OK Friends- Ive done the unthinkable and put 50 litres of diesel in the water tank (please dont chastise too much,the wife already did that), we rinsed it out completely and then filled it 2/3 times with "milton" and now the tank is filled with "milton water again" (I shall empty it before nightfall.
Apart from buying a bike is there anything else I can do??
Hi, That's a real bummer, I think you will need some sort of detergent as I think you will need to get something that will attempt to dissolve the diesel oil, i also think you will need hot or certainly warm water especially in this weather for the detergent to work, albeit you need to be careful if its a plastic tank.
The main problem I think you are going to have is getting rid of the diesel smell which will probably taint any fresh water, there are suggestions some form of alcohol may help with that but I have never had to try.
I think its time for a Google "diesel in drinking water tank" or something similar as I'm sure you aren't the first person to do it and I really doubt you will be the last
Please let us know how you get on, as there for the grace of God go I.
sorry to say think it will be new tank ,pump and water pipes .
there has been lots of posts on this problem over the years .google it as said .lots of help full advice ,work for some .and don't for others.good luck keep on cleaning pipes out,
------------- do it to day it might be too late tomorow
Friend of mine did the same. She did eventually get rid of the smell and diesel, by half filling tank with loads of detergent and hot water and driving around to slosh it about, then emptying the tank via the taps to flush the lines. It took about 6 goes though, plus gallons of water to flush the detergent out. Undoubtedly easier if you can remove the tank.
You don,t say wether or not you pumped it through the system before you realised, if you did then as said you are in deep do do, but if not I would remove the tank and really go for it with the cleaning. I mean, a new tank, (if it comes to it) isn,t the end of the world is it?
if i were you i would try and find a company in your area that works with diesel somethink like a tanker company they will no the best way to clean your tank or not ..but what ever you do be carefull diesel is very harmful
Once you have drained the diesel out tip a bottle of biological washing liquid into tank & fill with hot water, run some thru the tap & then drive around a bit & drain it out.
Jeez, how did you manage that party trick? Are the fillers adjacent/similar in appearance or what? I'd go for broke and replace the tank/pump, or you'll be tasting diesel and detergent for yonks. Plus, as has been said, its not the weather to be filling/emptying tanks and tubes is it.
I dont envy you, id be sick as a pig.
i bought a vw t4 bilbo last year with the same prob,washed it out 5 times , tried a bottle of fairy and filled up with the 50/60 ltrs red hot water from steam cleaner,drove round for days,tried orange oil cleaner,tank steriliser, tried all sorts but just couldnt get it 100% clear,allways had a funny smell ! managed to ring bilbos and they gave me the suppliers name for new tank £100, google CAK tanks and click water tanks ,download pdf for pictures of your tank, they will have prob made the original !!
------------- Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and take a look around once in a while, you could miss it.!
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Topic: diesel in water tank
