Fuel cell cleaning

[Tim Kish]

What does everyone use to clean there metal tanks?

Not stainless.

Thanks Tim

 

[Chris Attebery]

Tim,

When I do clean them out I usually use Denatured Alcohol.

Seems to work fine for me.

Chris

 

[Don Templeton]

I clean them out with alcohol, then fill them with alcohol, then coat the outside with oil.

Don

 

[Preston_Hall]

Spay on a little WD-40. You can spray some inside and shake it around to coat the inner surfaces as well. But honestly I haven't done it in years.

 

[longballlumber]

If you don't mind me asking.... Why would you want to "flush out" the inside of the tank????

After a day of running, take out the extra fuel, spray the outside with WD-40, then leave it out so any remaining fuel inside will evaporate and you left with a film of oil... The oil left should prevent any type of corrosion happening.

Mike

 

[gil sonsino]

Nothing more that what Mike said!

Gill

 

[Don Templeton]

Oh by the way, the alcohol I fill the tank with is gin! Don't ask how a drain it before a race.

 

[DJT]

After a day of running, take out the extra fuel, spray the outside with WD-40, then leave it out so any remaining fuel inside will evaporate and you left with a film of oil... The oil left should prevent any type of corrosion happening.


Do you put after run oil in your engine when you are done? Dosen't nitro fuel cause bearings to rust if left in the engine? I assume you are talking about nitro fuel.

 

[longballlumber]

DJT,

Yes, I am talking about nitro fuel

$300+ motor with many moving parts and very tight tolerances.... or a $30 tank made of tin....

I don't think that we are comparing apples to apples!!!!

Just my $.02

 

[Mike Hughes]

Did you ever see what happens to a plastic tank when it sit for a while with a little bit of fuel in the bottom. The brass tube reacts to the fuel and corrodes. It turns green. Can't imagine how this is good for your engine. At least with the plastic you can see something is wrong. At the end of the season I usually squirt some WD40 in both tubes and swash it around a bit. I pump this back out and she is good to go.

Mike

 

[Don Templeton]

I always clean my engine with alochol and then add the after run oil. I also clean the boat with alochol.

Don

 

[DJT]

Longball

The point I was trying to make is that nitro fuel will cause your tank to rust. If you want that rust sucked into your carb and engine then thats fine. And i'm sure that you're useing some sort of filter in your fuel system, but why take the chance?

 

[TimD]

I fill may tanks with alcohol at the end of the days racing and loop the line to the vent so it doesn't leak. I just empty the tank of the alcohol when I am ready to put fuel in it the next time. Takes a few minutes extra but it works well.