I've got a '92 Miata that has a ton of crap in the gas tank. It's so bad that it completely coated the fuel pump sock filter after 20-30 min. of hard running and started causing fuel starvation. I've got the car jacked up in the basement right now, need to clean it before the hill climb on the 1st. Plan is to take off the fuel pump access panel, remove the plug on the bottom of the tank, drain it and then flush it out with something. The something is my question mark. Should I try brake cleaner, acetone, what? I want to try to get as much of the sediment out of there as possible. TIA 
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Sept. 20, 2011 11:02 p.m. HoserRacing Reader
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Sept. 20, 2011 11:06 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
plastic tank? If it is.. I would be tempted to drop it.. take it to the carwash late at night.. and give it a good highpressure cleaning inside and out.
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Sept. 21, 2011 1:20 a.m. curtis73 Dork
1- drain tank and remove
2- place in bed of pickup
3- add 2 gallons of acetone and a handful of 2B limestone gravel, then cover the holes to prevent evaporation.
4- drive pickup like you're at Laguna Seca for one week
5- dump acetone and gravel
I have also done this trick by strapping the tank to any lawn/garden appliance such as a tractor, gas pressure washer, or anything that makes good vibes. The 2B gravel is big enough that it is obvious if any are left in the tank, the acetone does a good job of dissolving stuff, and the vibes and/or motion do a good job of moving stuff around.
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Sept. 21, 2011 4:39 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork
Vinegar removes just about anything from inside a tank. Fill it completely, let it sit for a few days, drain and rinse.
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Sept. 21, 2011 4:51 a.m. jimbob_racing Dork
foxtrapper wrote:
Vinegar removes just about anything from inside a tank. Fill it completely, let it sit for a few days, drain and rinse.
Where do you get that much vinegar? Costco/Sams Club?
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Sept. 21, 2011 5:49 a.m. HoserRacing Reader
Problem on the Miata is that you have to drop the rear end to take out the tank, trying to avoid that
Metal tank. Vinegar eh? I'll give it a shot!
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Sept. 21, 2011 6:32 a.m. 44Dwarf Dork
Get a E2000 (ford pick up and most other early efi fords) pump off e-bay or local pasts store should run you $28 off flee-bay. Grab a gas can and some FI hose and a few ft of wire and a cig lighter....Place in passenger foot well. Plumb it all and pull stock fuel pump fuse. Drain stock tank, Fill with what ever solvent you choose. Fill gas can go for a drive to slosh the tank solvent around.
Years ago I tied a 5 gallon can to the roof on my 68 Bronco and drove home from College (VT to Ma) via gravity feed from the can as the fuel pump died in the 302
