How to Clean Your Fuel Tank

Visit our website for more information on how to clean your fuel tank.
A simple, step by step process for cleaning your fuel tank. A safe and effective fuel pump repair job begins here.

Cleaning the fuel tank is an essential part of a complete fuel repair. Before installing a new fuel pump, it's critical to properly clean the gas tank. Debris in your gas tank will damage your new fuel pump. And the time it takes to clean out the debris - about an hour - is nothing compared to the time it takes to redo the entire job. So save yourself time, hassle and money -- clean the tank before you replace your fuel pump.

*For your convenience, Delphi sells a Fuel Tank Cleaning Kit (FC01). Ask your distributor for more information. Delphi's low-suds cleaning solution is specifically designed to easily treat and rinse up to a 40 gallon capacity fuel tank.

Follow Delphi Technologies on Instagram @delphitech_
Follow Delphi Technologies on Twitter @delphitech

[naimplate]

I see a lot of negative comments below regarding the use of water so PLEASE allow me to weigh in. Its fine to use this method if you remove all of the water and air dry the tank. The advantage of using the hose with water is three fold:

1) Safe HIGH pressure water to remove all of the grime.and deposits.
2) ZERO fumes after the first few minutes
3) No potential for explosion so you can use torches and other HOT items to do any repair work

The one thing that this gentleman failed to do was to blow out all of the hoses where water is surely to collect.

Otherwise, I do support this method.

When completed, take a spray bottle filled with premium octane fuel 91-93 mixed with one ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil & two ounces of Stabil and two ounces of octane booster. Spray the inside of the tank the best you can to coat it and make sure to spray the fuel lines as well but not so much that it leaks all over the floor when you lift up the tank to reinstall it. This process is also excellent prep if you plan on leaving the car laid up for a long time. I hope this helps you guys out.

[mikeromes]

"I got an idea, let's make the background music just as loud as the guy talking!"

[AGreedyTree]

I'm about to do my fuel pump and I'm just doing some research to make sure I do everything right. I'm going to thoroughly wash outside of the tank around the lock ring before removing the pump to prevent dirt from falling in.

[BugBunny]

My fuel tank had bricks of coke in it, bought the car from a dealer to

[Javelina_Poppers]

I see you have a plastic tank, your method is all well and good but I have a metal tank that the inside coating was failing and sloughing off. Looked into having it vatted to thoroughly clean it, but a new Dorman fuel tank was actually $10 less than having it vatted. Sometimes trying to save buck is more expensive.

[GRHD]

What about a gas tank that has a ton of varnish all over it because of old gas sitting in it for years? I have been putting 3 gallons of water in with dawn soap and tilting the tank back and forth and have removed a lot of varnish, but there is still a bunch all over the walls. Any tips on that?

[alexandercahoulan]

“Hopefully the water drained out.” Without expanding on the subject and how perilous and expensive it can be run water through the fuel system. Cool Delphi. Also, I bought a Delphi fuel pump for my car, had issues with it about a year in. 300$. Delphi sucks now. Fair warning

[robertthomas]

I don’t understand why people would put music in the background of an instructional video..

[adelapoly]

Good video. It shows the main fundamental good practice of a good FLS installation. Great job Delphi!

[ItchyKneeSon]

Could probably hook up a shop vac to the rubber hose (that connects to the filler neck/tube), leave the top access port home open, and just let it run for 20-30 min. to accelerate drying.

[narekhart]

Why get it completely dry before using soap and water?

[cratecruncher]

Old gas leaves varnish inside the tank. Dishwashing soap and water isn't going to cut it. Also, most tanks have baffling permanently welded into the tank preventing very little access to the surfaces. Metal tanks rust. Water would not be my choice.

[bugattiebss]

This is all fine for a plastic tank, particularly one with a hole big enough to reach all the way into with your whole arm! But what about metal tanks with a much smaller hole with rust and tank baffles inside...?!

[XroorX]

I would use a $60 electric power washer inside, lather and use shop vac to suck out debris. Then, I would do a rinse with gas and final wipe.
Also, Loctite makes a rust arrestor spray for those rusted brackets

[tryDontcry-whpb]

From Iraq hello this was helpfully

[Redlinesixtynine]

Hi, what's the secret to getting those plastic fuel and vacuum lines off those rusty pump lines? I've got a similar tank here and I'm having a helluva time. Thanks.

[Apacheoilcompany]

Very nice! Your video is very informative and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!

[vpilot]

The music is nice but I can't tell what you are saying.

[LeroyJenkins.]

I was going to run delphi pump and strainer but seeing how these ("clean") their customers fuel tanks, ill stick to oem

[davidyunker]

It is safe to clean the tank this way. Water is not a bad idea. Simply blow out when you get all the debris out of the tank.