Waxoil removal from fuel tank ?

[trickjohn]

Hi all,

I am trying to clean up my fuel tank for repainting with POR 15, it has years of waxoil on it. I have tried

1)Taking it to the shotblasters - he would not touch it because of sparks, its not as if he's married and has kids who would miss him or anything - big girls blouse. Mind you if it did explode and he lived I would make him buy me another - probably aluminium.
2)Knotted stainless steel bush on an angle grinder - just smeared it around.
3)Scraped most of it off - then Industrial cleaner / degreaser would take a a long time time.
4)Boiling water (to melt the wax) and scraper, some success but will still take a long time.

Is there any magic or just an obvious way of cleaning it quicker.
Otherwise its going to take me hours to do. Boiling water and scraper.

Then as POR 15 will not stick if there is any waxoil left I may rust treat and hammerite.

Any other sound methods ?.

Any help will be gratefully appreciated.

Sean

[clarenceboddiger]

I think cellulose thinners may work, its about £5 a gallon from the local car spares shop, but I would try and "Borrow" a bit first and try it.

[GreenV8S]

White spirits will desolve it, but it will take a lot of elbow grease (and a huge pile of rags) to clean any significant amount off.

[Barkychoc]

Why not scrape as much of it as you can get off and give it a fresh coat

[kenpage]

sean is it rusty? if not just recoat it with waxoil (i know you want to make yours as pretty as mine but if its not broke dont fix it)after all you will be spraying waxoil all over it anyway,im going to do mine next week

Edited by kenpage on Tuesday 29th January 17:34

[tvrgit]

As greenV8S says, it dissolves in white spirit so scrape most of it off then dissolve the final residue.

[trickjohn]

Elbow grease it is then, I was hoping to avoid that, it has surface rust on the bottom face, beneath the waxoil, its been sprayed on top (not by me), best get it off and have a proper look - white spirit and a few of the missus clothes, shes got loads compared to me and wont miss a couple of items.

Thanks for the advice

Sean

[greymrj]

Got one of those household plastic storage boxes big enough to stand the end of the tank in? Scrape worst off first. Buy a 2.5 litre of white spirit and dump it in. Stand tank on end. Old paint brush, spread white spirit and work in. Should dissolve fairly easily. Turn tank over and do from other end. Another 2.5 litres of white spirit and rag to get the residue off. Let the storage box evaporate a bit...then reuse the dirty waxoyl on another old car (or give it to a mate to use on his nasty steel rot box?)! Wipe box out and use for more TVR bits in the garage?

[costina]

Sean,thinners mate works wonders get a 25 litre drum from autopanels job done!!!
i also use it on engines prior to painting etc

You wanna pul your finger out LOL

regards

Paul