# Dirt in briggs and stratton fuel tank



## johnnyh55 (Feb 13, 2017)

I looked in the gas tank and seen some dirt in there, I assume this can plug up the carb? Once I drain all the gas from the tank, how could I remove all this debris inside the tank to make sure it's clean as new?









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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Take the tank off and wash it out. Blow it dry then swish a little dry gas in it and drain it as well.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

unless your experiencing issue with it not running right i would probably just leave it. generally there is a filter of some sort in the tank to keep stuff like that from getting carb. since the carb is gravity fed i doubt any of the crud stays at the filter screen long and just moves around the tank as the engine runs.


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## johnnyh55 (Feb 13, 2017)

micah68kj said:


> Take the tank off and wash it out. Blow it dry then swish a little dry gas in it and drain it as well.



Wash it out with what exactly? Not soap and water I assume?


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## johnnyh55 (Feb 13, 2017)

crazzywolfie said:


> unless your experiencing issue with it not running right i would probably just leave it. generally there is a filter of some sort in the tank to keep stuff like that from getting carb. since the carb is gravity fed i doubt any of the crud stays at the filter screen long and just moves around the tank as the engine runs.



I don't think there is a filter on mine and I am having an issue that I clean the carb and it runs like a champ and after using it for an hour it starts sputtering again so I am thinking this crap is getting in the carb and causing it not to run right.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

johnnyh55 said:


> Wash it out with what exactly? Not soap and water I assume?


Why not? I have done it. That's why I said to blow it dry and then use some dry gas and swish it around or use some type of industrial cleaner or you could use kerosene or Diesel.
On really dirty tanks.you use soap, water and hand full of nuts from bolts and shake vigorously. Repeat till no more rust particle or dirt come out.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

ok you didn't state you were having issues with it not running right. i am pretty sure there probably is a screen in the tank but then again that could maybe be part of the problem if you got enough crud in the tank. definitely need to take the tank off to give it a good thorough cleaning. if you got a compressor it wouldn't hut to use it to blow some air through fuel line into the tank to make sure it is clear.

soap and hot water is all use on mine. heck some just get hot water. all your trying to do is get crud that is in the tank out. not like you are trying to break anything loose.


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

micah68kj said:


> Why not? I have done it. That's why I said to blow it dry and then use some dry gas and swish it around or use some type of industrial cleaner or you could use kerosene or Diesel.
> On really dirty tanks.you use soap, water and hand full of nuts from bolts and shake vigorously. Repeat till no more rust particle or dirt comes out.


Yes, just what he said. When you're done just leave it sit out for a few days with the cap off so all water evaporates, if you want to go the "extra mile" get a bottle of 90% alcohol (look at the label, NOT 70% which is most common) from the pharmacy and pour that in there, swish it around a few minutes, and pour it out. The alcohol will absorb any water droplets (up to a point of course, it won't absorb a quart) and take the water out with it.

If you want to get really anal about it, go to the liquor store and get a fifth of straight grain and use that. Besides being expensive though, what a shame to use it for that, instead of putting it to better use, like pouring into a watermelon next summer....:grin:


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## johnnyh55 (Feb 13, 2017)

Ok I will give that a try. It's the only thing I can think that makes the engine sputters without choke, I have clean the carb a few times and it seems to work good at first but after a while it seems to sputter again, not much but enough so that with the choke on it doesnt sputter, so the only thing I can think of is this dirt in the tank is getting in carb and causing issues. There doesn't seem to be a filter from the tank to the carb or maybe its inside the tank where the fuel hose comes out?


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Mine is a Tecumseh, not a Briggs, but it has a screen over the area where the fuel exits the tank, into the fuel line. 

But especially if you're not sure that the tank has a built in filter, there's no harm in adding an inline filter, on the fuel line. Just make sure to get the red one, 150 microns for use with gravity-fed engines.


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## ColdinMontana (Nov 18, 2018)

Noticed the same exact thing on my new Pro 32 with Briggs engine. The tank on mine has a screened pick-up tube and doesn't seem to be effecting performance at all. Thought about using a magnet to pick up as many of the shavings as possible, but haven't felt the urge to do so. One would think Briggs would have better quality control in their Chinese factories (or wherever the heck they make their engines now).


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

How old is the fuel line? I had this happen from residue from a decaying line getting in the carb. Probably a good idea to change the line as well, since even if not old, it has crap in it now that will flow to the carb even if the tank is clean.


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## johnnyh55 (Feb 13, 2017)

tadawson said:


> How old is the fuel line? I had this happen from residue from a decaying line getting in the carb. Probably a good idea to change the line as well, since even if not old, it has crap in it now that will flow to the carb even if the tank is clean.



The machine was bought new in 2009, so the line would be 10 years old. It looks fine from the outside, it also looked fine when I disconnected it in order to clean the carb. You think the line could have somrthing to do? I am thinking since the machine is stored in an outdoor car shelter, some debris from the roofing material got on top of the machine and when the cap was opened to fuel up the machine, the debris made its way into the tank. Hopefully, this is what is causing my issue of the machine not running right after it's been in use for a while.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

I'd change the line, period, as well as clean the tank. Ethanol gas could be causing the inside to break down and drop fine crud, and even if not, any crap that got out of the tank has contaminated the line. Easy to change, and just a few bucks, so why risk it?

It's amazing how little it takes to clog the fine passages and jets in a carb . . .


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