How do I clean a bug's gas tank

Hi All
I just got a 75 fuel injected non-super bug. It has been sitting since
91 (that's the date on the last inspection sticker).

Before I try anything, I'd like to make sure that it doesn't suck
sludge through the injectors so cleaning the tank is probably a good
idea, right?
Is just emptying the tank enough? Or is there a way for me to take the
tank out and clean it? (It must have rust and gunk build up all over,
right?)

Is that is possible, how do I do this? I am totally new to the
wonderful world of bugs, so appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!
Remco

(btw, sorry if somehow this gets posted twice -- using the new google
interface and it does weird things sometime).

One way I have seen done is to remove the tank and put "The Works" into the tank and hit the inside with a power washer.
A better way would be to have the tank clean and professionally sealed. I paid $50 for a non-VW to do that. A third
option is just to buy a new tank.
> wrote in message ups.com...
> Hi All
> I just got a 75 fuel injected non-super bug. It has been sitting since
> 91 (that's the date on the last inspection sticker).
>
> Before I try anything, I'd like to make sure that it doesn't suck
> sludge through the injectors so cleaning the tank is probably a good
> idea, right?
> Is just emptying the tank enough? Or is there a way for me to take the
> tank out and clean it? (It must have rust and gunk build up all over,
> right?)
>
> Is that is possible, how do I do this? I am totally new to the
> wonderful world of bugs, so appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>
> (btw, sorry if somehow this gets posted twice -- using the new google
> interface and it does weird things sometime).
>

Hey Ben
Thanks -- "the works" sounds good - right now I am really just
evaluating what needs to be done to get the car runnng. I have a power
washer and am not afraid to use it. Would I use a degreaser like that
stuff they always demonstrate at Sams club and BJs?
Thanks!
Remco

Some good advice I was given that I will regurgitate:

If you are in depserate need of a clean/new fuel tank, invest in fuel
filters. You 'should' have two installed. One just below the tank in
the front of the car (connecting between the small piece of rubber line
coming out of the bottom). And a second in the engine cabinet between
the pump and your carb.

I like to go with those cheap paper filters (the clear plastic covered
ones). That way you can get a quick look at how dirty it is when
checking your oil.

This is of course just buying time until you can get around to that new
tank. I have been swapping filters every couple of weeks for a few
months. I probably could have bought that new tank by now if I had
thrown those dollars into a piggy bank. ;-)

-Ray

Ray Dios Haque wrote:
>
> Some good advice I was given that I will regurgitate:
>
> If you are in depserate need of a clean/new fuel tank, invest in fuel
> filters. You 'should' have two installed. One just below the tank in
> the front of the car (connecting between the small piece of rubber line
> coming out of the bottom). And a second in the engine cabinet between
> the pump and your carb.


BEFORE the pump!!!!!!!

Never on the pressure side!!

Jan

In article >,
Jan Andersson > wrote:

> BEFORE the pump?
>
> Never on the pressure side!

Why? I've used them there for thirty years with no problem... I change
them at least once a year (car stays in storage all winter).

I know about the issue of ones left too long being a fire hazard from
cracking and then leaking, but I change them so often that I'm not all
that concerned.

--
___
|___| '61 - VW
(o\_|_/o) Bug! ALEA -- 35.9 BHP and not a bit more!
_U_____U_

On 10 Dec 2004 11:39:09 -0800, "Ray Dios Haque" >
scribbled this interesting note:

>If you are in depserate need of a clean/new fuel tank, invest in fuel
>filters. You 'should' have two installed. One just below the tank in
>the front of the car (connecting between the small piece of rubber line
>coming out of the bottom). And a second in the engine cabinet between
>the pump and your carb.
>
>I like to go with those cheap paper filters (the clear plastic covered
>ones). That way you can get a quick look at how dirty it is when
>checking your oil.
>
>This is of course just buying time until you can get around to that new
>tank. I have been swapping filters every couple of weeks for a few
>months. I probably could have bought that new tank by now if I had
>thrown those dollars into a piggy bank. ;-)

You should already have two filters installed by VW when the car was
made. One is actually in the tank and the other is actually in the
fuel pump. If your fuels system is clean then those two filters are
all you need. The filter in the tank is a regular maintenance item
that should be removed, inspected, and cleaned or replaced
periodically.

If you feel the need for more filtration (and there is no real need
since, as I've read, there are no passages in a stock carburetor that
are smaller than what these two stock filters will allow to pass),
then the best place is directly under the tank.

Google "engine fire" on ramva. See how often folks post about their
cars catching on fire because that little brass nipple that is merely
pressed into the carburetor has worked out because of the extra mass
of that little nugget of gasoline wiggling around between the pump and
carburetor. Why risk it?


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 16:42:09 -0600, John Willis
> wrote:

>
>Google "engine fire" on ramva. See how often folks post about their
>cars catching on fire because that little brass nipple that is merely
>pressed into the carburetor has worked out because of the extra mass
>of that little nugget of gasoline wiggling around between the pump and
>carburetor. Why risk it?

Because it'll never happen to me. Again. :-)

---

Beware the fury of a patient man. - John Dryden

>(It must have rust and gunk build up all over,
>right?)

As far as rust goes, there's a fairly easy way to get that out if you remove
the tank. Drop in some nuts and bolts and shake your booty! Actually, shake the
tank around. The bolts will knock loose the rust and it will just pour out when
you tip it. MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL THE NUTS AND BOLTS OUT WHEN YOU'RE DONE! lol
Though thinking now, that will work for a dry tank. It won't help much with
sludge. So if you wanted to drain the tank and wait for it to dry, you could do
that for the rust and then try one of the other suggestions for the sludge
build up.

(Who says I can't be helpful?)

K.
"So tonight I'll ask the stars above, how did I ever win your love? What did I
do? What did I say to turn your angel eyes my way?"

wrote:

> Hi All
> I just got a 75 fuel injected non-super bug. It has been sitting since
> 91 (that's the date on the last inspection sticker).
>
> Before I try anything, I'd like to make sure that it doesn't suck
> sludge through the injectors so cleaning the tank is probably a good
> idea, right?
> Is just emptying the tank enough? Or is there a way for me to take the
> tank out and clean it? (It must have rust and gunk build up all over,
> right?)
>
> Is that is possible, how do I do this? I am totally new to the
> wonderful world of bugs, so appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>
> (btw, sorry if somehow this gets posted twice -- using the new google
> interface and it does weird things sometime).
>

I had an "issue" with the gas tank on my '62 Stude which sat in a shed
for some 30 years... what I did was to remove the tank (actually it was
out when I bought the car) made a little plate to seal the sender hole,
then dumped a can of Drano crystals in it and filled it with hot water.
Then rattled a length of chain around in there through the filler neck
after letting it sit a while (this knocks off the rust you've just
loosened.) Lather, rinse, repeat. the reason for the block off plate
was so that when I did the "repeat" but I could turn the tank upside
down to get the rust off. Then I did a rinse with some muriatic acid
(do I need to say, do this outside?) and repeated the chain bit after
rinsing it out again. Finally I put a little phosphoric acid based
metal prep solution in and swished it all around so that all the
surfaces got rinsed with it (it not only removes rust but leaves a
little protective coating behind) and last but not least rinsed it out a
couple times the same way with gasoline to make sure none of the
nastiness I'd used found its way back into the fuel system.

Been working fine for me so far... I did install a little fuel filter
before the carb so anything I missed gets caught...

If you follow the above procedure and find that your tank is less than
perfectly sealed, at least you've done most of the prep work for using a
gas tank sealer coating...

good luck,

nate

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