Rusty 75 gallon rv fuel tank... How to clean??

[bensskateshop]

Just replace it. Not worth the hassle of repairing it, or the problems you WILL have later after it's installed and full of fuel 200 miles from nowhere.........

Or........
Option 2) Cut it open (think baked potato kinda cut), have it blasted, and weld it back together.
Option 3) Cut a panel out of the TOP side for access to blast, then weld it back together.

Now that's an idea! I'll probably cut the top out (after verifying where the baffles are attached) sand blast it, coat it and weld it back up.

 

[Kahrnut]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Evapo-Rust-Super-Safe-Rust-Remover-Gallon/48810395

 

[Willy Leadwell]

With the cheap Chinese radiators on the market now, many of the old radiator guys have quit or retired. Used to be 2 shops in every small town with a bus stop. Not many left now.

He only needs one. I can think of 5-6 off the top of my head.

 

[jeep78]

He only needs one. I can think of 5-6 off the top of my head.

Good luck trying to stop that cancer, esp with alcohol fuel these days.

Throwing good money after bad is not a good idea. I do this kind of work and will never touch a rusty tank again. Either replace with new, or take it somewhere else.

Yes there re many products on the market, They work in the short term, but never in the long term. 100% recurrence of rust unless acid bath or reverse electrolisis, and electro plating the virgin metal.

With an unlimited budget, anything can be done. A brand new tank will cost less than a properly repaired tank. If this were a barn find Bugatti, hell yes, repair and restore it. Thats not what we have here, OP is concerned about cost.

 

[Willy Leadwell]

OP is concerned about cost.

Exactly why I suggested he take it to a radiator shop where they’ll clean it and line it for about 10% of what OP said a new tank would cost.

 

[roundhouse]

I’ve tried the clean and coat method before and it didn’t work
I wound up buying a new tank but it was for a vehicle fee you just click on rock auto .com and a new tank shows up couple days later for $90

Yours is an odd tank , or maybe not ,
It could be a standard tank from some truck or bus
Either way , I’d run it on a boat tank strapped on the back bumper till you know the engine and trans is good
And either find a radatior shop to clean it or buy a new tank

Marietta radatior has a pretty big operation
Ive seen them boil intake manifolds from the V-10 engines and the new diesels that clog up

 

[ron28spells]

Tank has to semi-clean before any coating.
You need to find a radiator shop with a big enough tank to boil out this one

Sent from my B3-A40 using Tapatalk

 

[bensskateshop]

Any members here in the metal fab business that would like to build me a new tank?

 

[8675309]

its old school and you would need a helper. but you could drop
some chain into the tank and rock it back and forth. takes
effort probably not worth it

 

[bensskateshop]

I decided to go a different route (cheap). So last night I cut the top out. I would not have believed there could be that much trash in a tank. Next is a bunch of work with a wire wheel and some sand blasting.