vinegar for cleaning

[George]

I have read several post where vinegar has been used in cooling systems to clean up rust deposits with good success.
I was wondering if this procedure could also be used to clean up the fine rust particles that are so insidious in gas tanks. Has any of you tried or done this and if so was it successful? Did it create any new problems? etc?

[SeaSlugs]

Ive heard it being done with great success but i think it was when the tank was out of the car, usually have to fill it with nuts and bolts (count how many you put in...) and vinegar, seal it up and start rolling it around so the nuts and bolts bang around and scrape/knock the rust loose off the walls. Ive heard of people doing this then strapping it to a farm tractor rear wheel and driving around with it. Essentially turning the tank into a cement mixer lol.

Vinegar takes a few days to really work so may need to rotate it around and let it sit a few days then rotate it around and let it sit at a different angle for awhile sorta thing.

[Chris Haynes]

Use WHITE VINEGAR. No need to fill with nuts and bolts. The baffles in the tank won't let them go far. Just fill it up and wait a few days.

[green30coupe]

Originally Posted by Chris Haynes

Use WHITE VINEGAR. No need to fill with nuts and bolts. The baffles in the tank won't let them go far. Just fill it up and wait a few days.

I suppose that would work to some degree, but then after the 10 or 11 gallons of vinegar how do you keep it from rusting again?

[Gold Digger]

I've never done it but I think I would do the soda treatment after the vinegar, then try and run some hot air in it to dry it out quickly, then fill it completely with alcohol or maybe diesel to stop any more rust from starting before using gas.

[blgitn]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

George,

I put 12 1/2 gallons of Food Lion white vinegar in the truck's tank and left it in there for a month. I rocked the truck every day or so for agitation (I stuck a drill-powered paint stirrer in there, but it seemed more trouble than it was worth). Then I drained it (vinegar does a good job killing moss on bricks), rinsed it with water and compressed air, and dried it with an old hair drier duct-taped to the fill hole for several hours. I then put in seven gallons of gasohol, sloshed it as good as I could, and drained the remaining water/alcohol out of the carb drain into a coffee can. -I have a clear filter in the line after the firewall shut off, so I could see when the fuel was clear. I did have to rebuild the gas gage afterwards.

Did it work? I think so; it looks pretty clean inside but I have less than five miles on it; I still need to drop and clean the oil pan.

[George]

Thank you all for your input. Running with rust in the tank is a time-bomb. You never know when the fuel line is going to close off with those insidious fine rust particles and you know its gonna happen at the worst possible time too. I think I'm going to try the vinrgar cleaning method and go from there. Thanjs again to all of you in the "brain trust" who have contributed.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would flush the tank as has been described on here several times, then install the fine screen in the shut off valve. If you still have problems then I'd install the "dirty leg" as Vince described on his website.

[Pinstripe]

You should also consider one of the chelating agents like Metal-Rescue or rust911. Very effective w/o the acidity of vinegar. It does work better. To prevent rerusting, look into Pickle-x.

[geoford41]

If the tank is out after cleaning use one of the tank sealing products from POR can be purchased from Eastwood or speedway/summit and other on line sources. we did the sealing on a 1966 ford and it worked really well the POR kit included the cleaning solution to use before sealing
geoford41

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by blgitn

George,

I put 12 1/2 gallons of Food Lion white vinegar in the truck's tank and left it in there for a month. I rocked the truck every day or so for agitation (I stuck a drill-powered paint stirrer in there, but it seemed more trouble than it was worth). Then I drained it (vinegar does a good job killing moss on bricks), rinsed it with water and compressed air, and dried it with an old hair drier duct-taped to the fill hole for several hours. I then put in seven gallons of gasohol, sloshed it as good as I could, and drained the remaining water/alcohol out of the carb drain into a coffee can. -I have a clear filter in the line after the firewall shut off, so I could see when the fuel was clear. I did have to rebuild the gas gage afterwards.

Did it work? I think so; it looks pretty clean inside but I have less than five miles on it; I still need to drop and clean the oil pan.

What were the results? Any signs of rust now?

[peter schmidt]

i did this to a 32 tank a couple weeks ago it was loaded with heay rust i poured 3 gallons of apple cider vinegar and let it sit about 2 months (i got busy and forgot about it) where the vinegar was up to is white clean metal after shaking it up and rinsing out a couple times. now i have to fill it up all the way and wait again but im a believer for sure.

[peter schmidt]

i should mention that this method broke loose large particals that would be hard to flush from a tank still installed in a model a

[Ted Duke]

When I bought my truck in 1970 there was so indication of rust in the gas. Nothing in the sediment bowl, ran good. The tank has been empty for 40 years and unfortunately has some rust internally now, but I see ONLY light surface rust. No signs of scaling or pitting. I have inspected it superficially with a borescope (new toy from China). As I figure out how to adjust it (and add some alternate illumination) I will check it more.

It is NOT installed and won't be (unfortunately) for some months.

How does this plan sound?

1- Fill it up with white vinegar (my wife swears by that stuff), and seal all openings.
2- Roll it around for a day or two.
3- Drain it and let it dry.
4- Pour two quarts of motor oil in the tank.
5- Turn it every which way.
6- Repeat step 5 every day for a week.
7- Drain the oil.
8- Store in a dry place until ready to assemble truck. (Late this summer?)
9- Fill with gas and drain a gallon after it sits a week.
10- Report back here on how that worked.
11- Install long gas tank screen as an abundance of caution.

I'm ready for all of you to point out my errors.

Ted (1929 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup in one thousand pieces, restoration started in 1970 and interrupted by life. Making progress slowly.)

[hardtimes]

Hey Ted,
#2...'day/two'
I'd let it for a week/two as that seemed to work good, but day/two for slight rust problem might be enough, but I doubt it.
#4...'two qts motor oil'
I use diesel fuel, which will do the job well and not create as much 'mess' as oil.

[ronn]

Vinegar will do nothing in a day or two or even a week or two

be serious about it for at least a month!

patience patience patience....

[Ted Duke]

Keep those comments coming, I've got plenty of time to let it sit and pickle!

Hummm, my son said diesel. I can use that and then use it to light some fires I need to light this summer to burn brush piles.
Or, I guess I could strain it through a loaf of bed and burn it in my tractor. NOT!


Ted

[racer32]

I'd skip vinegar altogether in a slightly rusted (powdery) tank. Dump in a few quarts of ATF mixed with a gallon of diesel instead. Household vinegar is ~95% water. I wouldn't want that in my fuel tank.

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by racer32

I'd skip vinegar altogether in a slightly rusted (powdery) tank. Dump in a few quarts of ATF mixed with a gallon of diesel instead. Household vinegar is ~95% water. I wouldn't want that in my fuel tank.

Hummm, that is a thought, I will consider it after I search a little deeper into the tank with the borescope.

[glenn in camino]

I filled my sport coupe cooling system with cleaning vinegar about 2 weeks ago. I'll drain it in about 2 more weeks. I have high hopes.

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by glenn in camino

I filled my sport coupe cooling system with cleaning vinegar about 2 weeks ago. I'll drain it in about 2 more weeks. I have high hopes.

Let us know how it worked!

Ted

[poweredbylincoln]

I am happy someone put up a post on vinegar I haven't got to read the replys or post yet.

I went to costco bought 15 gallons. they sell them in 2 gallons and its about 4 bucks or so.

I put windshield frames,juice backing plates ect. In a night or 2 it cleaned them to bare metal!!

However i tryed to neutralize them with backing soda and water and then simple green. I have yet to find a fool proof way to neutralize it and then paint the parts.

any help?

I have heard of guys with 500 gallon tanks putting motors in there and cleaning them.

I think vinegar is great but any helpful advice on nuetralizing it 100 % but being able to paint?

thank you guys

[poweredbylincoln]

* I bought white vinegar think it was heinz and each side of the backing plates were cleaned over night! to factory metal.. I will add that you want to fully submerse the parts in vinegar otherwise it will accelerate the rust on the part that is dry.

and how to neutralize it inside the windshield frames?

[Marvin/TN]

White vinegar will derust but will take a long time. I used it to derust and free up a heat riser that was on my 46 Coupe. I put it in a plastic coffee can and covered it with vinegar and waited. A lot of heavy rusty scum formed on top, removed the scum and it formed again. Riser still not free, changed the vinegar more scum but with a frew taps with a hammer it would move slightly, more soaking, more tapping and so on. It finially freed it up and it will close by itself now. But over all it is still rusty. But removed rust it did.

[Chris Haynes]

WHITE VINEGAR is the product to use. Not the yellow stuff. Soaking any metal part in it for a few days will remove any and all rust and corosion. I keep a plastic container on the bench for cleaning small parts.

[just plain bill]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Local radiator shop poured in a pint of Marvel Mystery oil after cleaning and drying. Rotated the tank to spread equally.

[George]

Reporting the results of filling the gas tank with white vinegar: Disconnected the battery first to prevent any sparks while working on the fuel system. It took almost 11 1/2 gals to fill to the top of the filler. I drained a small amount through the sediment bowl to prevent sloshing onto the paint work.
I left it for 2 weeks, rocking the car almost every day (whenever I would walk past it). Then I drained the vinegar which by the way was now rusty in color, back into the plastic jugs it came in and refilled the tank with water, hopefully to neutralize the residual acid on the metal.
I added a gallon of gasoline to the tank and rocked the car a lot to mix with what water remained in the tank and drained it. Then added around 5 gallons of gasoline and observed that my fuel gauge was now not working.Drained the gasoline out and removed the fuel gauge. SURPRISE!!!There was NO trace of the cork float remaining what so ever.
Did have a new cork replacement in my parts bin so I took care of that . reinstalled, and now works fine.
Refilled tank with 5 galons previously removed and began the process of draining the tank through the sediment bowl and out the gas line that I disconnected from the carburetor. Was still collecting water in sediment bowl at this time , so I continued draining until the sediment bowl remained clear of water etc. This took a while and I noticed that my fuel flow when draining was not improved from where it was when I started this process so I began checking for fuel delivery restrictions and DID find a significant restriction at the outlet of the sediment bowl tubing connection. What I found was (EUREKA) the tubing was pushed too far into the ferrule thereby restricting the fuel exiting the bowl assembly to the carburetor. Probably my real problem all the time. After trimming the excess tubing from the fuel line, fuel gushes from the fuel line as it should. And now, I check the sediment bowl frequently, did collect a further amount of sediment / water (which was pretty negligable) and feel that I did accomplish something good for the old girl after all.
This is my report. Good Luck on your projects. Bye.

[hardtimes]

Hey George,
You did good, congrats ! Thanks for giving feedback report also.
BTW..regarding that 'missing' float. When the tank is low and/or empty sometime, take a light and look into filler area. If it worked prior to vinegar treatment, most likely it was loosened and SOAKED and is now on bottom of tank. Mine was right in center area ,between baffles. I made a long thin piece of metal into a 'cork sticker/gig' and pulled the cork out the neck. If it is cork, may further disintegrate with time and get into fuel system further. Special tule #1..patent pending,eh

[FL&WVMIKE]

GEORGE ...................
If you are only having problems with FINE rust, you might drop in a secured magnet, on a string. You might get some of it out that way. Just check and clean it, ever so often.
MIKE (mikeburch)

[poweredbylincoln]

Has anyone used white vineger to derust? Want to use it on sheetmetal panels.
if not will use muratic acid.

What would work the best to neutralize the vineger or muratic acid after the panels clean?

thank you

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by poweredbylincoln

Has anyone used white vineger to derust? Want to use it on sheetmetal panels.
if not will use muratic acid.

What would work the best to neutralize the vineger or muratic acid after the panels clean?

thank you

I'm not a bodyman or painter, but I wouldn't use either one. I'd sandblast using 40 lbs pressure and black beauty. You can hang plastic to reuse the media.

[29Cabriolet]

Originally Posted by ronn

Vinegar will do nothing in a day or two or even a week or two

be serious about it for at least a month!

patience patience patience....

Don't believe "nothing" is quite true. At least for me, vinegar works quicker than that. I've seen results in a little as 24 hours. I began my vinegar cleaning project just a week or so ago. Here's the process I am following:

Pour in 2-3 gallons of vinegar and soak 24 hours. Slosh it around and empty. Vinegar is cloudy, milky/light tan, so a lot of rust has been removed already.

Rotate tank (set it on its side) and refill tank with 2 gallons fresh vinegar.

Overnight, sediment settles from the first batch of vinegar. Strain it and discard sediment.

Repeat 24 hour cycle process by mixing strained and fresh vinegar as needed, rotating tank each time to soak all four walls until vinegar comes out clear.

At this point I am still at the "repeat process", which could end up taking a month as you said, or not. Time will tell!

[Growley bear]

It has been my experience here on the Oregon coast that after a good vinegar soak a good rinse with warm water mixed with baking soda will neutralize the action of the vinegar. When the part is dry I spray on a 50/50 mixture of MMO and WD 40 for preservation purposes.

Chet

[Wick]

White Vinegar Cleans Mildew off of interiors and cleans plastic windows. Also get's rid of Mouse pee smell in a car. And if you have Ant's just wipe down the area there in.
Makes a good base for N.C. barbque sauce.