[Turtle Chaser]

has anyone tried vinegar for getting the rust out of a gas tank? it works well on tools ect. it leaves a black stain but maybe a baking soda solution or something like that would clean it up?

 

[ATXthumper]

i have never tried vinegar. depending on how bad the rust is i'll knock it all loose with a handfull of nuts and bolts being shook around in the tank blow it out then tape it up and do a muriatic acid/water combination. vinegar would be a hell of a lot friendlier to work with...i thikn ill try this on my latest project.

 

[Boret]

Vinegar will remove rust because it eats away metal. If you decide to go that route you need to make sure you empty all the vinegar quickly. Also, having some type of basic liquid to neutralize the acidity of vinegar will help. Vinegar has a pH of 3, so something like baking soda with a pH of 9 will neutralize it. Here are some instructions I found online:

Use vinegar to flush rust out of the tank. Remove the tank to complete the process to be certain so nothing can make its way into the vehicle. Rinse the tank thoroughly with pressure washing equipment. Be sure that all excess gasoline residue is removed (until the water runs clear, without a gasoline odor). Then, fill the tank with vinegar and let it sit for between 12 and 24 hours. Remove the vinegar from the tank and rinse it thoroughly with water once again. To counteract the vinegar’s acid, add between one-half and one cup of baking soda, depending upon the tank size. Making sure the baking soda coats the entire surface. Let that sit for between 20 and 45 minutes. Rinse thoroughly again with water. Make certain that no water remains in the tank before filling it with gasoline again.



Read more: How to Remove Rust From a Gas Tank | eHow.com LINK

I would use a mixed solution of vinegar and water, not 100% vinegar like the above quote suggests. And I will probably let it sit less than 12 hours. I would start with 1 hour and inspect. And keep adding time with the vinegar/water mix until I don't see any more rust.



Btw, use the cheap white vinegar.