Cleaning out gas tank

Without the option of a radiator shop locally to boil out the tank, what are some suggestions on how to clean out the sludge. I now know why they call it fossil fuel because it turned back into a fossil in my tank and pickup tube is blocked solid. The bottom of the tank looks like the Le Brea tar pit. A local mechanic suggested 110 octane racing fuel, let it sit and soak. What say you experts?

Well, if I was going to do it myself I would follow something like this:
1) drop the tank and wash out the inside with a hose to get the trash out.

2) Get a gallon of "carb cleaner/dip" from the parts store (the stuff you submerge carbs in for rebuilds) and pour it into the tank to try and dissolve the gunk. You can filter it through cheese cloth or something and reuse it a few times.

3) "If" you can get it clean you can get tank sealer/liner from the parts store and seal the inside yourself. Pour the stuff in, roll the tank around to get good coverage and pour out the excess. Let it dry for a few days and reinstall it.

4) You should probably change the sending unit (unless you can get it cleaned out) and change all the metal and rubber lines and filters from take to carb as well.

I tried to get by on mine without dropping the tank and ended up just doing the entire fuel system from tank to carb. The rubber tank filler hose on mine disintegrated and put large amounts of small rubber particles in the tank, pretty much jacked up the whole system, plugged the lines, filters and the fuel pump.

Make sure the sending unit has a filter sock on it inside the tank (buy them online), put a filter before the pump and one after. If you cant get all the gunk out of the tank yourself you might think about shipping the tank off to have it vatted. You don't want the stuff dissolving or breaking up later and junking up the fuel system while your out on the road.

On a side note, here is a fuel tank repair kit on Amazon for about $70 that has cleaners and sealers with it. If you use the kit let us know how it works

get a new sender & use Muratic acid- it will work good - just use rubber gloves & eye protection & BE Careful. all the motorcycle shops use this .

Mine wasn't as bad as the one donivan posted but it was nasty. The fuel filter was solid, like not even able to be squeezed. The pickup tube was solid. I burned some out with a torch but did not want to get too close to the sender. Someone even told me to use antifreeze straight and let it soak for a week.

The sealer kits use methylethylketone as a pre cleaner, its pretty potent stuff. It might be worth a shot if its available ??

Digz wrote:The sealer kits use methylethylketone as a pre cleaner, its pretty potent stuff. It might be worth a shot if its available ??

You can get MEK at Home Depot in the paint/solvent section (right beside the rust treatment)

I use CLR (calcium lime rust) I use the zep version from home depot ($10 gallon). Works great just pour in and let it sit. Best part is when you are done you don't have a mess to get rid of just pour down the drain. I just soaked a rusty chain in the clr and within a day it was clean. I clean bike tanks al the tiem with the stuff Bob

Thanks for the ideas, now to pick which one to try first.

BEFORE I USED A LINER MATERIAL IN MY TANK I DID A LOT OF INQUIRING WHEN YOU GO TO THE DIFFERNT SITES THEY TALK JUNK ON EACH OTHER. I USED BILL HERSCH PRODUCTS. I USED THEM BEFORE AND THEY ALLWAYS WORKED.FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE T. IF YOU ARE IN A HURRY THEN DON'T DO IT. THESE PRODUCTS NEED TIME TO CURE. I DOWNLOADED THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE I EVEN BOUGHT ANY THING. ALSO TRY YOU-TUBE THERE IS SOME GOOD INFO AND ALSO SOME JUNK. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND DON'T CUT ANY CORNERShttp://www.hirschauto.com/