I have a riding mower I'm piecing together. The gas tank on it is very dirty. There is stuff in the bottom of it caked on. What is the best way to do it? Hints for a beginner?

Murray
Model Number: 40627X92D

I have the manuals in PDF format for it.

Thanks ya'll!!! This site ROCKS and from what I can tell, Bugman knows his stuff and is everywhere...

well i don't know all, i just tinker around on my own... but the gas tank, if they are that bad, fill it up with soap and water, plug the bottom feed up, and swish it around a while, then drain it out the filler and let it dry good, after washing it out with clean water and then after it drys, swish it out with clear rubbing alchohol to make sure all the waters gone, i'm sure some others may have different ways. that caked stuff sounds like caked gas..... if not that bad, try swishing it out with gas, there should also be a mesh screen on most right at the hookup, that can and will get stopped up. otherwise if it is too bad, a used tank or a retro fitted one can be found.

Try using a parts cleaner at a local store. That will work as good as anything you use.

If the its a varnish on the bottom the old soap and water works good, but if its caked on, soak it in some sea foam for a few hours, that will loosen it up and then you can rinse it out with soap and water, works every time.

Here is another tip from the small engine shop I use to work in....

Fill the tank up with enough parts cleaner to cover up the sludge in the bottom of the tank, then drop in a few hand fulls of BBs or ball bearings. After that, just shake the tank like crazy and then flush it out with more parts cleaner. The BBs/ball bearings will beat all the crud out of the tank in no time.

This trick also works good in metal tanks with light rust, but you need something that can shake it for about an hour (like an old paint shaker).

Excellent... I'll try and report back. Thanks fellas!!!