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Sitting gas tank...still good?

Muddy Beast

NAXJA Forum User
Location
WA
I have a gas tank off my rolled rig that's been sitting for a year...I cut the gas lines to it and dropped the tank 6 months ago... siphoned all the gas I could and let it sit under the rig with a water bottle over the gas lines.

Trick is my pump just went out in my new rig...so I want to swap tanks since it's such a pain to swap just the pump. Do you guys think it would be OK to use my old tank? Is there anyway to check to make sure the inside is clean, or to clean the inside out? I have a new fuel filter...will that clean out anything stuck in the tank?

I'd hate to swap the tanks only to find the gas inside is dirty or contaminated, or worse, and kill my engine. In the PNW it doesn't get very humid, and as I've said the tank has been sitting under my rolled rig since I dropped it so it hasn't had direct contact with rain or anything.

'89 I6 cherokee. Tank is from a 91-96 (gas gauge reads opposite with the tank/pump so I figure it's from a newer one)

~Scott
 
So visually if it looks clean on the inside, all should be good? Think maybe dumping what's left or throwing some alcohol in it and then dumping that would help?

~Scott
 
So visually if it looks clean on the inside, all should be good? Think maybe dumping what's left or throwing some alcohol in it and then dumping that would help?

~Scott

I would swish around some clean fuel in it and then dump it, if it looks a little grungy maybe Acetone more than alcohol.
 
EDIT: Nvm. I'm just going to swap the pumps.

Seeing spiders crawling inside the gas lines turned me off to the idea. Mods, feel free to delete this thread.

~Scott
 
Likewise. Every time I do a gas tank, whatever was left in the old tank goes into the 5 gallon pail of "miscellaneous hydrocarbons" that I use as a parts cleaner. Dunk stuff in there, scrub it with an old toothbrush for a minute or two, hose off with brake cleaner and damn near everything comes off.
 
Could you use a creme kit for motorcycle tanks here? I've refurbed a couple of motorcycle tanks and the creme kits were like $30 and completely refurbished the inside of the tank through a very simple and easy process.....I'm just wondering if that would be another option here.
 
Back to the age of gas still working good. I've used gas that is one year old many, many times with no ill effect. Over two years has yielded bad results when I try it occasionally. Run like sh*t or even no start on lawn mowers, etc.
 
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