Does anyone have any ideas as to the best way to remove sufficient galvanization from a fuel can so it can be used as a WVO tank and not form the globules that occur when WVO comes into contact with zinc? I'm currently running unheated WVO mixed with Kerosene, and it's getting a little too cold to continue doing that.

Thanx,

sir edmund the green

85 300D
81 diesel vw rabbit
71 vw bus (unfortunately gasoline)

Why don't you just go with a plastic tank? Probably cheaper than just the chemicals to etch a metal tank.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=34&product%5Fid=19330

__________________
Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

here's some cheap marine plastic tanks- the 12 gal. goes for about $40 around here.

http://www.tempoproducts.com/2004/ad_fuel_tanks1.html

FWIW, i believe any diesel tanks are not galvinized....

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Thanx for the advice, I outfitted a boat tank with a coil of copper tubing, it was quite a hassle, but i got it all in there, but before i actually hooked it up, i learned that the WVO reacts with the galvanization. Somewhere i had read that some kind of acid will remove the galvanization, and thought it might be something cheap like muriatic or phosphoric acid.

thanx, ed

Copper can also cause problems with WVO and biodiesel. Aluminum is much better. By the way, a heated fuel pickup is far better than trying to heat the whole tank.

__________________
Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

Muriatic.

Contacted the mfgr of my tank, Attwood, and they told me it is not galvanized. But i have a number of other gas cans that are, so i will know that muriatic acid would be the stuff to use on them, but will pursue plastic tanks in the future.

sir edmund

Hirsch sells gas tank etch and a sealer. Great products. I've used them on a gas mower tank.
http://www.hirschauto.com/newpages/gastankrepair.htm

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47,000mi

04 VW TDI Passat 80,000mi
(Techno)

How to eliminate oil dependency through market-driven approaches.
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Most any common acid will take off zinc. Lime a Way or any such bathroom cleaner containing acid will do although they might be a bit slow. Battery acid works wonders and the reaction is much faster. In something as big as a gas tank(15 + gals.) you could plug what ever holes you have in the bottom, fill it to the top with water, pour in a half gallon of line a way or a pint or more of battery acid or muriatic acid (which is actually hydrocloric), and let it sit. It will foam up a bit. Do all this in an area where draining the acid won't hurt anything.

When the foaming seems to have stopped, drain the tank. Pour a small amount of acid in the tank and see if it bubbles up. If it doesn't bubble then all the zinc is gone. If it does repeat the above.

When you are finished fill the tank about 1/3 rd. full, add a box of baking soda, slosh it about for a few minutes, dump it, mop out the remaining water, let it sit in the sun until it is dry and Bob's your uncle, as they say in the classics.