What gets rid of Gunk in the fuel tank?

[AlfaACT]

Hi all,

I have removed the fuel tank (Gt) to empty it - I'm cleaning up the fuel system from the tank forwards. The car has not run for a while but the tank still had some "fuel?" aboard. The contents smelt very "sweet" and very off, a bit like varnish. (I wonder if petrol can ferment, cos it was something like that.) Anyway the tank is empty now.

However the lower part of the tank and all the dangly bits had a coating of a yellowish (?) substance that also appears a little crystalline. The colour is interesting as the fuel pick up had a goldish (cadmium?) coloured finish that must have been original. When you scrape the gunk off it leaves shiny steel.

The question is how to clean it up? I have been able to rub the stuff of the pick up and the float and arm - it scrapes off, but it is sort of sticky too. Obviously it is not soluble in petrol :-( I have also tried water and carby cleaner to no avail.

I have not tried high pressure or anything caustic as I dont really want to put water in the tank unless absolutely necessary.

So if anyone has any experience of this, I'd be grateful if you could share it?

Thanks,
Peter.

[dehne]

i would hit it with the pressure washer and when its clean i would pour a bit of metho or thinners in it to help dry it out

[AlfaACT]

Thanks Dehne,

Pretty much what I have done.
Trick was to let the oily fuel dry first - then it came off farly easily with high pressure water!
Lucky it was a warm day in sunny Canbra.

Now, a spash of paint and she'll be good-as-new ;-)

Ciao.