How to dissolve varnish in fuel tank?

[Stihl Crazy]

I can find out for you and that one cost me around $45. a couple of years back. One of the sources we get this product from is UAP, not sure if you have them over on your side. We also had a product called Gunk carb cleaner that was about the same, it has gone out of avaliability since fuel injection has taken most of the carb engines off the road.

Pioneerguy600

Just bought a can last week. Still under $50. Works great.

 

[mama]

cleaner

Carb cleaner, let it set overnight should do the trick.

 

[little possum]

Ok this may be a little crazy...

But I was working on the gummed up carb on my Farmall tonight. Well I was heating the choke shaft with a small propane torch, and it scorched the varnish, and it just flakes off.

IDK if that could be applied to the gas tanks or not. Might mess up the paint, but maybe you could stick the nozzle inside.

:monkey:

 

[srcarr52]

Ok this may be a little crazy...

But I was working on the gummed up carb on my Farmall tonight. Well I was heating the choke shaft with a small propane torch, and it scorched the varnish, and it just flakes off.

IDK if that could be applied to the gas tanks or not. Might mess up the paint, but maybe you could stick the nozzle inside.

:monkey:

Or just explode and voila no more tank to mess with.

 

[little possum]

No fuel in the tank, and let it sit for while with the cap off.

I mean gas tanks can be welded on autos/big rigs. So...
Thinking out loud

 

[srcarr52]

No fuel in the tank, and let it sit for while with the cap off.

I mean gas tanks can be welded on autos/big rigs. So...
Thinking out loud

That is after being flushed with water and filled with argon.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Just bought a can last week. Still under $50. Works great.

Ya, I figured it would have gone up a little since I got my last 4 cans. I have yet to find a better product and I have been at this line of work since I was a kid, LOL. Good to hear someone else on here also uses it and that it works for them. I know of a few mechanics around me that I have turned on to this stuff and they swear by it. This stuff will also clean carbon off pistons and cylinders to make them look great without ruffing up the finish like abrasives and scrapers do.

Pioneerguy600

 

[bullseye13]

You can still get GUNK carb cleaner in gallon cans with a stainless basket, at an Advance auto or local equivalent. Cost is 20+ for a little less than a gallon, stinks, smell gets in everything, but great stuff. Will eat the paint off of anything in short order.

 

[Mike311]

You might try some GM Top Engine Cleaner or Chrysler Combustion chamber cleaner. They both seem to be the same chemical, going by the smell, and seem to work the same as well. The GM product comes in a pint pour can and the Chrysler product comes in a spray can.

I was rebuilding and old holley carb that had sat for some time and the float bowls were really varnished up. That varnish was so hard you could not scrape it off with a screwdriver. I filled the float bowls with the Chrylser combustion chamber cleaner and let them sit for a few hours. It dissolved all the varnish and they looked like new inside.

I don't know if it would be safe to use on a plastic tank but a metal tank would be fine.

 

[dellwas]

Hey Jerry,

I believe that UAP was bought out by NAPA? Pretty sure all the stores in Halifax were anyway. If so, and they did buy them out on a corporate scale, then maybe it's available at NAPA stateside....

Jerry,

As they are a Canadian company is there any way to get their products in the U.S.? I see 4 Canadian offices (plus ones in Syria, Poland and Hong Kong), but nothing for us down in the States. How much does a 4 liter jug run?

Gary

I can find out for you and that one cost me around $45. a couple of years back. One of the sources we get this product from is UAP, not sure if you have them over on your side. We also had a product called Gunk carb cleaner that was about the same, it has gone out of avaliability since fuel injection has taken most of the carb engines off the road.

Pioneerguy600

 

[dellwas]

Where did you pick it up, if you don't mind me asking?

Just bought a can last week. Still under $50. Works great.

 

[belgian]

I have used this product for over 15 years on a lot of saws and other two stroke mix tanks and carbs, it is an industrial strength cleaner and will strip 1/4" of the worst varnish from a metal tank or carb usually overnight. I have not used it on the nylon/plastic tanks as yet but I don`t think it would harm them.

This stuff just cleaned up a RA that Dan Can had given me, there was at least 1/4" of varnish and goo in that tank and the carb was totally seized with that guck. They are now sparkling clean, just set overnight.

Pioneerguy600

I would really try this stuff if it were available here.

 

[Guido Salvage]

I would really try this stuff if it were available here.

They have an office in Poland, so they must have a presence in Europe. Environmental laws may dictate where products are sold. This website should help: www.kleenflo.pl.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Hey Jerry,

I believe that UAP was bought out by NAPA? Pretty sure all the stores in Halifax were anyway. If so, and they did buy them out on a corporate scale, then maybe it's available at NAPA stateside....

You are correct, the stores are now owned and run by NAPA, so if there are NAPA stores state side they should be able to bring it in to individual stores unless it is a banned substance, you know EPA and all that stuff.

Pioneerguy600

 

[pioneerguy600]

NAPA has affiliates state side;

http://www.uapinc.com/client/en/uap/genuine.html

Pioneerguy600

 

[belgian]

They have an office in Poland, so they must have a presence in Europe. Environmental laws may dictate where products are sold. This website should help: www.kleenflo.pl.

thanks for that link....but my polish is a bit rusty....:hmm3grin2orange:
why they choose a location in poland for distributing their products in europe is beyond me...


musta have something to do with regulations I think, or patent rights. I'll dig somewhat further in the chemical composition of this product to see if I can find a simular product. If Jerry is a convinced user, I gotta try this stuff as well....I'll be dayuuum.

 

[Freehand]

Thanks for the tips guys. I have both lacquer thinner and Seafoam here. I also have lead shot. I'll give those a try.

Careful with that lacquer thinner Brad,I've had that stuff just render fuel grade plastic in a hurry.A very "hot" solvent,I use it for quick flushes and chase it with mix to flush IT out.Someone mentioned acetone,that stuff is way too hot.It will eat powdercoat right off the magnesium.

 

[blsnelling]

I headed out to the garage and found a couple bottles of Berrymans B-12. That and some #8 lead shot worked wonders. Thanks guys. I would have never though of the lead shot.

 

[stderr]

...Someone mentioned Acetone,that stuff is way too hot. It will eat powdercoat right off Magnesium.

Yeah, that was me

You're right, Acetone will eat powdercoat. I had a powdercoater warn me about it. Any Ketone based solvent will eat through powdercoat very quickly. It's not so bad with a regular spray on finish though.

There's usually no paint inside the tank. I did spill a bit on the outside of a Magnesium tank, but I wiped it off right away and couldn't see any damage. I also tried it on a plastic Shindaiwa tank with good results.

It's definitely an aggressive option. If you have a fuel line that's turned to goo, and you can't get a brush on it, it'll get the job done.

 

[paccity]

berrymans and steel shot. works for me.