Tip for Removing rust from Coleman Stove tank

Geeves beat me to it. Replacing a tank for a Coleman stove is dead easy and cheap. Restoring one is a pure, distilled, industrial grade crap shoot.

Your choice.

Gerry N.

 

FYI: Last time I used white gas (same as Coleman fuel) and steel nuts to clean out a tank. Similar approach:

Do this 5 times:
- Put the white gas and the nuts in the tank,
- shake it hard for about 10 minutes,
- then pour out through a coffee filter so the white gas can be re-used. It's astonishing how much dirt remains in the coffee filter.
- Use a screwdriver with a magnetic head to fish the remaining bolts out of the tank.

Then fire it up and see if it works. I had run this cleaning cycle a second time, but now it's running great again.
A specialist cleaning agent may have worked better or faster, but these materials were already in my shed

Just my 2 cents

Cheers,
Peter

 

Once clean, you can patch pinhole leaks and prevent further damage with POR-15 Fuel Tank Sealer. http://tinyurl.com/p4js2le

 

Z1, You know your stuff I have benefitted from much of the insight you have shared. As an observer, on this one, I did not see pressurized fuel tanks mentioned in the links associated w/POR 15. On one hand you are referring to "pinhole leak" and many applications in a row it may/likely works.
I wonder,
and just thought I'd comment re pressurized tank vs the more typical application on vented vehicle fuel tanks.
A subsequent pressure test of repaired stove tank on hottest of days over 24-48 hr period may add some confidence to the repair? thx omc

 

Good point OMC. I haven't tried it on pressurized fuel tanks. It's pretty tough stuff but it may not take the pressure. I have used it in unpressurized tanks and it provides a tough water and fuel resistant coating that plugs pinholes and prevents further corrosion.

 

I have used POR 15 on a Tilley R1 heater which is pressurised; and which I use often. The methodology is here:

http://www.classicpressurelamps.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/7005/post/33834/hl//fromsearch/1/

Cheers

Tony

 

coleman tanks run much higher pressure because of there easy start system. The tanks are very thin steel and should only rust if the inside coating is damaged. The 422 I cut up the coating was very poorly applied
por15 is similar to the factory coating so if the tank is sound after the rust removed it should never need doing again.
Even so I would run the first 2 or 3 tankfuls of fuel through it well away from anything flammable. Its not nice explaining to the firemen that your campstove sprung a leak after you had repaired it. Even harder explaining this to your insurance loss adjuster

 

I prefer evaporust or a similar product to any version of citric acid or any other acid for rust removal. Evaporust works by chelating the rust, therefore it does nothing to the non-rusted portions of the tank. Any acid will attack all of the tank, not just the rust. You can fill the tank with evaporust and leave it for several days without any damage to the tank. If you submerge the entire tank it will remove the paint, and pollute your evaporust. The evaporust is reusable. I do filter it after use to remove any unconverted rust particles.

As far as using POR-15 or any type of epoxy to repair rust holes in tanks, my personal opinion is "it isn't worth it". If it is a common stove or lantern replacement tanks are just too readily available and cheap. A Coleman 425 stove tank is less than $10 USD. Compared to the cost of POR 15, you time and effort in cleaning the tank and the possible fact that the tank is not usable after cleaning makes it a no brainer. My experience has been that if a tank is rusty enough to have one pin-hole it is rusty enough to have a bunch more just waiting to break through. Given that a Coleman stove is going to be working at 30-40 psi it just doesn't justify the risk. Especially for common stoves and lanterns that are going to be used regularly. If it is a rare GPA that I can't replace the tank on, I might make an exception. On a lantern I would be more likely to cut the rusted bottom out of the fount and weld in a new piece of metal.

 

Somebody on the Coleman Collectors forum suggested steel BB's and radiator flush. Worked like a charm on my 413G.

Regards,
Ridge

 

I know an old thread and about stove tanks but... I just got a used 220F coleman lantern that I can see rust in the tank. Do I just pour the evaporust into the tank without taking the tank off the lantern? Or do I have to break the lantern down, remove the tank, then add the chemical (and BBs) and shake? Thanks

 

It’s easier if you break it down. But I suppose you can do it either way just take the vent and globe off so you have less of a chance of breaking the globe.

 

You can do it either way but if you're going to do an overhaul on the lantern might as well tear it down and work on the rest of the parts while it's soaking. I suggest putting either some old Coleman fuel or denatured alcohol in the fount, swish it around really well and pour it out. This will be discarded. The object is to get as much loose rust out before you put in the evaporust so it isn't wasted converting rust that can be washed out. After the first rinse, rinse the tank a couple times with water, drain and then add the evaporust. Let it sit for a couple of days. Pour it out and strain out any chunks or rust flakes. Return it to the container or start a new one for used evaporust. Evaporust can be used many times, until it stops working. Rinse the tank with water a couple of times, then with denatured alcohol. Inspect the tank. If the rust is gone, you're done. If not look at the extent of the rust and pitting in the tank. If it's a lot and it is a common model like a 220 or 200, get a better tank from Old Coleman Parts. If there is only a little rust you can try agitating something in the tank. Some use BB's, but something with sharper edges works better than round balls. Some folks use small sheet metal screws and some small nuts (metal kind, not ones from trees). I use what's called burnishing shot. It is variously shaped metal bits used by jewelers and metal casters in a tumbler to polish metal castings. I bout 5 pounds for $25 dollars and that is a lifetime supply for me and the next couple generations. You only use a handful at a time.

Hope this helps.

 

Some of those lanterns come with a brown coating inside, are you sure it's rust??

And a little surface rust is not a deal breaker on a 220F unless you really love the lantern