Cleaning tank

[andybcumming112]

How are y'all cleaning the gas tank and fuel line. My boss has me clean with castrol superclean. Spray super clean inside and add water and shake. Pour out then fill with water to get soap out. Then go and blow out best you can then put shop towel inside and blow towel around to get all water out. How are y'all doing it. We do this for evryservice and when clean carb or put on new carb. Takes up too much time as I make 40% of labor. How are y'all doing it.

[andybcumming112]

He calls it flushing tank and line.

[bgsengine]

We don't clean lines - we replace them Unless of course they are formed plastic or steel tubing (rare in modern engines) - and to take care of the tank, we just drop in a dose of B3C's Mechanic in a Bottle, or Sta-Bil's Start! which takes care of water and dissolves most of the deposits over time (allowing them to burn away in the gas, or be trapped in the fuel filter)

[andybcumming112]

We take all the tanks off for cleaning. Do you do that.

[bgsengine]

We take all the tanks off for cleaning. Do you do that.

Nope - no valid reason to, unless there is specific dirt or debris found in the tank. as noted a dose of additive takes care of any small build up of gum and varnish - any major debris, usually will get tank pulled and fish out the debris - but at shop rate, the time it takes to do the procedure you describe costs more than a new tank in many cases.

Lines get replaced, tanks if otherwise not contaminated with pieces of debris (that could plug the outlet) just get a dose of fuel treatment as noted. We keep a squirt bottle full of B3C's Mechanic in a Bottle (Buy it by the gallon) and charge a couple bucks per dose. Tank removal for cleaning is charged at shop rate the time it takes.. unless the tank is cheaper than the flat rate to R&R and clean it, then it just gets replaced.

- tanks are not removed and flushed as preventive maintenance - Fuel lines are pretty much always replaced along with new fuel filter, unless we have a service history on the machine showing lines were replaced within the last couple years (you do maintain service histories on machines, right?)

[Luffydog]

no way we pull all the tanks off. i had a post i hit submit and it didnt go in the forum for some reason but it says pretty much what bg said. no way u just cant and maintain shop and make a profit besides all the time involved u could be doing other stuff to make a turn around. sorry i lost the other post

[andybcumming112]

Yeah he keeps record of everything that comes in shop. He says you hardly ever have a comeback if do this way .He says he has a reputation and he wants to keep that.

[bgsengine]

Yeah he keeps record of everything that comes in shop. He says you hardly ever have a comeback if do this way .He says he has a reputation and he wants to keep that.

Understandable - but we have managed a superb reputation without needing to go to such extremes - Inspecting a fuel tank for loose debris , replacing fuel lines and filters, and get some fuel treatment as I mentioned (and charge a small per-dose fee - The stuff also helps keep carburetors clean, and conditions rubber parts, etc.) and you'll have much the same lack of comebacks (if not better) - with today's fuels , just cleaning a tank and flushing lines is not going to guarantee against a comeback - lines rot out from the inside so you'll still have lines flaking apart, cracking, leaking, etc.. even after flushing them - I think he's just got you doing busywork that is not needed at all - In my experience, replacing lines and a simple tank inspection is far better (and you make a profit on the fuel lines and clamps and doses of fuel treatment)

[KE4AVB]

How are y'all cleaning the gas tank and fuel line. My boss has me clean with castrol superclean. Spray super clean inside and add water and shake. Pour out then fill with water to get soap out. Then go and blow out best you can then put shop towel inside and blow towel around to get all water out. How are y'all doing it. We do this for evryservice and when clean carb or put on new carb. Takes up too much time as I make 40% of labor. How are y'all doing it.

I agree with BGS on this.

As for record keeping my software does keep track of every enter work order as long I enter all the info which I like to do any way as it serves part of my forecast parts need orders.

I like to how your going to get a shop towel to blow around those single L-head 1 to 3 quart fuel tanks anyway... Those that are rusted bad get replaced here. Other than that most tanks only get clean if need and I definitely not cleaning every single tank here especially since I am the chief cook and bottle washer here.

Last year clean one riding mower fuel system 3 times before I charge the customer a full service fee because he keep putting in dirty fuel; of course, he went away mad but it wasn't my fault that there was water and leaves in the fuel system either each time.

[Luffydog]

i had one so bad it needed to be replaced got it cleaned put back on and running good the next week it was back in this time it was leaking due to viberation.he wanted me to jb weld it. i told him no way i was doing that. the metal tank was a $100 or so give or take best i cant remember. i told him to replace the engine he would be better off due to intake bolt almost stripped out and the exhaust was welded on. he wasnt happy but he bought the tank i didnt put it on he got it done at another shop for a little cheaper. it showed back up at mine with the tank leaking again due to the viberations after i told him he needed to mount on rubber to help the vibes. he asked me again to jb weld the new tank i told him no he left mad and i havent seen him since. but the reason i if you make that repair you r saying it ok and safe to run that machine. kinda like working on a saw for a carb and after firing it up you notice the chain brake isnt working and you send it out the door pretty much said it was safe to run like that. i smelt a law suit and but and end to it b4 it got started. its like this on a saw if you call the kickback handle a saftey device it better protect me from injury!!!!! but if you call it a gaurd theres nothing about it saying its safe its just a guard... lawyers having their ways with words and making them true to what they say and not really mean.