How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

[Volphin]

Hi everyone,

I was finishing up my repower on my 89 Regal 4.3L A1 and decided to check the gas. Ug. Water in the fuel from the sample I pulled. I have an electric fuel pump with no water separation system. I can get most of the fuel out by pumping it directly out of the tank using the fuel pump, but then what? This tank is built into the bowrider and under the floor. I can pull the sender and let the offending water and fuel evaporate... but can't remove the tank. Can anyone provide any tips or pointers?

I am almost done rebuilding the 1409 Carb. I had even had rust on my Accel pump spring! I knew holding on to that 5 gallons of carb dip would come in handy!

 

[stonyloam]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

I would not let it evaporate, will leave residue. If the boat is on a trailer I would raise the front to get the gas to flow to one corner of the tank and use something like a outboard fuel bulb and a hose to pump it out through the sender hole. then you should be able to look through the hole to see if it needs further cleaning. If it does you could flush with a little more fuel. I would not use anything electrical to pump the fuel out.

 

[alldodge]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Boat shops use a large dual filtering system and an air accuated fuel pump to suck the fuel from the tank, filter it, then return it back to the tank.

For DIY'ers you could get an electric fuel pump, attach an inline fuel filter to the inlet side to protect the pump from the big stuff. Connect the inlet side to your fuel pickup hose. On the outlet side of the electric fuel pump connect a water seperating fuel filter. From the other side of the fuel filter run it back to your tank. You want the nose of the boat lifted up to move everything to the rear as much as possiable. This won't be as good as the commerical one but will take some juk out of the tank.

Good luck and be safe

 

[slag]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Use one of these. Works great, moves fuel fast and efficiently. It needs to be primed, but thats not a big deal.

Heavy Duty Drill Powered Pump

 

[tpenfield]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Yea, raise the bow of the boat up so the fuel goes to the rear of the tank. Use your fuel pump to get as much as possible out. Then check the remaining amount of fuel by removing the sender. It should not be too much.

You could then use a hand pump to remove the remaining fuel.

Be safe, as you are essentially working on a large explosive device. Keep in mind that the fumes will not dissipate, but rather will accumulate in the lower portions of the boat, so the use of things in side the boat that make sparks, like electric drills, etc. are particularly hazardous.

 

[alldodge]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

No, No, No

Heavy Duty Drill Powered Pump

No offence but I would not use this type of pump for two reasons. The pump is made to pump water not gas, gas will cause issues with the pump. The second reason is if you use an electric drill the small sparkes being produce by the brush and armature rotation can cause an explosion aroubd gas fumes.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

I'd skip the drill powered pump for safety reasons, but a simple hand siphon pump will be just fine. It's not like you are having to move 50+ gallons of gas. Once you have the siphon going, just put the hose/waste container outside the boat on the ground and it will continue siphoning since the end of the hose is below the bottom of the fuel tank.

 

[slag]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

No offence but I would not use this type of pump for two reasons. The pump is made to pump water not gas, gas will cause issues with the pump. The second reason is if you use an electric drill the small sparkes being produce by the brush and armature rotation can cause an explosion aroubd gas fumes.

Not true. That pump is made to pump water and petroleum products. There is no danger of explosion if you are working in a well ventilated area as you always should be when working with volatile liquids. I've had mine for several months and have used it many times to pump gasoline and have not had a failure with it.
"...this pump is suitable for use with fresh or seawater, solvents, oils, insecticides and fertilizers."

In addition, you can add up to 15 feet of hose from the tank to the pump and it will still suck the gas out so you can use the pump outside your boat.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

"...this pump is suitable for use with fresh or seawater, solvents, oils, insecticides and fertilizers."

Notice it doesn't say gasoline.
Gasoline != Oil

 

[slag]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Notice it doesn't say gasoline.
Gasoline != Oil

Gasoline=solvent

First link using a google search:
understand your material: solvents and thinners

A solvent is a solution that breaks down the essential properties of paints and varnishes, lacquer, shellac, oils, grease and adhesive residues. There are many different kinds of solvents, each performing a specific reaction (function) with a specific product. All solvents, except for water, have a toxic effect on organic tissue, biochemical, physiochemical and neurochemical. Use with care and always dispose of properly.

Typically used as a fuel, gasoline has very strong solvent properties. Often used to remove grease, tar, and waxes. Gasoline makes an excellent solvent for cleaning tools and metal parts.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

You never want to use a drill powered pump for gasoline. These pumps can and will leak and you have a drill motor that has brushes that emit sparks right next to it. Stupid Human Trick!

Sorry, but trusting a Harbor Freight instruction sheet with your safety in mind is also a Stupid Human Trick.

 

[slag]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Bruce, with all due respect, you are way off. There's being cautious, and then there's being paranoid, and I am 100% safety first. There are no issues with using a drill powered pump made to pump solvents when used properly in a well ventilated area. That's a fact, not an opinion. I got the idea to use this pump from a well known automotive forum where people are using it to empty their fuel tanks when dropping them to replace the fuel pumps. They've been doing this for years and I've used drill powered pumps for years as well. These are actually pretty well made pumps.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

So I called Harbor Freight technical assistance today to ask if the pump you are discussing was safe for pumping gasoline. They replied that it definitely should NOT be used for gasoline. They said no flammable liquids.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: How do you clean a gas tank under the floor?

Bruce, with all due respect, you are way off. There's being cautious, and then there's being paranoid, and I am 100% safety first. There are no issues with using a drill powered pump made to pump solvents when used properly in a well ventilated area. That's a fact, not an opinion. I got the idea to use this pump from a well known automotive forum where people are using it to empty their fuel tanks when dropping them to replace the fuel pumps. They've been doing this for years and I've used drill powered pumps for years as well. These are actually pretty well made pumps.

On many of these well known auto forums they also street race, ghost ride, and install airplane wings on Honda Civics. I don't really care how well ventilated an area is you are using the product incorrectly and in an unsafe manor and it only takes one spark from a tool that produces many many sparks to ruin your day.