Nasty Fuel Tank Dilemma On XL-102

[edju1958]

I got my newest XL-102 to fire on a prime yesterday which really surprised me.I went to check the fuel filter & found the line had turned to black goo in the tank & must've dissolved in the old fuel that was left in the tank & then the fuel evaporated over time.The result is a tar like substance that has adhered itself to the tank.I know if I just put a new fuel line in & a fuel filter that the gunk will find it's way into the carb & gunk that up as well.What should I use to remove that old tar like stuff in the tank?I was thinking possibly acetone,but it'll take a lot of that to fill the tank.I've got a friend of mine who uses Goof Off to soak his saw parts & carbs in & I was thinking of using that too.

[okie]

I really do not know what would be good for removing that.
I've got a lawn tractor with a 5 gallon rear mounted plastic tank that has goo in it.
Was left setting for long time by the previous owner.
After I got the engine running I installed new in-line clear view fuel filter, few days later the engine would not start, pecked on the carb to free the float needle. few days later it went to flooding. Needle/float stuck open. I seen what looked like some black/brown tar in the fuel filter and when I used low air pressure backwards through the filter into a white paper tower the filter was almost clogged and the tar is like cold molasses. Gasoline is only slightly breaking it loose in the tank.

What I've done with large metal gas tanks, small engine metal tanks and chainsaw gas tanks is strap them to my Farmall rear tractor tire/wheel using ratchet straps and old carpet and place some nuts/bolts or pieces of porch swing chain inside and slow rotate. Jack up the wheel and scotch the tractor and I can go do other things while it's tumbling. I just removed the chain and bar on a chainsaw and let it tumble. I've seen a Brown/tan type mold grown inside old Mac chainsaw magnesium gas tanks and it must be removed because it's so fine the mold get past the in tank filter and clogs the sintered iron carb inlet filter within about two tanks of gas. I just start out with some water in the tank and rig it too the wheel so as I can drain and replace the water every once in awhile. I do the finish tumbling with small amount of Lacquer thinner or acetone USUALLY but at the price of such I would probably just use small amount of gasoline now days. The large rim on the tractor gives me lots of room to work with, but you could even rig onto a smaller rim, but do rotate at a slow tumble. Going slow allows the parts inside the tank to drop from on side to the other as the wheel rotates.
The slow tumbling works really good if I'm also going to Red Kote the inside of the larger tanks with the two part epoxy after cleaning.

Yes you are going to have to get it spotless clean.

[undee70ss]

houseofhomelite.proboards.com/thread/8676/cleaning-out-varnished-tank

[okie]

I use a 50/50 mix of white vinegar for cleaning small engine carbs.
If the carb is really bad looking inside I use the 50/50 mix in a heated Ultra Sonic.

After coming out of the vinegar mix I put a spoonful of baking soda in water and thourghly stir and soak the carb in or brush it on the carb. The vinegar is a acid and reacts differently with different things, some carb bodies turn brown and feel greasy.
A good cleaning with the baking soda and water is needed to stop the vinegar reaction.

[w30bob]

I think undee's link deals primarily with varnished tanks, which is residue from evaporated fuel. If want to remove the rubber gunk from the disintegrated hose you'll need something that dissolves rubber. Any of the ketone solvents should work, but start with Acetone, as it's the safest. It may take a little time, so you might want to let it sit overnight. You might get lucky and find out the rubber is so far gone that even gasoline may dissolve it. So throw some gas in there while you go to the store to get the Acetone. You never know.

;O)
bob

[edju1958]

I think everyone here missed the point of my post except for Bob.I'm not cleaning a varnished tank,or a carb.I'm going to clean a tank that's been desecrated with an old Homelite fuel line.After considerable thought & some advice from my friend over on AS,I've decided to use Goof Off.

[okie]

Jul 9, 2022 14:57:12 GMT -5 edju1958 said:

I think everyone here missed the point of my post except for Bob.I'm not cleaning a varnished tank,or a carb.I'm going to clean a tank that's been desecrated with an old Homelite fuel line.After considerable thought & some advice from my friend over on AS,I've decided to use Goof Off.

Yep, I did miss that is a old melted fuel line.

[w30bob]

Jul 9, 2022 14:57:12 GMT -5 edju1958 said:

I think everyone here missed the point of my post except for Bob.I'm not cleaning a varnished tank,or a carb.I'm going to clean a tank that's been desecrated with an old Homelite fuel line.After considerable thought & some advice from my friend over on AS,I've decided to use Goof Off.

The current version of Goof Off is Acetone based.  The earlier version was Xylene based, so if you have a newer can you should be fine.  Just remember it's flammable and needs ventilation.  Let us know how well it works.........I'm sure we'll all run into that problem at some point.  

;O)
bob

[edju1958]

I finally got the can of Goof Off yesterday,but didn't have time to use it.Today I put about a cup of it in the tank & plugged off the fuel line opening & shook it around for a bit.I did the shaking bit about 3 times,then dumped it out,it was black,so it did it's job.I rinsed it out with gas & have it setting in the sun so all residue can evaporate.The inside of the tank is nice 'n shiny & no longer sticky from the dissolved fuel line.My friend says he soaks varnished carbs in Goof Off with good results.I've got a carb on an XL-902 that's given me trouble since day one.I think I'll pull that carb & soak it in Goof Off & see what happens.

[okie]

Let us know how the test run is on the carb.
If that is a chainsaw carb that has the little intended to be non-serviceable check valve it's going to be a cross your finger soak.
Some of those types are the SDC and HDC carbs.

[edju1958]

Ya know,that crossed my mind about those check valves.I may be better off soaking it in Seafoam which is more compatible than an acetone based product.