When is a tank too far gone?

[Gregory]

Thanks guys. I just went and picked up two and put them in the tub. I then filled the tub above the tank with water. I know that is diluting it an awful lot, but I have time to wait. If it doesn't dissolve it all I will go buy more.

[Nessism]

That phosphate sauce is good stuff. I use it all the time, just keep recycling it.

[cougar]

have you seen this?

http://www.fullcustomfab.com/page_79gs1000tank.html

[ohiocaferacer]

http://www.fullcustomfab.com/page_79gs1000tank.html

Nice link Cougar!!

I've been toying with the idea of making an alloy 78 tank with the indents and all......may still fab/weld one up yet. Just need to find the time to do it.

[Nessism]

Thats what i have used before and its a strong Phosphoric acid...I dilute it 50/50. MONITOR IT CLOSELY and then a wash with baking soda inside and out to stop the acids corrosive effects.

The beauty of the phosphate sauce is you don't need to neutralize. Just water rinse really well.

[ohiocaferacer]

The beauty of the phosphate sauce is you don't need to neutralize. Just water rinse really well.

When I used the Klean Strip Prep & Etch from Home Depot and washed it out with water, it did start to flash rust. I followed the wash out with a ton of baking soda on the inside and outside of the tank as Chuck had mentioned. Followed with drying out with a heat gun.

As Chuck had mentioned.....I had everything ready to go and at hand, to start lining the tank.

[chuck hahn]

I never knew that Ed..I figure acid is acid and it needs neutralised.

[Gregory]

No matter what..... I am going to get this thing repaired. I started.. but stopped bidding .... on this old tank and look what it went for.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291128379443?item=291128379443&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:1120&vxp=mtr

[GSEScraze]

and some can't under stand why people like my self hang on to extra ones there like money in the bank

[markb]

I have not had had to work on a whole moto gas tank, but I just did a generator tank that had gas in it for the last 15 years I bet. it was pretty rusty. I did the electrolysis and was amazed at the results. I didn't have any soda crystals so I used baking soda, but you have to cook the baking soda for for an hour at 200 degrees and it will work.
after I got a lot of rust broken down, I filled it with a handful of screws and those wachers with the grabbers on the end and filled it halfway with vinegar and sealed it and shook the crap out of it every 15 minutes. it came out great. another person said to do the vinegar thing with bb's and seal it up tight, then wrap it in blankets and put ut in the dryer...

but i'm sold on the electrolysis.

[cougar]

http://www.fullcustomfab.com/page_79gs1000tank.html

Nice link Cougar!!

I've been toying with the idea of making an alloy 78 tank with the indents and all......may still fab/weld one up yet. Just need to find the time to do it.

If you have the time and knowhow anything is possible.
would a alloy one be lighter as you would need to use thicker martials

[ohiocaferacer]

would a alloy one be lighter as you would need to use thicker martials

Yes.....the alloy tanks are alot lighter than the stock steel tanks. Material thickness on tanks i've built in the past are in the .060" range, with racing gas tanks alot thinner.

The gas tank below was built for a CB350 race bike and was pretty thin alloy and had a rolled recess on the top of the tank for the tank strap.

[cougar]

Yes.....the alloy tanks are alot lighter than the stock steel tanks. Material thickness on tanks i've built in the past are in the .060" range, with racing gas tanks alot thinner.

The gas tank below was built for a CB350 race bike and was pretty thin alloy and had a rolled recess on the top of the tank for the tank strap.

learn something new everyday. great looking tank

[Gregory]

finally got the "swiss cheese" tank out of the acid bath. Here is a pic from the inside...it is like this almost everywhere.



Instead of trying all that welding and soldering I decided to just tape it ALL up and put a thick coat of Caswell liner in it. I will use bondo or fiberglass and bondo when finishing the exterior of the tank.







I think I may keep looking for a better candidate, but for now I may just paint the outside with primer to stop the rust, and put it on the shelf with a note attached to myself to do another liner and finish the exterior before using : )

[ohiocaferacer]

Any luck on this tank with the Caswell liner....updates??