Cleaning out a fuel tank with acetone

[leecopland]

Have a friends Homelite super mini that sat with gas for 25 years. Tanks was coated with a glue substance from the old gas. Dissolved it with acetone now how do I rinse the acetone out of the tank?

 

[holeycow]

With any other, milder solvent. Gasoline, wd40, whatever.

 

[Sprinter]

With any other, milder solvent. Gasoline, wd40, whatever.

Once the acetone has done it's thing, you can just leave the cap off and it will disappear on it's own.
It will evaporate. If you want to speed the process, you could try moving a bit of warm air through the tank,
maybe a hair dryer & funnel. I'd just give it a quick rinse with mix and call it good.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I’d slosh it out and dispose of it rather than let the acetone evaporate for fear that the fuel remnants will re solidify.

 

[esean]

Pour it into another container to evaporate so the sludge you dissolved doesn't remain in the gas tank. Please don't pour it down the drain, on the ground, or in a storm sewer to "dispose" of it.

 

[softdown]

Gas is a pretty good solvent by itself. Can't go wrong with using gas in a gas tank.

Ballsy to use acetone. Acetone eats up almost everything.. My father was a medical repairman for 40 years and a pretty big fan of acetone. With a pH of 7 - no worries about toxicity from mixing acids and bases.

 

[kevin j]

You can wash it out with water also.
Acetone as used in the reverse direction to take out water, when applying internal tank seal coatings like Kreme.

Warm soapy water, then air dry the water out. Acetone is quite aggressive on paints and finishes.
and hands.
And lungs.

 

[annalim1231]

How about using warm water and dish soap? What do you think about this way?

 

[huskihl]

Gas and a handful of rocks or small nuts/bolts and start shaking

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Yet to find a better cleaner of old gas than methylated spirits. Will dissolve fuel and varnish in seconds.

 

[PV Hiker]

Gas and a handful of rocks or small nuts/bolts and start shaking

^ this.... helps remove what's left.

 

[annalim1231]

Another way, you can use a non-abrasive gas tank cleaner, the same process, and you either use cloth or a brush to clean it. Then, let it dry completely before refilling it with fuel. Maybe it spends less time and more cleaner.

 

[HansFranz]

methylated spirits. Will dissolve fuel and varnish in seconds.

Had to look that one up. Wood alcohol.