Aluminum Fuel Tank Cleaning

[drs3317]

I have a pair of 25 year old 100 gal. aluminum tanks and rebuilding the entire boat with new engines. The tanks have been removed and look solid, no leaks or corission, but very dirty inside. What is the best way to clean the inside of the tanks and should the outside be painted or treated before reinstalling them?

[Thunderhead19]

I would clean them with a solvent flush. If you are concerned about the tank coming into incidental contact with something that would corrode them I would paint them. Paint make everything look pretty. If you've got the tanks out, pressure test them. See if they hold three pounds of pressure for 24hrs.

[D'ARTOIS]

Be careful not to use any solvents or chemicals that may affect the aluminium plating. Aluminium is not resistant against a large number of chemicals and cleaningacids. What is the dirt? Just gasoil residue's?

[drs3317]

The dirt is very old gas/varnish residue from years of setting and build up. I just don't want dirt problems later after installing new engines.

[Dutch Peter]

Maybe it's better to get new tanks then, as you can't be sure you clean it all out.
Is a bit more expence then anticipated, but sfaes a lot of hassle over the years.

[Thunderhead19]

There's a lot of dip- tank stripper-cleaner places in Maryland. They can do it safely, many have experience with aluminum in particular. You obviously want to do this for less than the cost of new tanks. If you can't buy the tanks from a supply company that mass produces them, you'll pay a premium to have them made. We just quoted on a custom made 20 gallon fuel cell..........for $600.

[D'ARTOIS]

No, this won't help you any further. There are some products in the market that will work without costing you a bundle. Any used product should be free from hydro-chloric acid and fluoric hydrogenes. Are you familiar with ZETTEX? That's a professional tank cleaner and you could use that safely, it special for alu tanks.
If you work with a pressure system make sure you do it safely!
I will look around and check if there are any international available products in the market that you could use.

[Thunderhead19]

Where can I get Zettex in North America? I could really use some here. It looks like the websites for this stuff are all in Scandi-hoovian. Is it nasty stuff to handle? Chevron used to sell an industrial detergent, could it be similar?

[D'ARTOIS]

I'll see to it that I do get the chemical brake-down, so you can look for a similar product. Come back on it.

[drs3317]

Thanks D'ARTOIS, ths sounds like the stuff I need. I hope it is available in the US or at least something similar.

[Arrowmarine]

Take em to your local radiator shop and have them boiled out. Works great on small tanks I have done. Cant see why it wouldnt be just as effective for the bigger ones.

Peace, Joey

[Arrowmarine]

Or the old stand by: Just pour in about 10 or 15 gallons of Chem-Tool or similar carb cleaner and let soak about a week. Then hot flush.

:-) Joey