Been sitting with gas

[Nesty]

All,

I have a '79 CJ5 that has been sitting for years with a variety of issues. One big issue is how to handle the gas tank if gas has been sitting in there? I'm not even sure where to get started.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

PS

I tried the search function and came up empty, if there is an existing thread just let me know.

 

[dalefan88]

i would put some dry gas or sea foam in the tank to get all the water out.

 

[BrockGrimes]

I've heard you can add sta-bil and some fresh gas and just run it.
But can't confirm it.

 

[LongHorn]

All,

I have a '79 CJ5 that has been sitting for years with a variety of issues. One big issue is how to handle the gas tank if gas has been sitting in there? I'm not even sure where to get started.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

PS

I tried the search function and came up empty, if there is an existing thread just let me know.

I dropped my tank, drained the contents into a 5 gal. bucket.
Then I poured a pint of 91% isopropyl alcohol & bolted it back up with new filler hoses. Now it runs like a champ.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

the stabil works in my boat to remove water, but it only sits over winter, if its been sitting for years gas will break down, and you could also have alot of rust in the tank the best thing to do is probably drop the tank and clean it out, put a new fuel filter on as well. to make dropping the tank easier, siphon the gas out before you drop it. if you do that and there not a whole lot of (rust) coming out of the tank i'd probably finish siphoning it out and then put a little gas and some stabil in then try to start it

 

[Nesty]

I dropped my tank, drained the contents into a 5 gal. bucket.
Then I poured a pint of 91% isopropyl alcohol & bolted it back up with new filler hoses. Now it runs like a champ.

the stabil works in my boat to remove water, but it only sits over winter, if its been sitting for years gas will break down, and you could also have alot of rust in the tank the best thing to do is probably drop the tank and clean it out, put a new fuel filter on as well. to make dropping the tank easier, siphon the gas out before you drop it. if you do that and there not a whole lot of (rust) coming out of the tank i'd probably finish siphoning it out and then put a little gas and some stabil in then try to start it

thanks to everyone, I'm working on dropping the tank and removing the dried, cracked, caked over artifacts known as my filler hoses. Oof.

Is the IPA the only thing I should use to clean out the tank?

Thanks again,

Jon

 

[LongHorn]

thanks to everyone, I'm working on dropping the tank and removing the dried, cracked, caked over artifacts known as my filler hoses. Oof.

Is the IPA the only thing I should use to clean out the tank?

Thanks again,

Jon

I cleaned my tank out with a large bottle brush simple green & water, but I have a plastic tank I.E. no rust. If I had a metal gas tank with rust issues, I'd acid based metal prep. Then use "KREEM" to seal the inside of the fuel tank like I did in my dirt bike days.

The IPA is to make sure any residual H2O is bonded with the alcohol to make it combustible.

 

[fishinfool98]

my initial thought when i saw this post was that you needed some beano
so there beano gas:laugh:

If you do have the metal tank try and see if you can find a poly tank
that you wont have problems with rust later on down the road
I have used the por15 tank treatment for metal tanks before with good results but would prefer the poly tank over metal

 

[LongHorn]

my initial thought when i saw this post was that you needed some beano
so there beano gas:laugh:

If you do have the metal tank try and see if you can find a poly tank
that you wont have problems with rust later on down the road
I have used the por15 tank treatment for metal tanks before with good results but would prefer the poly tank over metal

I have a 15 gal. factory metal tank with no rust issues, sitting on the ground.
I picked up my 20 gal. poly tank with a double skid plate & sender unit for cheap on C.L.

 

[LongHorn]

 

[LongHorn]

Stainless Steel fasteners too.
View attachment 2508

 

[Nesty]

http://www.jeep-cj.com[/QUOTE]

Couple of quick questions for the experienced guys and some quick observations for anyone like me who hasn't done this before

1) The fuel lines were this old braided material--I'm assuming I can replace them with run-of-the-mill fuel line from the local auto parts store?
2) Is there a preferred parts dealer, or just any sponsor of this site, to get replacement filler hoses?
3) What are those breather tubes that head up to a little canister located up behind the rear panel? Looks like that thing was disconnected decades ago.

If you have never done this before:


1) For the sensor/sending unit, my manual referes to "retaining screws". Mine did not have retaining screws, it's a lock ring system. Tap the ring around.
2) On mine, the bolts that hold the skidplate at the rear are square end, with the square sitting into square holes cut in the frame. These are relatively inaccessible so if they pop out of the hole you have to get them seated back in the square and held in place. Otherwise they just spin. I didn't know this at the time and I ended up cutting mine (opted for the sawzall over the grinder due to gas fumes!).
3) Note that you will have two lines that head up different paths so mark 'em. They are different sizes so not marking them is not fatal, just annoying because you know it's a good habit and you didn't do it.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

[LongHorn]

Couple of quick questions for the experienced guys and some quick observations for anyone like me who hasn't done this before

1) The fuel lines were this old braided material--I'm assuming I can replace them with run-of-the-mill fuel line from the local auto parts store?
2) Is there a preferred parts dealer, or just any sponsor of this site, to get replacement filler hoses?
3) What are those breather tubes that head up to a little canister located up behind the rear panel? Looks like that thing was disconnected decades ago.

If you have never done this before:


1) For the sensor/sending unit, my manual referes to "retaining screws". Mine did not have retaining screws, it's a lock ring system. Tap the ring around.
2) On mine, the bolts that hold the skidplate at the rear are square end, with the square sitting into square holes cut in the frame. These are relatively inaccessible so if they pop out of the hole you have to get them seated back in the square and held in place. Otherwise they just spin. I didn't know this at the time and I ended up cutting mine (opted for the sawzall over the grinder due to gas fumes!).
3) Note that you will have two lines that head up different paths so mark 'em. They are different sizes so not marking them is not fatal, just annoying because you know it's a good habit and you didn't do it.

Thanks again to everyone.

Mine had steel line from the tank to the carb.
I had the same issue with the carriage bolts on the skid plate, I used a dremel tool with a cut off wheel.

 

[Nesty]

Mine had steel line from the tank to the carb.
I had the same issue with the carriage bolts on the skid plate, I used a dremel tool with a cut off wheel.

Yeah, steel for the most part, but there is the crappy old braided material from the tank to where the steel lines start.

I love my Dremel, my cutoff wheel is shot, and it was 10 pm and my sawzall was set up for cutting metal!