Best way to clean out a diesel tank?

Mounty

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
Got a low loader trailer coming to us soon with a diesel tank built into the floor. Around 300 litres capacity.
Seller said it do with cleaning out.
Guessing it needs 2 lines to flush it with a decent in line filter, so pump some diesel in and then suck it out and keep cleaning the filter?
Any other suggestions on how to go about this?
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
If it's just sediment, couldn't you recirculate water through it, but drain it into a settlement tank rather than filtering?

Depends whether there's likely to be rust or partially loose particles on the inside surfaces that need dislodging.
 

Mounty

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
Not been able to have a proper look yet. Think there could be a bit of rust and not had a good look around for a bung but hoping there is one to prevent my original idea?
 
You can buy some sort of acid stuff to clean out fuel tanks on machines that leak and need repairing.

It comes in a two part set. I know you don't need the repair bit and I don't know the cost but it might be worth looking in to. You might even be able to find out what the cleaning element is and get a load elsewhere.
 

Mursal

Member
Very hard to get it all out through a bung/plug.
Have been known to cut the side out of a bad tank, to get the stuff out with a steamer.
But try a sediment catch (a big one) combined with a large filter first .............

Diesel tanks built into the floor on a trailer ......................
A lorry low loader is it?
With possibly additional Susie pipes fitted?
 
Last edited:

clbarclay

Member
Location
Worcestershire
I had a tank with a lot of sediment in it, with a baffle. Getting all the sediment out from behind the baffle was a problem, so it got a hole cut in the top, big enough to get a hand through the other side of the baffle. Then a patch rivited on with sealent afterwards.
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
My experience is the best way, is to place a 1 inch filter into the system.Take a feed from the drain plug to a suitable point to fit your filter, then reduce .
Preferably use a clear filter housing which can be cleaned when a build up of gunk is observed
 

Tonym

Member
Location
Shropshire
Not possible in this case but if the tank can be removed half a shovel of clean pea gravel and a gallon of diesel through the filler followed by a good shaking then rinsing with diesel can work wonders. Only problem is there may only be rust stopping it leaking but better to find out this way than when you are busy with the machine.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
Do you have access to a bore scope?

Might be worth bodging an old pressure washer lance: 35 degree bend, spiral jet.

If no drain: wet vac / Vax, and space heater pointed at the side to dry it out.
 

Mursal

Member
Its recommended to leave a diesel tank filled with water for 2 to 3 weeks before applying anything that might ignite the diesel inside ...........
 

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