no longer needed - tank fuel sender - just need the plate - old, dead sender?

[DavidATL]

I'm in the middle of replacing the tank sender plate o-ring (waiting for the part tap tap ) and would like to clean out the very light brown material that is coating the lower 2/3's or so of the tank inside.


Is this stuff worth the hassle of removing it?


Ideas on ways to remove? I am thinking that a bunch of small screws or other sharp objects and some water(?) sloshed around for a while might do it? It wipes off with a damp paper towel but getting to every cranny is the tank will be arduous.


I need a way to seal the tank bottom while doing this. Anyone have a dead tank sender I could use to block off the hole? Glad to pay for shipping and your time.

[Martin]

Try filling the tank with white vinegar and leave for a week or two.
Regards Martin.

[DavidATL]

Interesting suggestion!


Any concern about the sender electronics?

[Laitch]

Ideas on ways to remove?

Do a Google search with this term, David.
Cleaning tank site:motobrick.com

Don't be banging the inside of the tank with sharp objects, either.  :nono

[DavidATL]

Do a Google search with this term, David.
Cleaning tank site:motobrick.com

Don't be banging the inside of the tank with sharp objects, either.  :nono

Thanks thought I assure you I research this and other sites before I ask anything. That way I learn more.
 
Every post I've read relates to varnish, shellac, tar: that dark brown crap that comes from old gas. This is light brown, almost a fine residue or dust. I haven't found mention of that yet - if you can point me to some, that would quite be helpful.


Here's a picture worth a thousand words that I should have posted:

[Dbarcle1@gmail.com]

Hi I've a 1984 K100RS with a broken fuel sender unit, I want to repair but having trouble finding suitable adhesive that will set hard & be fuel resistant, any suggestions, any one? Alternatively another unit. Thanks David, Australia

[Martin]

Anything you put in the tank to clean it could effect the sender unit although vinegar is on the lower end of the scale. Better safe than sorry. If you really want to go out there Coca Cola would also probably do the job if left for a week. as far as fuel restant sealants go type in google fuel resistant sealant here's one of many.   http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-85420-Permashield-Resistant-Dressing/dp/B007VIGCJW
Regards Martin.

[BrickMW]

Put your sender back in and fill with vinegar till level is above the "scum" line in the tank. Let it sit till your new o-rings arrive. Prepare to be amazed...

That fine powdery coating actually gets eaten away rather quickly..

Use a heavy silicone grease on the cracked o-ring you have to help keep the vinegar from seeping and a damp rag over the filler opening help keep your garage from smelling like a pickle factory for the next week.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[DavidATL]

Put your sender back in and fill with vinegar till level is above the "scum" line in the tank. Let it sit till your new o-rings arrive. Prepare to be amazed...

...

I did this tonight except I am too impatient to let it sit. I saw a major improvement after just 15 minutes of sloshing around 1 gallon of grocery store vinegar. I then rinsed with one gallon very warm water + a rounded spoon of baking soda, sloshed, emptied, then rinsed again using one gallon warm water (2x repeat). It's has a fan on it now drying the last drops that I could not shake out.


Thanks BrickMW - great suggestion and really easy. Better living through chemistry. Still don't know if this was critical to do but it looks better and that's enough for me.

[Christopherguzzi]

Wow, that's quite a difference in that short of time, although to be honest, it didn't look all that too bad to me in the first place.  Then again, sometimes it hard to tell from a picture. Best of luck with the rest of it.