Is there a safe way to ship a used fuel tank. Tank hasn't been used but has been sealed in about a year. Is there a way to rid it of the gas fumes so it's not so dangerous to ship?
this is what I do, I cover the whole tank with bubble wrap and then put in a box I never had any issues I use fedex simple as that
Well, that conceals what you're shipping, but it sure doesn't eliminate your liability if there is a problem. Plus, is it really fair to expose the shippers to potential problems/illness or do you just not care? I'd suggest finding someone with an open trailer who will haul it for you-even someone with a pickup. Best, in all cases, to be upfront about what you are shipping. A commercial steam cleaning service might be be to clear it out for you-I would think there'd still be some liability-in 2013
Shipping a "used" fuel tank is illegal if not disclosed. However if it is disclosed it more than likely won't get shipped.
Yeah it has to be labeled as hazardous and shipped as such. Shipping it through normal shipping without disclosure is equivalent to committing an act of terrorism thanks to some of the post 9/11 regulations. It's stupid money to ship one via a haz mat courier.
I've shipped a couple of used gas tanks and a couple of test measures for testing the calibration of gas pumps. Each time, I was told that they could not have any fuel odor to them. I drained them completely. I then sloshed an ammonia & water mix through the tank a few times. Because I can't stand the smell of ammonia, I followed with a mix of orange scented degreaser & water. Let it drain, repeat. After 2 days I was comfortable enough with the lack of odor that I brought them into the house to package them. My wife is hypersensitive to smells and she allowed me to package them in the living room. I clearly disclosed the contents of the packages with zero problems. The test measures were shipped via UPS/ Fed Ex at the requirement of the company receiving them. The gas tanks were shipped via UPS & Greyhound. Hope this helps. Kael
too bad it could not be strapped to the bottom of the shipping truck. let them then tell you why thats not safe.
I would just make sure that any vapors of gasoline were gone, don't seal the filler, allow it to be 'open to the air', put the tank in a carton and ship it. There are too many nay-sayers and tree-huggers around that will say you are endangering the environment, your fellow man, carbon footprint, etc. Just do it and get the tank to where it has to go.
A fuel tank that is used and removed from a vehicle becomes a hazmat load for shipping purposes. It has to be carried by a vehicle displaying hazmat placards. Jim
From time to time sell cdn. scepter brand military fuel cans the heavy duty GI plastic type. 'Only brand new ones' as they have to cross the border. BUT fwiw I see a tonne of guys selling used ones all over the usa and they are all being shipped for cheap so non disclosed or ?? I personally won't sell used ones for the reason that fumes are highly explosive and you just never know.
A fellow hambr want the tank And I'd like to sell it to him to help him but i want to do it legally and safe. I'll try to do the ammonia and water mix and let it sit out side for a few days. Thanks guys
couple years ago I shipped a built in type boat fuel tank from Illinois to Maryland via ups. I just made sure it was empty and put in some stabil fuel treatment and sealed it with rubber hoses with plugs, hose clamped over the fill and outlet, boxed it and sent it with no problem.
A tip I learned from a buddy: Run a suitable hose from your exhaust pipe to the tank. Let it run 5 minutes and the fumes are non-lethal. It works. I generated a lot of sparks and open flames around my old Econoline tank. I'm still here.
Might not help with any of the legal issues. Remove every fitting. Rinse several times with dawn & water. Rinse once with muriatic acid and water solution. Cleans out everything. Set it out in the sun for a day or two.
It's just like me trying to ship one shot sign paint,,legally I can't because I don't have a license to ship hazardous materials. I had a bunch of hambers wanting to buy my stock when I closed my business but when I went to ship it with UPS,FedEx or USPS the Shite hit the fan when ask what I am shipping,,lie to them and you are liable if anything happens. I refunded everybody their money but one guy insisted that bought a bunch of it and offered to pay shipping,,I had to carry the box of paint to a trucking terminal in Greenville,South Carolina and it ended costing the guy almost 80 bucks. They had a Hazmat license and shipped it under there license. HRP
Kind of strange, because not that long ago I used to be a dealer for race gas. At that time, you could carry up to five 55 gallon drums with no 1203 placards.
The Jalopy Journal
