Advice needed re-fuel tank cleaning

[powbongo]

I have a 100-120 litre Vetus plastic fuel tank that has been installed for over 20 years and it is in need of a clean out. It is easily accessible although to remove it would mean some radical alterations to floor joists etc I am desperately trying to avoid removal. Here are my questions; there is an access hatch to the top of the tank that is screwed on has anyone cleaned a tank like this through the access hatch? Once emptied of old fuel and **** what would you use to clean the tank? What would you use to re-seal the inspection hatch? Could you use a pump to clear out tank and if so what pump. Any help with any of these questions would be appreciated.

 

[nigelmercier]

For the pump, I got one of these, really excellent:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000O8CZWE/dolcetto-21

 

[yoda]

I used a drill driven pump off ebay to empty mine into jerry cans. If you can access the whole tank to wipe it out with rags you will find that is the best way to do it. Sealing the inspection hatch needs a fuel resistant gasket/sealant. I would ask vetus what they recommend first of all.

Yoda

 

[powbongo]

Thanks for your help

 

[lw395]

I would use a pela oil extractor, with a bigger bore hose on it, to suck the crud from the bottom.
If the crud is sticky, agitate it with something on the end of a cordless drill.

 

[Tomahawk]

When you reseal everything....
Use the minimum sealent and avoid getting globs of the stuff floating about in the tank.....

Of course you won't know if there are any until the engine just dies... Which will always be when you need it most...
As happened to me when we were mooring up... it packed up just as i was positioning us to pick up the cleat... strong wind and current and suddenly we were in deep dodah...

When I looked in the takn there were about half a dozen pea sise lumps of squidgy mastic on the bottom of the tank next to the fuel pipe.... Now cleaned

 

[Graham_Wright]

Could you use a pump to clear out tank and if so what pump. Any help with any of these questions would be appreciated.

Wet and dry vac. Mine came from Wilks for ~£40.

 

[ctva]

I had the same problems with a Jeanneau fitted plastic tank and only the 2" sender hole as access. Used a £10 drill pump to remove the bulk, keeping the hose off the bottom. Then I got a large bottle brush off of fleabay which I fixed to a 6mm length of wooden dowel. This I used to scrub and agitate as said above, the remaining few litres of diesel which I sooked up using the Seago oil extractor pump. Once emptied, I just wiped round some absorbant cloths on the end of a dowel until clean and also used a vacumn once dry to clean the remainder. Sealing is easy with blue gasket.

I was surpried at how little dirt I extracted after 13 years of use.

Good luck.