Fuel Tank Crud Cleaning - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

brown7373 · 08-26-2018, 10:16 AM

I have had my truck off the road almost a year, replacing the 350 engine. Never expected this long, but things happen. The remaining gas in the tank (not sure how much) is 87 octane 10% ethanol and has sat for the year. I am sure it is now junk. Besides draining, what else can I do to clean it out, hopefully without having to pull the tank.

bill3rail · 08-26-2018, 10:20 AM

One year is not that long.
You said "Crud Cleaning". Is there crud in the tank?
If the fuel smells bad, it needs to be replaced.
If it smells fine, I would add some high-test to it and burn through it.

Bill

brown7373 · 08-26-2018, 10:51 AM

I can't see it, but have heard stories of ethanol fuel separating and gumming things up if it sits idle for too long. There is no past evidence of a fouled tank.

In The Ten Ring · 08-26-2018, 11:07 AM

If you are worried, buy a siphon pump from the local auto parts store and suck the fuel out. You can store that in milk jugs and give it away, that's what I did and my fuel was 10 years old.

Once it's sucked out, you can refill with fresh gasoline or use non-ethanol gasoline and run the truck with that.

My tank was full of flash rust but it had sat for nearly 20 years. I ended up getting the tank "renewed" at a radiator shop, replacing all fuel lines, connections, pump, filter, and having the carb rebuilt. I have only run non-ethanol fuel in it since.

08-26-2018, 10:16 AM	#1
brown7373 Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Fort Pierce, FL Posts: 430	Fuel Tank Crud Cleaning I have had my truck off the road almost a year, replacing the 350 engine. Never expected this long, but things happen. The remaining gas in the tank (not sure how much) is 87 octane 10% ethanol and has sat for the year. I am sure it is now junk. Besides draining, what else can I do to clean it out, hopefully without having to pull the tank.

08-26-2018, 10:20 AM	#2
bill3rail Registered User Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: LI, NY 11801 Posts: 1,140	Re: Fuel Tank Crud Cleaning One year is not that long. You said "Crud Cleaning". Is there crud in the tank? If the fuel smells bad, it needs to be replaced. If it smells fine, I would add some high-test to it and burn through it. Bill __________________ 1970 C10 8' Fleetside, L6 250, 3 on the Tree. The most basic of pickup trucks!

08-26-2018, 10:51 AM	#3
brown7373 Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Fort Pierce, FL Posts: 430	Re: Fuel Tank Crud Cleaning I can't see it, but have heard stories of ethanol fuel separating and gumming things up if it sits idle for too long. There is no past evidence of a fouled tank.

08-26-2018, 11:07 AM	#4
In The Ten Ring Registered User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 6,421	Re: Fuel Tank Crud Cleaning If you are worried, buy a siphon pump from the local auto parts store and suck the fuel out. You can store that in milk jugs and give it away, that's what I did and my fuel was 10 years old. Once it's sucked out, you can refill with fresh gasoline or use non-ethanol gasoline and run the truck with that. My tank was full of flash rust but it had sat for nearly 20 years. I ended up getting the tank "renewed" at a radiator shop, replacing all fuel lines, connections, pump, filter, and having the carb rebuilt. I have only run non-ethanol fuel in it since.



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