Cleaning rusty gas tank - anyone tried Metal Rescue Rust Remover? Other ideas?

[Jimbonaut]

Gas tank question fellas - judging by the crap I found in my carb float bowls, there's a fair amount of rust in my gas tank. I've read that Evapo Rust is a good method of knocking most of it out but it's pricey for one thing and hard to get hold of here in Quebec for another.

Another option is called Metal Rescue Rust Remover. 5 gallons of that is gonna cost me around $100, I'll pony up if the stuff works - anyone tried it, or anyone have any other methods for cleaning out gas tanks?

 

[firebane]

As you found out the stuff is crazy expensive and on a normal tank you will need at least 3 to a minimum of 4 jugs and it's $31 CAD so for a $100 tank it's a big chunk of change to fork out.

I put one jug in my tank and you can see it works but how good... Dunno. I am going to give it another day but I have been rotating the tank as well.

 

[Jimbonaut]

You've got some in your tank at the moment? I'll be interested to hear how it comes out - can you let me know? +1 on the rotating technique! Save some $$ for the beer fund.

I've also read that dumping a bunch of nuts in there (strung up on some fishing wire for easy removal) is a good technique for knocking off a bunch of the rust from inside.

 

[firebane]

You've got some in your tank at the moment? I'll be interested to hear how it comes out - can you let me know? +1 on the rotating technique! Save some $$ for the beer fund.

I've also read that dumping a bunch of nuts in there (strung up on some fishing wire for easy removal) is a good technique for knocking off a bunch of the rust from inside.

Depending on your tank I suggest using airsoft pellets or something similar.

I stuck a bunch of screws and such in my tank to knock any bulky stuff off then blew the tank out with a shop vac and got rid of lots of surface rust but I still a but or two stuck inside. If I would have used airsoft pellets they could fall out the petcock hole.

The one reason to fill a tank up is that if I try and turn mine upside down it comes out the tank lid breather hole.

 

[Hurco550]

You've got some in your tank at the moment? I'll be interested to hear how it comes out - can you let me know? +1 on the rotating technique! Save some $$ for the beer fund.

I've also read that dumping a bunch of nuts in there (strung up on some fishing wire for easy removal) is a good technique for knocking off a bunch of the rust from inside.

I like to use a length of chain instead of bolts or screws, easier than stringing them up and easy to pull it out when your done. Something light gauge like this.

Also I'm in the states, but I use evaporust branded sunny side sold by Menards. I use a gallon or so and slosh/ prop the tank at different angles to make sure I get it all vs. Buying enough to fill the whole thing.

 

[wanted9]

I used metal rescue on my kz440 and it worked great, pour it in and wait a day, and you won't have to worry about rust ever again


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[grcamna5]

I have a 2.5 gal. tank and bought 1 gal. of Evaporust.I have done small parts w/ it also and notice that it works about 7 times faster if you heat it up on a stove top burner while covering the pot so it won't evaporate.That's more difficult to do w/ a steel fuel tank so I heat up the 1 gal. of Evaporust on the stove-top first and then pour the hot product into the tank(I cleaned the tank out as much as I could w/ Dawn dish detergent and sharp screws first and rinsed that all out until clear)and let it sit in there at all angles until it gets cold and repeat the same thing a few times;the heat Really makes the Evaporust work better.
The product is able to be re-used many times until it turns very dark black and gets weak..

 

[firebane]

So I will say that the stuff does work. I turned my tank upside down and the edge of the filler hole doesn't have nearly as much rust as it did.

Unfortunately I need to find a better way to seal the tank for upside down use.

I would say if you can get two jugs.

 

[Jimbonaut]

Thanks a million for the advice and info fellas, this is gold. I think I'm veering towards the Metal Rescue option (Evapo Rust is really hard to get hold of here in Quebec and costs an arm and a leg), and that chain idea is stellar. I'll heat the stuff up too before I pour it in the tank, and make sure the damn cat doesn't stick her snoot in it while it's on the stove. Damn cat sticks its snoot in everything.

 

[firebane]

Thanks a million for the advice and info fellas, this is gold. I think I'm veering towards the Metal Rescue option (Evapo Rust is really hard to get hold of here in Quebec and costs an arm and a leg), and that chain idea is stellar. I'll heat the stuff up too before I pour it in the tank, and make sure the damn cat doesn't stick her snoot in it while it's on the stove. Damn cat sticks its snoot in everything.

Anytime. The liquid that came out of my tank was quite slimy and a very very dark gray lol.

 

[Kamn]

Jimbo,
if you are anywhere near Ontario, hit a Canadian Tire because they sell evaporust as well as Metal Rescue. For heating it, just get it warm....doesnt need to be hot and a warm room like where your furnace is will be sufficient. You don't need to fill the whole tank, a 4 litre jug is plenty, you will just need to rotate the tank every few hours so it works on different areas.
Personally I find metal rescue better than evaporust....but thats me.

 

[firebane]

Metal Rescue doesn't need to be heated... but it does say it doesn't work very well below 20 Celsius so hope you have a warm room. I put mine in the furnace room lol.

 

[Jimbonaut]

Doesn't work well below 20 Celsius? Obviously not designed for Canadian winters! I'll probably just set the shop heater in front of the tank, that should keep it plenty warm enough.

I'm in Montreal Kamn so not a million miles from Ontario but far enough - if you did well by Metal Rescue then that's good enough for me. MIL's birthday this weekend in Ottawa so could pick up some Evapo Rust then but I'm nothing if not an impatient bugger and by the sounds of it Metal Rescue does the job just as well for half the price. I'm sold =)

 

[iatethepeach]

I've done a couple tanks with Evaporust and Metal Rescue. They're pretty much the same, but Evaporust is usually cheaper, sometimes as much as 1/2 price around here. Check for sales and especially at discount stores. Also, according to others with much more experience, phosphoric prep and etch is a great way to go (http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=67101.msg780460#msg780460). It's cheaper than Metal Rescue.

 

[firebane]

Doesn't work well below 20 Celsius? Obviously not designed for Canadian winters! I'll probably just set the shop heater in front of the tank, that should keep it plenty warm enough.

I'm in Montreal Kamn so not a million miles from Ontario but far enough - if you did well by Metal Rescue then that's good enough for me. MIL's birthday this weekend in Ottawa so could pick up some Evapo Rust then but I'm nothing if not an impatient bugger and by the sounds of it Metal Rescue does the job just as well for half the price. I'm sold =)

I'm in Calgary... Hence the furnace room. The only warning I got from the woman was "It better not stink"

 

[firebane]

Look closely and you can see a sharp line where the metal rescue has worked.

 

[Jimbonaut]

Dude that photo looks really, really weirddd, like an alien ear exam




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[Zonda]

Hey groovers do you self a favour and go and buy some Oxalcic Acid, it used in the jewellery industry and also as a wood cleaner (fresh up decks etc) it will remove rust from anything including chrome plated parts without damaging the chrome etc, you can even be used in the washing if you have rust stains on your best pair of 501's! just mix and soak for a few hours and best of all it just removes the rust and won't touch the steel 8)

Look it up, it truely has 101 uses and best of all it's cheep!!

 

[Bighurt10]

I've done the apple cider vinegar many times and I'll tell u for around 10 bucks it works wonders just pour it in you and put something in there to help knock off the rust or not up to you but move it around every so often and you won't be disappointed and it's cheap only thing once you drain it rinse with distilled water to prevent flash rusting


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[irk miller]

Oxalic acid is highly combustible and can even explode when mixed with certain oxidizing agents and silver compounds. It's also highly corrosive to skin. Phosphoric acid is a bit safer and does a better job converting severe rust.