My fuel filter ( under the tank) fills up with some lovely brown crud and I have had a few running problems usually cured by blowing back down the delivery pipe into the tank... Now.... I'm no rocket scientist but I'm suspecting that my fuel tank needs cleaning out ??

The question is.. HOW??

Any ideas chaps and chappesses ?? 

Drain it. Remove it. Remove the pipe from the base of the tank (there should be a filter on the inside to clean)and get a jet wash in it in the back yard. Allow it to fully dry out. Re fit the pipe and filter (new ones are available from Heritage) then put it back together.

As Shaggy says but if you want to keep the bonnet on removing the bottom outlet is possible in situ to clear the crud through depending on the angle of the tank im may need the front or rear of the buggy raised to get the drain at the lowest point.

A few litres of fuel poured through and then filtered before reflushing will help wash muck out. The original filter net in the tank usually falls to bits over the years and the new replacement parts are poor compared to the originals.

The tanks do rot from the inside out though

If you do remove your tank, the best eat I have seen to clean a tank is, put a few handfuls of gravel into the tank, tape over the openings, then strap onto a cement mixer and leave it running for a while, then empty and rinse.
Ttfn Glenn

Think you can get tank lining paint they use it on old motorbikes. Havent a clue where to get it from tho..

Quote from: Paddy on August 23, 2016, 05:24:52 PM

Think you can get tank lining paint they use it on old motorbikes. Havent a clue where to get it from tho..

Lots of bad reports on that on here, sure Dave DND will be along soon. 

When I did my fuel system I took the tank out as I was having it powder coated. It is very hard to get the last bit of liquid out (petrol or water) so to make sure all petrol was out I put the metal exit back on and filled it to overflowing with water then flushed it for a while.
To dry the water I tipped as much as I could out then stuck my hot air gun in the fuel sender hole for a while, it is hot enough at the moment to just air dry in the sun.

Of course after powder coating I had to repeat the whole process to get the grit out.

I think alot of bad reports are due to improper or non existant prep.......incidentally, I've used tank sealer to good effect on a porous progressive fanimold. Also if you use the throw some gravel in it method, which works very well, check the tank aint holed before you refit it, some tanks will be getting a bit thin after all these years.

Quote from: GBHgpJON on August 23, 2016, 07:26:13 PM
I think alot of bad reports are due to improper or non existant prep.......incidentally, I've used tank sealer to good effect on a porous progressive fanimold. Also if you use the throw some gravel in it method, which works very well, check the tank aint holed before you refit it, some tanks will be getting a bit thin after all these years.

Did you mean manifold.
I'd turn off predictive text were I you 

Fanimold??

Is that the technical term for the brown crud ?.

Always called em that......just sorta rolls off the tongue 

I thought it might be similar to a vajazzle

Mind you, I call the thing on top a carbitooter.............anyhoo, back to the sensible stuff...aye? 

Quote from: Doon L001 on August 23, 2016, 06:26:35 PM

Quote from: Paddy on August 23, 2016, 05:24:52 PM

Think you can get tank lining paint they use it on old motorbikes. Havent a clue where to get it from tho..

Lots of bad reports on that on here, sure Dave DND will be along soon. 

Don`t do it . . . .   Sounds a brilliant idea at the time, but just don`t do it   

http://www.beachbuggy.info/index.php/topic,20.msg91437.html#msg91437

Been doing a bit of research and there are utube vids showing bike tank cleaning using vinegar, The handful of pebbles idea sounds good, suggested alternatives are old nuts and bolts or a length of chain to shake things up...

Don't worry Dave, I wasn't going to go down the tank lining road... 

Best be is to take it out and then run it to a local radiator and fuel tank repair place, get them to check it over and pressure test it.  Worst case is they tell you it needs replacing, but then they can weld the filler into the correct place for you.

That's what I did with mine - got it to Kempston Radiators and they immediately told me the tank was junk.  Ran over to GSF and got them to deliver a new tank straight to Kempston and they did the filler move and it was all sorted.