Gas tank restoration

[BIG_brother]

So I bought a bike with the dreaded "Kreem" inside flaking off and reeking havok on my carbs that I rebuilt.

I filled her up with acetone and nails, plugged it and put it in a dryer for 3 days straight (outside and wrapped in blankets of course) Got 99% of the kreem out but,...

Still had rust inside. I tried dry nails for a day and then I buy metal rescue and let it sit for 2 days and the rust is still there. I have about had it! Im about to pitch this tank and buy a new one!

Anyone have any methods that worked for them?

[Nessism]

Metal Prep available at Home Depot and similar will eat off the rust in just a few hours.

BTW, lots of different threads in the archives about how to derust a tank.

[BIG_brother]

I searched and was not able to find anything i havent tried

[Nessism]

I searched and was not able to find anything i havent tried

Try Advanced Search, Titles only, "Rust". There are threads detailing use of phosphoric acid, vinegar, Evaoprust, electrolysis, and others. If you have tried these methods without success, consider taking your tank to a radiator shop and have them do the work.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I found these on some guy's website.

Tank Cleaning: with electrolysis

Tank Cleaning: with Evapo-Rust

How To Search The GSR Forum


Thank you for your indulgence,


BassCliff

[BIG_brother]

Yes I have seen these and and done them both...

Still want a better result. Any chem dip places in Dayton Ohio?

Hi,

I found these on some guy's website.

Tank Cleaning: with electrolysis

Tank Cleaning: with Evapo-Rust

How To Search The GSR Forum


Thank you for your indulgence,


BassCliff

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I understand that some radiator shops can dip a fuel tank in some kind of acid bath. It won't help your paint job though.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[GSOH]

Yes I have seen these and and done them both...

Still want a better result. Any chem dip places in Dayton Ohio?

I know of a place in Cinci and another in Marysville. Not sure if that helps you out as your are about midway for both.

[GSOH]

Not to derail this thread, but I've been using electrolysis to de-rust my tank for probably 4 days now (total overkill I'm sure). I'm trying to figure out the next best step. I've read of dumping tank contents (tap water and sadium carbonate) and they heat up to dry out. Once dry, use gas to recoat so doesn't rust.

I'm thinking with doing this and adding an inline fuel filter, I won't have to apply sealant.

Thoughts/suggestions?

[BentRod]

Not to derail but yeah, sounds like a plan.

do not let your tank just drip dry. A hair drier or better a heat gun does the trick nicely. If you are going to put it into service, go ahead a fill with gas. If not, you can add some light oil and shake to coat the inside well.

For the original poster, if the inside is still full of rust it would seem the guy who coated your tank did a quick fix type job. If you have the time to shake , a couple of fists of small gravel and a decent acid, muriatic for example, do wonders without ruining the paint. For a big tank with bad rust you'll need about 2L. I have stopped using nails/screws etc., small gravel just does a better job, especially when joined by a steady flow of acid.

Once the rust is out, rinse well, heat to dry and you are off to the races.


If you are short on time.. find a bucket/bin big enough and submerg your tank, fill with water, and add 5 lbs of cheep feed grade molasses/gallon of muriatic acid/fill the bucket with vinagar.

[SeanMora77]

I had a hard time with rust inside my tank and I tried several methods including snobowl, vinegar, fish tank gravel in the dryer... etc. I always had Vinegar and snobowl effectively remove the rust but etched the metal so flash rusting occurred quickly. I chased my tail for a good month on this one. My advice is to spend the 50 dollars on POR15. The inside of my tank looks brand new, no signs of rust ever again.

[GSOH]

I had a hard time with rust inside my tank and I tried several methods including snobowl, vinegar, fish tank gravel in the dryer... etc. I always had Vinegar and snobowl effectively remove the rust but etched the metal so flash rusting occurred quickly. I chased my tail for a good month on this one. My advice is to spend the 50 dollars on POR15. The inside of my tank looks brand new, no signs of rust ever again.

I have a few small dents on the tank. Does it make sense to seal the tank first and then try and get the dents out? I'm not sure I could access the detns from the inside to pop out.

[SeanMora77]

I'd square away all the dents first. I had the same issue with my tank and I bondoed all the dents and primed the tank first. If you seal it and then try to remove dents you could damage the seal. The 50 bucks I spent on the POR15 was the best fifty bucks I ever spent, but you must follow the instructions to a T.

[Scudder]

I've used POR15 on 4 tanks that were totally crapped out with rust. Horrible. You'd have thought there was no way to salvage the tanks. POR15 did the trick. Works great. Removes rust, and seals the tank. Problems solved.

scudder

[jwhelan65]

I've used POR15 on 4 tanks that were totally crapped out with rust. Horrible. You'd have thought there was no way to salvage the tanks. POR15 did the trick. Works great. Removes rust, and seals the tank. Problems solved.

scudder

+1 on POR-15