How To Clean Thick Black Tar From Diesel Tank

Engineer

Posted Wednesday, Aug 24th nine:06am [ Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View automobile]

Member
Post nr. viii

Pennsylvania, USA
1977 320i (E21)

Fellow E21 enthusiasts,

I am in the terminal stage of resurrecting a 1977 BMW 320i. The car has been sitting for the past 5 years.

We were getting Cypher from the fuel pump, so I removed the rear seat and the fuel gage sending unit from the right-side fuel tank. I then discovered that this car has TWO fuel pumps (one inside and one outside the fuel tank). The internal pump was not working. We accept a new pump on guild.

This internal fuel pump was besides severely gummed upwardly with a black tar-like substance. There is also a �� thick layer of this blackness tar-like substance blanket the bottom of the right-side fuel tank.

At this point, I have many questions like:

1. What is this blackness tar-like substance?

two. How tin we become rid of it?

3. Volition fresh gasoline dissolve this stuff and cause us more than problems?

iv. Exercise the fuel tanks have to be removed and make cleaned or replaced?

v. Practice the tanks come out through the passenger compartment or exercise they driblet downwardly from underneath the auto?

TAI,

Tim B.

JJG323

Posted Wed, Aug 24th vii:51pm [ Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 883

Reading MA Us
1979 BMW 323i

You may exist able to dissolve the quondam gas. May - being the operative give-and-take.

Most probable that what this black tar is - old gas...Anyone out in that location have a production to recommend for cleaning the black stuff out of a gas tank,
and the fuel injectors too?

I think I will be encountering a similar problem when I get to kickoff my car after 10 years of sitting.

Even though I hoped non, maybe I will supersede the gas tankdue south. I heard these can come up out, simply I bet its a pain...

afterward,
J

Greg323i

Posted Wednesday, Aug 24th 8:09pm [ Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 174

Melbourne, Commonwealth of australia
1982 Hennar�t 323i

Tanks are a slice of block to exit, a footling more hard to put back in, especially if they're not empty. Three bolts, each tank and remove the hoses and the center connecting hose. Feeding the hoses is a huge hurting in the ass when you lot're putting them dorsum in. I had to drop my left tank once or twice because the new vent hose across the top of the tank got hung upward.

I've heard that they can exist steam cleaned, but I don't know all that's involved. Probably all-time to get a shop to do it.

JJG323

Posted Midweek, Aug 24th nine:17pm [ Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 884

Reading MA U.s.a.
1979 BMW 323i

Engineer wrote:

Swain E21 enthusiasts,

I am in the terminal stage of resurrecting a 1977 BMW 320i. The car has been sitting for the by 5 years. ...

In that location is too a �� thick layer of this black tar-like substance coating the bottom of the right-side fuel tank.

At this point, I take many questions similar:

iv. Do the fuel tanks have to be removed and make cleaned or replaced?

TAI, Tim B.

Hello. I chosen Bav Auto. Left hand tank for 1979 323i is $209 new, Right hand tank is $159..

Not sure if you lot can observe these any less than this or if y'all can Clean both tanks rather than removing and replacing.

Anyone??

BarryA

Posted Wednesday, Aug 24th 9:45pm [ Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 103

Sacramento CA
81 320

For anyone who's willing to put the work into it, possibly the best approach is to pull the tanks, accept them "hot-tanked" at a radiator shop (hot-tanking will remove EVERYTHING down to blank metal), reseal the inside with a fuel tank sealer like that sold past the POR15 folks, and repaint the outside. Reinstall with new hoses and the tanks should exist skillful for many, many years.

It's a off-white amount of work, but the finish upshot is well-nigh-new condition tanks.