Failed tank liner

[jetmechmarty]

I have a tank liner in a XS650 that has failed and I am trying to remove it. I'll cut to the chase. I poured a gallon of Klean Strip paint stripper in there and it was left in the tank over night. It did not dissolve the liner or cause it to turn loose.

The liner material is grey. I can't tell you any more about it. What solvent will get it out of there?

 

[two-smoker]

They actually make stuff specifically for that.... I think you can get it from Eastwood.

 

[derxs500]

Soak it in MEK for a couple of days. Worked for me. It will get it off but ruin the exterior paint.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Don't use MEK. That shit is super toxic. Try acetone. Low toxicity and not terribly expensive. It will often soften tank liner materials.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I am surprised what's left of the liner stood up to paint stripper. I think the tank is protected. I'm going to find out.

Thank you for the responses.

 

[jetmechmarty]

 

[carnivorous chicken]

jetmech, any luck with acetone? I am in visiting family in Seattle and told my brother I'd help him with his Z-1 tank (long story, he wanted one, I found him a good and cheap one, but he's not particularly mechanically inclined). Looks like he's got a failed Kreem tank coating and he's gettin rust in his filters. I've got a POR-15 kit to recoat, and got it when I thought his tank wasn't relined. POR-15 makes a kit that includes a product to remove bad tank linings, but since I didn't know he needed it I didn't get it. I am only up here for a few days, so I need to do it fast. If acetone worked for you I'll try it.

PS Not interested in anyone's theories about which tank liner works best, etc. Thanks, but I got that part. just need the old one removed...

 

[jetmechmarty]

I put acetone in the tank this afternoon. It appears to be working! Paint stripper didn't get it at all. The article about it in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics said to use methylene chloride, which was the active ingredient in the paint stripper. Of course, I don't know what the failed liner was and I'm sure it makes a difference.

So, I put the expensive paint on the tank at risk for nothing. :-[ I hope it's OK under there! Before I put any liner in any tank in the future, I'll be sure to learn how to remove it beforehand.

 

[jetmechmarty]

It was issue 298 Aug 2012 of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics that had the how-to article about tank liner removal. They used dichloromethane in liquid form. I used pasty paint stripper and the liner laughed at it. The acetone is dissolving it.

Acetone is $5 cheaper per gallon than MEK, so I got a little bonus!

 

[carnivorous chicken]

Cool. I decided to go with acetone too. Bought it and some plugs yesterday, just poured it in the tank 15 minutes ago with a handful of nails and screws. What's the timeline for you to see results? Did you agitate it much?

As an aside, I talked to the same guy twice at POR-15 about this. They do sell the tank strip independently of the heavy duty liner kit that comes with it. It's $17 or so on its own, and I figured that would be my plan B if the acetone didn't work out. But since it's my brother's bike and I'm only here for a few days, figured I'd try the immediate fix first as I wouldn't be here when the tank strip arrives and he'd have to wait until next summer (he has no interested in doing it himself, I guess).

And he wants to rattle can it black so I'm lucky I don't have to worry about paint. The paint on it now is in nice shape but a hideous kind of purple...

 

[jetmechmarty]

I have had a gallon of acetone and a length of chain in the tank for two days. It probably takes only a few hours to do a thorough job of it, but I have no need to hurry.

The catch is that I don't know anything about the liner I'm removing. You may not get the same results. If it's going to work, you will know right away. I agitate mine every time I walk by it.

The inside of my tank was rusted thoroughly, so I will need a new liner in it. I am considering a Caswell epoxy liner.