This old man I do some work for asked me to haul out this old diesel transfer tank that's been sitting behind his barn for years. Since there's no holes and the metal is solid besides surface rust at first I thought I'd paint it up to look new and put it to use. Then I got to thinking, can I even use this since it's been sitting outside for so long. There is two caps at the top to put pumps, one had the cap there so it was sealed the whole time but the other was not so it was open. Some birds got in there and made a nest so my thought was to flush it out with water but now after thinking I'm not sure if it can even been put to use anymore. What do you guys think? If not can anyone think of any ideas what I may be able to do with it?


20140529_205539_zpsxtw582yp.jpg Photo by landers0440 | Photobucket

20140529_205554_zpsvhgeabiu.jpg Photo by landers0440 | Photobucket

 

Don't see why you couldn't flush it out really well and use it.

 

Big thing is if it has rust started inside, if you don't stop it or coat it it will continue. POR-15 makes a kit, but you need to get rid of as much of the rust as possible before hand.
My dad had a similar tank that got water in it after the cap was left off and rust started. He filled it with small gravel and strapped it to a tractor tire and jacked the tractor up and spun it for a while, then flipped it and spun it some more. Then flushed it with diesel and coated it.

 

Now that's using your head

 

Are you going to haul diesel or gas in it? If diesel, then just flush it out real well and put a good filter on it. NAPA sells a kit with a spin-on filter for transfer and overhead tanks, the part number is 4006, I think (it's been a few years since I hauled fuel). It's a metal filter the same size as the 1515 oil filter on a Ford engine. Some people like the clear plastic filters like the old Goldenrod filters, but they tend to break when you try to change the element.

Diesel is oily enough that I wouldn't worry about rust being a problem after flushing. Gas, on the other hand, I think I'd try some sort of coating, as others suggested.

 

Id watch for algae if you plan on hauling diesel. Flush it really good, algae is a killer for diesel and a pain in the butt to get rid of. If water has been sitting in it good chance of it happening. Buy good filters and change them often the first couple uses and check them for rust.