Fuel Tank Cleaning Cape Town | #1 Metal Cleaning Services

If you are restoring your classic car or motorbike, or having issues with your fuel pump, you may be searching for fuel tank cleaning services in Cape Town. While cleaning a fuel tank is simple to explain, the chemicals used in the cleaning process make this a task best left to the professionals.

You don’t want to tackle cleaning your fuel tank yourself only to find debris or sediment that ends up clogging your fuel filter or pump. It’s also a task that requires you to wear the correct personal protection equipment.

De Rust It is here to help you paint strip, degrease, and remove corrosion from your fuel tank giving it a complete clean inside and out. Alternatively, we also provide a cleaning service of just the internals as well. We dive into more details below.

Type of Metal Cleaning for Fuel Tanks

De Rust It can clean all grades of steel and recommends acid dipping as the best method to clean your fuel tank. The types of metal and cleaning techniques are explored below.

Stainless Steel / Mild Steel / Aluminium

There are over 3500 different grades of steel, each with unique physical and chemical properties. You may need to consider the benefits of vapour blasting, sandblasting, and acid dipping for your application.

We are proud to say we haven’t found steel that we cannot clean and can provide our clients with the best solution to remove paint, powder coating, grease, fuel residue, corrosion / rust, and surface impurities.

Benefits of Acid Dipping Your Fuel Tank

Acid dipping your fuel tank, which also involves caustic dipping, is the best and most affordable method to quickly and effectively clean all surfaces. With the ability to completely submerge the tank in the acid, De Rust It can reach hard to get to places on the interior and exterior of your fuel tank and neutralize the acid once the process is complete.

Acid dipping is beneficial as the process has no heat build-up. The acid effectively removes rust from the steel/metal surface and leaves the material with a resultant coating that prevents flash rusting. While sandblasting or vapour blasting can result in a clean tank, each of these methods has its drawbacks.

The common disadvantages of the acid dipping method include residuals being left behind and panels being damaged from prolonged exposure to acids. However, De Rust It easily negates these disadvantages through attention to detail and decades of experience.

You can rest assured your fuel tank will be safely acid dipped with a professional result when using our services.

Sandblasting & Vapour Blasting Your Fuel Tank

We find there are more cons than pros to sand blasting or vapour blasting a fuel tank. For starters, in order to clean the internal areas of the tank properly, the tank should be cut open for a good line of sight to blast. It can leave deposits that could lead to damaging the fuel filter, fuel pump and causing serious wear on your engine components, if the deposits get through.

Therefore we don’t recommend sandblasting or vapour blasting a tank at all for reference, we have provided a brief description of both.

Vapour blasting is a non-abrasive method and typically follows a chemical cleaning process. It results in a fine finish and is relatively cost-effective. However, it can accelerate corrosion or lead to flash rusting if the surface is not protected or primed soon after. We therefore prefer to keep the vapour blasting as a finishing technique on aluminium components.

Sandblasting is an abrasive blasting technique and is not ideal for cleaning a fuel tank due to the media becoming trapped in areas that are difficult to clean. The abrasive nature of this method causes frictional heat and can lead to the warping of softer/thin walled metal and sheet metal.

Fuel Tank Cleaning Basics

While cleaner fuels have been a goal since removing lead from South African fuels in 2006, there is still a long way to go. Over time, fuel storage tanks gather sludge, microbial growth, and water.

Petrol and diesel fuel tanks benefit from regular maintenance to keep them clean and in a pristine condition. Whether your fuel tank is a stand-alone container, a car fuel tank, a jerry can,  or a fuel tank for your generator, it is essential to remove unwanted sludge, rust, or sediment.

How regularly do I need to clean my fuel tank, you ask? It may only be necessary once you notice issues.

Signs Your Fuel Tank Needs Cleaning

The easiest way to determine if your fuel tank needs cleaning is through a visual assessment. If the fuel appears cloudy or darker than usual, you may need to clean your tank. Visible water or residue in the tank indicates a contaminated tank too.

If your fuel tank has rust, sediment, or sludge, it can lead to a decrease in performance, excess smoke from your engine, and constantly clogged fuel filters. Consider cleaning your fuel tank before installing the new fuel filter to ensure a long life for both crucial components.

Noticing any of the above is a cause for concern. Are you still feeling unsure? Contact us for a professional assessment.

Should You Clean Your Fuel Tank Yourself?

As professionals with a family run business since 1985, we pride ourselves on our efficiency and quality of service. We wouldn’t recommend you to take on the task unless you have experienced parties assisting you.

Knowing how to clean a fuel tank without removing it requires expertise. However, most fuel tanks will need to be removed to clean hard to reach places. Diesel and petrol tank cleaning requires the right tools for the job. Just remember, you will also want to handle and dispose of materials correctly.

We strive to conduct our fuel tank cleaning in a manner that’s as environmentally friendly as possible. We use large baths for efficiency and aim to use the least amount of water.

Services Offered by De Rust It

De Rust It offers a variety of metal cleaning and metal polishing services from our factory in Montague Gardens, Cape Town. We can submerge items up to six meters long, two meters wide, and two meters deep to remove rust.

If you are cleaning your fuel tank, you may consider contacting us for the following services.

Cleaning, Degreasing and Corrosion Removal

Bring your pressure vessels, fuel tanks, car bodies and panels, and hydraulic and pneumatic equipment to be cleaned. Paint, grease, oil, and carbon are cleaned from the item before the corrosion is removed.

Once the item has been completely stripped down to the base metal, we passivate the metal to delay the onset of corrosion.

Restoration of Thermal Efficiency

The process of cleaning, removing rust, and passivating the metal restores the performance of your steel parts. De Rust It offers cleaning of engine blocks, cylinder heads, manifolds, exhausts, heat exchangers, intercoolers, and air coolers.

Electro-Polishing of Stainless Steel

Consider electro-polishing to ensure your stainless steel stays in the best condition once cleaned. The process enhances the resistance to corrosion and bacteria buildup, alongside improving the aesthetics of the article.

Best Way to Clean Your Fuel Tank

Now that you’re familiar with the basics and benefits of fuel tank cleaning, you can rest assured the best way to clean your fuel tank is with De Rust It. We serve various industries in the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, and have more than three decades of business experience.

Are you still unsure about cleaning your fuel tank? Contact us with your query.