cleaned out fuel tank from a fd sitting for 10 years, found weird stuff in tank
 

So i cleaned out my fuel tank from a FD sitting for 10 years, found weird stuff in tank. the fuel filter (mesh, not the actual micron filter) was fine and there wasn't anything really gummy in the tank but on the sides of the plastic splash guard in the tank and on some surfaces of the tank there was a black sorta mix of algae/dirt/grease substance which I was able to rub off with a few clean towels. I then got out as much of the crappy gas as possible and put it back together and every seems fine but my question is, is it normal to have this weird black gunk on the inside of the tank? nothing was really floating, it was just stuck to the sides of stuff, mostly to rear end of the car side of the plastic slosh tanks.

Also, is there an easier way to take off fuel lines? some kinda tool or a technique you can share with me? I was working on another car as well as my FD's and I'm having a hell of a time pulling off the fuel lines. The other car I actually had to cut the damn things off after the pliers I had started to cut through the lines and ruine them and ended up replacing the lines. Took me over 30 mins to yank and pull the lines off my FD without hurting them. I have taken off fuel lines before and i dont ever remember it being this bad.

Are you talking about the hard lines or the rubber hoses?

the rubber hoses which go on to the hard lines. i can twist them back and forth around the hard lines but their like stuck on there when i try to pull them off.

since the lines have been sitting for 10 years with no activity running through them, they're probably crusty and ready to crumble, if you plan to no longer use them, just slit it with a razor blade

if you do want to re-use them, i usually take a pair of needle nose pliers to help "push" the rubber lines off while pulling and twisting

http://www.harborfreight.com/hose-re...ers-66638.html


Best $6.99 tool ever. Use them at work, and bought some for home. Although my work ones are nicer this one it still works great. Little WD40 and those lines pop right off in about 5 seconds.

akkk dang it, that is only sold in harbor freight stores and there are none in Hawaii. crap. thats exactly what I'm looking for though.

ooo i found this one though http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...sr=8-1&seller=

Those pliers work pretty well. Even better..... take a 90 degree pick and pull the hose away from the hardline. Spray wd40 inside (use the red straw) and work the pick around the circumference of the hose.

ooo good idea. is wd-40 safe for fuel lines though? I was considering using some kinda lube but I wasnt 100% sure they wouldnt gum up the injectors or fuel lines.

i've used WD40 on fuel lines before, never had a problem

vice grips also work. clamp and twist to free up the hose, then you can adjust and use them to pull it off... i hate dealing with those fuel lines. if you use a razorblade, make sure you replace the hose.

I had used that method with the other car i was working on and it just shreaded the lines which I replaced. Didn't wanna do that on the FD.

they sell hose pliers at sears i think?

i have these too if you feel like driving to this side of the island
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece...ers-37909.html

Wet the end with PB Blaster or WD-40 and as you twist the hose with the pliers it will lose grip between the hose and hard tube. Very easy compared to the dry hose.

As to the black stuff - mold perhaps?

can mold grow inside gas?

I know algae can grow in some cases. But I looked it up (it's been a while since biology) and algae is a plant where mold is a fungus. So yeah, maybe it's algae.

if you have water and o2 then u can have mold (algae)

most of the stuff was under/inside the gas. I sorta find it hard to believe i have that much water in my fuel and it still be able to have the car run. hmmm I threw all the stuff away after I cleaned out the tank so I cant really submit it anywhere for analysis and the cost would be a waste of time I think. I guess I'll check for it again next time I do anything with the fuel pump.

The ethanol in fuel eats rubber lines. So the gunk might just be dissolved rubber from the lines. I'd also do all new fuel lines along with other rubber parts in the system just in case.

back then, there wasnt any ethanol in gas. Just gas.