Will brake wash cut the gunk in the bottom of plastic tank? Chainsaw....

[Cranky]

Let my chainsaw sit too long and well, got it started and it ran better than ever but it took awhile. Was after about an hour of off and on messing with it and letting sit in the sun (yeah, it's nice out today) and was about to give up after one more try and low and behold, it fired up and stayed running. But, the bottom of the tank is gungy and actually, I'm surprised it stayed running. Fired it up with fresh gas and then dumped it after cutting what I needed to and put more fresh in it....but, that gungy tank has me a bit concerned. Wiped out what I could but can't get to all of it.

 

[66383]

Acetone? Mineral Spirits?

 

[Officer Higgins]

I have cleaned radiator overflow tanks out with glass marbles and hot soapy water, marbles with some type of solvent may do the trick.

 

[Cranky]

Acetone? Mineral Spirits?

Have mineral spirits....but thought BW would work better? The mineral spirits would probably be easier on the plastic but was just thinking of doing a quick rinse with the BW.

 

[Daves69]

I use a drain cleaner claw to with a piece of rag in it's jaws to clean out wet headlight buckets. Maybe that could help ya'.

 

[66383]

How much for a new tank?

 

[Aarons Air]

Krud kutter ?

 

[Cranky]

How much for a new tank?

This saw is 35 years old lol. Doubt I could find a new tank for it. It's been a good one although it's heavy as sheeeit. All I've ever done to it is two new bars and several chains, one jug/block gasket and new fuel pickup line and screen. It's a Poulan 3400 made for Sears Craftsman. First time to swap out the bar I went to an 18" and bet this thing will pull a 20 easily enough. It's nice to have bucking teeth too. Can you fine a 16" with the bucking teeth these days? I've cut LOTS of trees with this thing.....

 

[Evan Frucht]

Try filling with alchohol and some salt and rock salt, or rice. Let it soak for a couple hours or more. The salt doesn't dissolve in the alcohol and the alchohol will break down the gunk. And then you need to shake it around vigorously and the salt will act as an abrasive it will basically sand blast the inside. Then you can rinse it out with hot soapy water which will then dissolve the salt and finish the job.

You may also have luck with soaking it in simple green or dish soap or some other heavy duty detergent for a week or so. Then grip it tightly, take a powerful hose and flush it out. You way want to wear googles, work cloths, etc. Less work but messier and more waiting.

And honestly if you have the part numbers it is likely you could find numerous NOS parts including a new tank. But that's probabaly not neccessary in this case.

 

[Cranky]

Try filling with alchohol and some salt and rock salt, or rice. Let it soak for a couple hours or more. The salt doesn't dissolve in the alcohol and the alchohol will break down the gunk. And then you need to shake it around vigorously and the salt will act as an abrasive it will basically sand blast the inside. Then you can rinse it out with hot soapy water which will then dissolve the salt and finish the job.

You may also have luck with soaking it in simple green or dish soap or some other heavy duty detergent for a week or so. Then grip it tightly, take a powerful hose and flush it out. You way want to wear googles, work cloths, etc. Less work but messier and more waiting.

And honestly if you have the part numbers it is likely you could find numerous NOS parts including a new tank. But that's probabaly not neccessary in this case.

Plain old rubbing alcohol? Got Simple Green and Dawn. If I used the dawn, how much water to mix with it? Would assume a regular mix with the SG....?

 

[Aeronet]

Borax and a toothbrush? Borax works good for bathtub grime from hard water.

 

[kiwigtx]

The problem with Brake wash is that it evaporates fast and the active ingredients only really work while the mix is volatile. Also, if a large quantity of that liquid is left in too long, it can harm plastics, and rubber etc.

Try some DW-40 sitting for a day or so to loosen up old gas residue, then start washing it out with something like race gas.

 

[khryslerkid]

I'd try some carb carb cleaner. If the tank is easy enough to take off, remove the tank spray it out. Find a small stiff paint brush to agitate and scrub. If the tank is a pain to remove, close the shutoff so it doesn't get in the carb. Carb cleaner might ruin the diaphragms. It shouldn't hurt plastic.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Plain old rubbing alcohol? Got Simple Green and Dawn. If I used the dawn, how much water to mix with it? Would assume a regular mix with the SG....?

Yep, regular rubbing alchohol. If you can get the stuff that's 90% of higher pure. Not very hard to find I think they have it at Safeway type stores. Carb cleaner would also be good to soften and disolve gunk as well. Not sure if it would dissolve the salt tho. The salt is important becuase it is the abrasive that will clean the gunk out if all the nooks and crannies when you shake it vigorously. With this method its important to shake very fast and for a while. If the tank is small enough you could shove it an empty paint can and put it on a paint shaker, idk?

I can almost garentee you will have success with this method.

With dish soap that is probably less likely to have the best results by itself but I would use a generous helping maybe 1 part detergent and 4 parts water. Same with simple green, on the srong side of what they say