[ihc] Fuel Tank Treatment

[Joel M Brodsky <jmbrodsky@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael,
      I used Kreem(R)  sold by JC Whitney in a gallon size.  A friend
bought the gallon because he wasn't sure how many gas tanks he was going to
do.  Well, the kit is great, and you only need buy more MEK (Methyl Ethyl
Ketone as a cleaner and fuel displacement, about $6/gallon) from the Home
Depot to clean the gas tanks.  He did his tank, his son's, his RV, my 33
gal, and another friend's 33gal.  And...he still has Kreem left.
 Last I remember the gallon can is about $50 and is about twice as
expensive as the single tank treatment kit.  If I need to do another tank
in the future, I'm going for the gallon size.  The little kits from the
auto or cycle stores just don't seem to do the job for the second time on
another tank.  The tank in my truck was sealed about 3 years ago now, and
is in great shape.  Even battering through trails and more than one
occasion supporting the whole truck without cracking the liner which is now
a flexible plastic!  Seals rust holes and rusty bottoms and makes a perfect
plastic coating inside and it's great except if you have oxygenated fuels
which have some kind of reaction that eventually degrades the liner.  Just
get the other gas, I guess.  It seems that oxygenated fuels are not as
widespread in the SW as I remember a few years ago, but, your results may
vary.

Anyway, the process was to wash the tank out with soap and water, rinse
three times for surety.  Then wash with MEK inside and pour the MEK back
into the container since it's technically hazmat.  Actually the soap and
water is probably hazmat too, but sure does a nifty job for killing weeds.
;)
Continuing on, let dry with a fan (left mine till the next day almost 24
hours, and then pour in the measured amount of Kreem.  We used whatever was
in the gallon can which was probably close to a half gallon.  Lay flat on
each side for some prescribed number of minutes that escapes me, but it
written on the can.  Coat each surface of the interior and if you can, get
the internal baffles too.  Then pour the Kreem out of the filler neck, back
into the can.

My 33 gal, to my memory, took about a pint and a half of Kreem.  We had
plenty left for our other friend's 33 gal tank too.

Great stuff, and I highly recommend it!

JoelB

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Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 14:54:49 -0500
From: "Joseph Shaw, II" <josephshaw@domain.elided>
Subject: [ihc] Fuel Tank Treatment

Do any of the chain stores carry that gas tank cleaner/treatment/coating
stuff?

I have bought from JC WHITNEY before, but am in kind of a hurry to get a
tank
cleaned and back on a vehicle.  I checked at one local store, with no luck,
and have never seen it at a store before, but thought maybe someone had.

Otherwise, I may just pour a couple of gallons of carb/parts cleaner in and
let it sit, then rotate and let it sit, etc, until it looks pretty clean.

Any comments about this last idea?

Thanks!

Michael