Gas problem with 1994 Bobcat 225g

[Chas007]

I just purchased a used Bobcat 225g. It had been sitting for several years and the owner had a mechanic to clean the carburetor and get it running. When I went to buy it we cranked it and I welding with it in all the settings. It ran and welded fine. When I got it home and started cleaning it up I took a flashlight and looked down in the gas tank. It looks like a septic tank down in there. The fuel hose was not going to the bottom of the tank and it has no screen of any type on the end of it.

I have pumped out the tank. Sprayed my pressure sprayer down in there and then ran a water hose in it for a while to try and flush it out. I got a lot of stuff out of it, but there is still a ton of solids in it. A lot of it is stuck to the bottom of the tank like dried clay I can see the cracking of it.
I don't want to have to pull the motor and generator to get the tank out. (Side Note) this seems like a poor design with the tank being put in first and everything else bolted on top of it.

I have ordered a plastic 12 gallon marine gas tank and I'm going to run a longer hose to it and set it on the ground. I would still like to use the original tank also if I can get it cleaned out.

My question is, does anyone know of a way to clean out the original tank without having to pull it out of the welder frame?

Thanks in advance,

Chas

[Sberry]

Vac it with air suction tool.

[Bushytails]

I usually clean dirty gas tanks by installing an oversized fuel filter...

[Chas007]

Here's what I did.
I used a hand pump to remove the fuel. I have a ball valve with a 3 foot piece of copper tubing attached. I have a quick disconnect on it for my air line. I used the air compressor with this setup to blow a bunch of trash out of it. I then put a microfiber towel on the end of an old 1/8" gas welding rod and ran it in and around in the tank removing a bunch more crap. I waited for the tank to dry and blew it out again, getting nothing but fine dust this time. I used a brand new microfiber towel and ran it in the tank again. The towel came out clean. Blew it out again just to be sure. I believe it's good to go now. I will keep an extra fuel filter or two on hand just incase.
Thanks for the advice guys.

[Bushytails]

On my 225nt, a bad grommet was allowing rainwater and crap into the fuel tank... might want to check to see if yours has a similar issue.

[Chas007]

On my 225nt, a bad grommet was allowing rainwater and crap into the fuel tank... might want to check to see if yours has a similar issue.

Yes the grommet is bad, but it had been stored inside for quite awhile so the gas went bad. I just bought it. I have ordered a fuel draw tube, 90° fitting and grommet for it. Once I get those installed and change the oil and oil filter it should be good to go. I'm going to use 10w30 full synthetic.

[Bushytails]

Also check the one around the fuel gauge, if it's similar to my 225nt.

[ryanjones2150]

You need to use the proper oil in that motor. Regular ole water cooled car engine oil is not the correct oil. We had a really long thread on the proper oil a couple years ago. You should search for that thread and read through it. After that discussion, I changed all my small engine oil to valvoline VR1 racing oil, just because it has the right stuff in it and it’s available locally for me.

[Chas007]

You need to use the proper oil in that motor. Regular ole water cooled car engine oil is not the correct oil. We had a really long thread on the proper oil a couple years ago. You should search for that thread and read through it. After that discussion, I changed all my small engine oil to valvoline VR1 racing oil, just because it has the right stuff in it and it’s available locally for me.

What weight VR1?
I went with Pennzoil full synthetic because synthetic supposedly runs cooler and 10w30 is recommended for my air temp region.
I did a search for Cruzier's post, but there was a lot of them to go through. Didn't know what the title of that particular one was.

[Bushytails]

I've never ran anything other than whatever I was putting in my car at the time, usually generic 10w30...

[Aeronca41]

What weight VR1?
I went with Pennzoil full synthetic because synthetic supposedly runs cooler and 10w30 is recommended for my air temp region.
I did a search for Cruzier's post, but there was a lot of them to go through. Didn't know what the title of that particular one was.

I remember when that thread was ongoing. Don't remember the details, but I have been using the Pennzoil full synthetic 10w-30 in my Trailblazer since then. I don't use it (the machine) a lot, but so far, so good.

[tarry99]

I have a 225G+ Bobcat / Onan KE758284 over 2900 hours and runs straight 30w detergent Pennz oil. .....No problems over the years......was taken down to be De-carboned and that's it..

[Meltedmetal]

Is this the thread you seek?

https://forum.millerwelds.com/forum/welding-discussions/33884-miller-bobcat-problem-need-help

[ryanjones2150]

I run 30w VR1.

There was a lot of info in that thread.

[ryanjones2150]

I’m not sure if that’s the thread I was talking about. I didn’t read through the whole thing, hadn’t had a chance. The thread I’m talking about goes into detail about the ratings of oil for certain additives (what the letters mean in the oil designation, ASTM such and such...). It was cruzier or another experienced guy that mentioned about servicing some engine drives and seeing those with improper oil taking a dump with very few hours on them and others that used the proper oil last much much longer. It was a fairly technical heavy discussion.