Diesel tank help needed!

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sonny580

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I have this big chipper that has some kind of thick brownish goo in the bottom part of the tank and the chipper sat last year without being run. The guy I got it from hadn't used it very much for the last 6 years.
Yesterday I needed to start chipping the brush over by the shed, and engine started, reved a bit then died.--VERY odd for this engine to do that!--Got looking in the tank, decided to pump the fuel out and see if something was in the bottom!
Fuel was clear yellow, same color as when it was put in, BUT after getting tank empty, I ran a bent rod down and rubbed the bottom of tank, finding a layer of thick goo at least 1/2 inch thick.--I think there is some on the sides of the tank, too.
My question is,---What the heck will clean this mess out of the tank??--Gasoline won't touch it!--done tried that!--It don't mix with diesel either!
I did put the torch to the stuff sticking to the ro0d, and it takes loads of heat before it will melt and run off!
The goo had gotten up to the suction pipe and that's why the engine died.--checked at pump and NO fuel.--took hoses off and no fuel in them,--pulled suction pipe from tank and it had goo over the end plugging it!
I really need to use the chipper right away, so if anyone has any ideas, please post them! thanks; sonny580
 
How big is the tank?

The couple big chippers I've dealt with had 400-500 gallon tanks. (~1000 hp, used 40-60 gals an hr)
 
I used to but and sell used chippers. First thing we did was drain fuel and hydr. tanks. Then have them steam cleaned. Always were nice and clean afterwards, also replace lines and filter. Good Luck.
 
The tank is only 20 gallons or so.--I don't have access to steam cleaner. I did make up a temporary tank to get by on this job.
NOW the engine still won't run so I cleaned the filter and all the lines, re-primed the whole system, still no run, so took transfer pump off and NO suction, so I still not gonna get started on this brush job!!
The pump has made in Italy stamped on it, and since there are not much for brand markings on the engine,--I'm not positive what it really is.---Thinking Deutz, since it's 4 cylinder air cooled. Excellent engine ,and I thought it might be F4L-912, but pix. don't look like mine!--Sis said she found a tag way back on the top left side of engine where I can't get to. She thought the numbers was 80HP, then next line had a 4 number that was hard to read.
I still in a fog here!!! LOL!!! thanks; sonny580
 
here are a couple pix. of the chipper.---Any ideas of the brand??? No tags/numbers on the unit. thanks; sonny
 

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Finally found that the engine is a VM MOTORI--Italy made, and fuel pump has gone south, so I kinda,sorta rigged a electric pump, got it running, but no fuel returning to tank.--I assume the pump is big enough, and it does run the engine so That's where it now stands! thanks; sonny580
 
Made in Italy I'd guess it's a Lambordini or VM Motori.

When you said "big chipper" I was thinking big, like a Peterson, Morbark, etc whole tree (s) unit pulled by a semi truck.

I'd try cleaning the tank with muriatic acid.


The tank is only 20 gallons or so.--I don't have access to steam cleaner. I did make up a temporary tank to get by on this job.
NOW the engine still won't run so I cleaned the filter and all the lines, re-primed the whole system, still no run, so took transfer pump off and NO suction, so I still not gonna get started on this brush job!!
The pump has made in Italy stamped on it, and since there are not much for brand markings on the engine,--I'm not positive what it really is.---Thinking Deutz, since it's 4 cylinder air cooled. Excellent engine ,and I thought it might be F4L-912, but pix. don't look like mine!--Sis said she found a tag way back on the top left side of engine where I can't get to. She thought the numbers was 80HP, then next line had a 4 number that was hard to read.
I still in a fog here!!! LOL!!! thanks; sonny580
 
I think you might have a Lombardini air-cooled diesel there. Kohler bought out Lombardini a few years back. The old Lombardini diesels were very good engines in my opinion. I used to see them on lots of portable light plants.
 
It has the VM emblem molded into the block , at least 1 place that I now find, ( lower right front, standing behind the engine).
It has been a very good engine so far. Don't know how many hours it has on it, but I have put several hundred on it in the last 2 years. thanks; sonny
 
The residue in the tank bottom may be algae which builds up in old fuel that has been contaminated with water.Had a similar problem and a friend recommended BioBor to kill the algae.Put it in all my tanks.Still need to clean the mess but will keep it from reoccuring with recommended use.
 
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