So I just got the gas tank down out of Uncle Ben. I originally thought the tank was empty since looking into the filler neck, the bottom of the tank was dry and had rust flakes on it.
In pulling the tank I quickly realized it was about 15 pounds too heavy but it wasn't sloshing. Once on the ground I realized there's 1.5-2 gallons worth of this stuff...
I took this piece scrap and tried to burn it to see what kind of dangerous this stuff is and thankfully, it's not *very* flammable and actually won't even stay lit for more than a few seconds. Even then, you have to hold a propane torch to it for a while to get it to even ignite.
The real question here is, what the hell do I do with this stuff?! It has a honey-like consistency, and is really nasty messy.
As an aside, I've never seen gas do this despite dragging dozens of cars out of decades of hibernation. (This has 94 tags on it for reference.)
Oh, and the tank itself is rusted out garbage, so saving it doesn't have to be a consideration.
I don't know where you're located, but we have a local household hazardous waste facility, which takes pretty much any nasty thing from your house or garage. I'd go try to drop off the whole tank, and if they couldn't take it, they'd at least know what to do.
Toss it in the middle of the brush pile when you go to burn it this winter.
The whole thing. Whatever is left turn in for scrap.
NOHOME
UltimaDork
12/3/17 5:36 p.m.
Had the exact same issue with the Healey tank. Took it to our local landfill that has a hazardous disposal facility. Lucky I had a truck to deliver cause the smell would have wrecked a car!
I know there's nothing local to me here. There are annual events for this kind of stuff in the spring, but it's already stinking up the whole property and I want it gone asap.
Otherwise it's a 90 minute drive into a larger municipality that will actually accept hazardous materials.
It may end up in a brush pile...
Kill it with fire.
Aside: what on earth is that sludge, anyways?
I'm actually kinda curious...