Cleaning fiberglass in hull gas tanks?

[64stevens]

Any one have any ideas about cleaning fiberglass tank that is part of the boat (glassed in)? I need to get that ready for the first new tank of gas for my rebiult engine.

[Sangster]

You don't..When they go bad inside there done..

[GofastRacer]

Been down that road before, cut them suckas out of there, they are shot!!!.. :rolleyes:

[Moneypitt]

I just add a couple of gallons of good gas to empty, (dry) tanks. Shake the boat around a bit, and with an electric pump, run the fuel out through a t shirt, or simular sieve, into a can or bucket, and look for dirt, shit, rust,(from the last place you bought gas last year), or any other foriegn matter. If it's clean, great! If not, recycle the gas and do it again, until its clean.. You may never get everything out, but this gets most un wanted material out. If you've got the gas jelly/varnish problem, I try to siphon 5 or so gallons out and use the hose as a vacuum around the tank, once again running it through some sort of filter medium,(T shirt) and repeating as necessary....Moneypitt

[64stevens]

The tanks are in good condition there is just a little bit of rubber in the tanks from a old hose that crumbled in to the tank. Thanks Moneypit I'll try that.

[LeE ss13]

Unfortunately, even if you get the tanks cleaned, you may be up against another problem. Fiberglass fuel tanks worked OK with gas made in the '60s and 70s, but today's gas may have (depending where you live) additives that act as sovents to some resins. Like MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) or worse, ethanol alcohol. Left in glass tanks for long periods of time, the resins will break down and glass cloth thread will start showing up stuck in you carburetor's needle and seat. No filter I have ever seen can stop them. My $.02, call IMCO.