PTRider wrote on 05/26/09 at 06:52:55:Well...I wouldn't burn the gasoline vapor.
After the tank is completely drained and any liquid is evaporated, there still might be enough vapor to ignite. Ventilation is the key. Putting the tank out in a breeze with the speedo out, gas cap off, and petcock removed would do the job. Letting some compressed air blow though would work; throttle the air down to a trickle. Or if there's a source of dry ice nearby, drop in a few bits and let the CO2 displace the gas vapor.
While we snoozed through science class they discussed how there must be the right proportions of fuel and oxygen to combust. If there's too little fuel (too lean) or too little oxygen (too rich), it won't burn. Of course, without instrumentation, it's just a guess, so ventilate, ventilate, ventilate.
another method, besides burning all the hair off your arm (i know, yardstick and match, where's the fun in that?) or air-hosing and sniff-testing all afternoon... put the tank in bright summer sun, leave it for a half hour so it gets nice and warm.. then spray a 1/4 can of starting fluid in it... give it a shake... the ether will mix with the gas, and it will vaporize the gas along with it... same thing works to dry out a wet distributor cap on a car...could do the same with 151 or moonshine, but that would be alcohol abuse....
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