most of the beer went into bottles, not cans.

30 Closed Cab PU · 10-31-2019, 10:43 AM

When using lye or Drano, is a final flush of baking soda/water needed?

J Franklin · 10-31-2019, 12:44 PM

Lye is a Base chemical so baking soda won't help.

rotorwrench · 10-31-2019, 02:04 PM

Lye would be diluted by fresh water rinsing. Water can be removed with alcohol, It can rust up with bare metal so it should be either put back into service or sealed to prevent corrosion unless it already has corrosion in there. Lye won't take the corrosion out. It's too bad that the terne plate doesn't last very well but that's what Ford used to seal them with.

10-30-2019, 11:35 AM	#1
acstep Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: rancho murieta, ca Posts: 9	gas what can you use to clean a gas tank of 15 year old gas, varnish.

10-30-2019, 11:37 AM	#2
Bob Bidonde Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 4,113	Re: gas Fresh gasoline with 15% alcohol __________________ Bob Bidonde

10-30-2019, 12:00 PM	#3
dennis lumbert Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: central Arkansas Posts: 153	Re: gas POR 15 cleaner/degreaser,(formally called marine clean)

10-30-2019, 12:13 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: gas Drano crystals & water work but be careful mixing and handling. Sodium Hydroxide, or Lye for short, can burn you but it works really well to remove crap from a gas tank without hurting the metal.

10-30-2019, 03:20 PM	#5
1929 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New York Posts: 944	Re: gas I didn't find it difficult to just remove the whole tank, and clean it.

10-31-2019, 10:43 AM	#7
30 Closed Cab PU Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 2,332	Re: gas When using lye or Drano, is a final flush of baking soda/water needed?

10-31-2019, 12:44 PM	#8
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 6,370	Re: gas Lye is a Base chemical so baking soda won't help.

10-31-2019, 02:04 PM	#9
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: gas Lye would be diluted by fresh water rinsing. Water can be removed with alcohol, It can rust up with bare metal so it should be either put back into service or sealed to prevent corrosion unless it already has corrosion in there. Lye won't take the corrosion out. It's too bad that the terne plate doesn't last very well but that's what Ford used to seal them with.