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I have a B&S gas tank that has sat a long time and now its rusty inside. The rust turn to a fine power when I stall gas and run the mower its plugs the carburetor. Has anybody have any ideas how to stop this other then buying a new tank? I now have the tank setting full of carburetor cleaner for a few days, don't know if it will do anything or not.

I'm sure someone will say I nuts but I got rust out of an old tank by putting small pee gravel (about a cup) inside the tank, put the cap back on. I duck taped the tank to a paint mixer, like the one you put in a drill to stir up paint, I taped the tank to the stirring thing, put it on a variable drill, put the drill in a vice with something to protect the drill. I used a C-clamp to squeeze the trigger so the tank spins very very slowly, I let mine run overnight and in the morning. Removed the gravel and rust dust, rinsed out the tank. The gravel will knock the rust off the metal. Then I used motorcycle tank repair epoxy on the inside to stop any new rust, let cure and your good to go. But thats just me.

I just rinse out the tank with a garden hose until all of the crap is gone, then fill with gravel or screws/nuts, and shake a bit, dump and rinse with water again, and let dry in the sun.

Remove the tank from the engine, if it has any carb related parts in the tank, remove them. Dry the tank out and put a dozen or so small but sharp stones into the tank, put the cap back and shake it around at different angles. This will knock out the rust. Vac the tank out and check to see if it needs more shaking with the stones, mirror and flashlight if needed. Been doing this for many years mostly with metal outboard motor 3 and 6 gallon tanks. Years ago I tried a chemical approach to metal tank cleaning, the chems ate the tank up!! Metal tanks were outlawed many years ago, but still many around. Some were setup to be the bowl for the carb.
Mad Mackie in CT

I have had good luck removing the rust with phosphoric acid. You still have to remove the gas tank to clean it.
Lowes, Home Depot and auto parts stores sell the stuff.

reynoldston said:

I have a B&S gas tank that has sat a long time and now its rusty inside. The rust turn to a fine power when I stall gas and run the mower its plugs the carburetor. Has anybody have any ideas how to stop this other then buying a new tank? I now have the tank setting full of carburetor cleaner for a few days, don't know if it will do anything or not.

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A small amount of bb shot works well also.