Tank Cleaning

[M Towsley]

Has anyone had any luck with having a tank 'boiled', or whatever, at a radiator shop. I have a spare wing and header tank with very minor (rust?) flaking inside, usually around the threaded fittings. The rest of the interior of the tanks are just about spotless. Do I use the old 'BB' shaking trick to try and knock it out, or what. Can't find anything in old posts, if so please direct me to them. Thanks in advance!

[Guest]

Re: Tank Cleaning

Marty, hi, I had a leaky tin tank in a '39 Bl65 that I took to the local radiator shop and they did a great job.

I think that they cut out all the rust metal though.

Dave

[M Towsley]

Re: Tank Cleaning

Dave,

No leaks I am aware of, just want to clean some minor stuff out. Thanks, though.

[ROllerton]

Re: Tank Cleaning

Speaking generally, what I would do if it were my tractor...

A radiator shop, if they still have a hot tank (EPA); can get the goo and non-metalic stuff out. You can do the same with TSP and water, heated up to like 100f or more (put in sun in Arizona for a bit hotter), or use electric hot plate under wash tub full of solution.

If Alum. Then use carb cleaner (the cold soak kind). I pour a gallon can into the tank and slosh it around, leave it in for a few days and rotate tank to get all areas under the solution. Wash out with soap and hot water, followed by a wash with solvent (paint thinner...)

If you have light rust, you can often dissolve or at least neutralize it with buffered phosperic acid (Auto/Industrial paint store, home depot, Sherwin Williams).

If you have much rust, then you need a place like redi-strip that uses a electrolytic process or you can do that yourself too; the car/old machinery people talk about it a lot on the web.

You might find you have corrosion holes that were plugged up with a layer of old gas goo.

Pay attention to the filler neck. Some are swedged in, some are welded. Some get loose. Check for leaks there before you install. Use a bit of airpressure and some soapy water. Dont use too much pressure or you will have funny metal balloon.

[M Towsley]

Re: Tank Cleaning

Thanks Bob. The two headers look real clean after I scoped them last night. Just a few flakes of minor rust and a light discoloration that should come out real easy. I'm even hard-pressed to call them flakes, just very small pieces. May have come from around the fittings area. There are four on the header tank, alone. I will have to look at the wing tank tonight. Thanks for the tips!