Got the gas tank for my CB750 all stripped of paint and ready to be primed, but then I noticed a sound like sand rolling around the inside of the tank. So I shook it up a bit and it looks like rust is the culprit. Do I need to get the tank re-sealed? And can if so, is it possible for me to do it myself?
Rust Inside Gas Tank -- Help (Total Noob First Build/Bike)
- Thread starter reborn291
- Start date
Booligan
Been Around the Block
There are a few options here as far as de-rusting your tank. My 175 tank was horribly rusted, so I did a 2 step technique.
First off, I dropped a bunch of screws, nuts, bolts, pretty much anything metal with sharp edges into the tank. Taped it up, wrapped it in a blanket, shoved it in a 5 gallon bucket, and rolled it back and forth across my lawn with my kids. Others do the same thing but put it in their clothes drier on fluff mode. My wife wasn't okay with that, so we did it the bucket way. Once you feel it's done, take the tape off and dump out the rust powder, along with the stuff you put inside. Make sure you don't have the petcock installed when you do this.
After that, I still had a little bit of rust inside. I sealed it up again with tape, and filled it to the top with apple cider vinegar. I then let it sit outside for a few days, and after 3 days or so, there was no more rust inside at all. The vinegar attacks it and removes it from the metal. After you drain the vinegar, you'll want to neutralize the reaction with some baking soda and water to prevent flash rusting. I then sprayed some WD40 inside to get out the rest of the water, and finally gave it a few thorough rinses with fresh gas.
You can follow this up with a sealing coating, just don't use Kreem. It's the worst. I've heard good things about POR15 and Caswell systems.
First off, I dropped a bunch of screws, nuts, bolts, pretty much anything metal with sharp edges into the tank. Taped it up, wrapped it in a blanket, shoved it in a 5 gallon bucket, and rolled it back and forth across my lawn with my kids. Others do the same thing but put it in their clothes drier on fluff mode. My wife wasn't okay with that, so we did it the bucket way. Once you feel it's done, take the tape off and dump out the rust powder, along with the stuff you put inside. Make sure you don't have the petcock installed when you do this.
After that, I still had a little bit of rust inside. I sealed it up again with tape, and filled it to the top with apple cider vinegar. I then let it sit outside for a few days, and after 3 days or so, there was no more rust inside at all. The vinegar attacks it and removes it from the metal. After you drain the vinegar, you'll want to neutralize the reaction with some baking soda and water to prevent flash rusting. I then sprayed some WD40 inside to get out the rest of the water, and finally gave it a few thorough rinses with fresh gas.
You can follow this up with a sealing coating, just don't use Kreem. It's the worst. I've heard good things about POR15 and Caswell systems.
JiveTalkinRobot
Been Around the Block
You can use Marine Clean and Prep&Ready from the guys that make Por-15.
http://www.por15.com/CYCLE-TANK-REPAIR-KIT/productinfo/CTRK/
I wouldn't get the Por-15 though....
http://www.por15.com/CYCLE-TANK-REPAIR-KIT/productinfo/CTRK/
I wouldn't get the Por-15 though....
SONICJK
Reminds me of...me No, I'm sure of it. I hate him
I see all these people making the rust removal so difficult.
Personally I grab the tank and the water hose. Plug the petcock hole.
Dump in a half gallon of muriatic acid (hcl) and fill to the brim with water. Let it sit there or about 10 min and dump and rinse. Once usually works, but you can do it more than once if necessary.
Personally I grab the tank and the water hose. Plug the petcock hole.
Dump in a half gallon of muriatic acid (hcl) and fill to the brim with water. Let it sit there or about 10 min and dump and rinse. Once usually works, but you can do it more than once if necessary.
jacksondee
Active Member
SONIC. said:
Very cool and very simple. Crap man, looking up threads like this online some folks have got like 15 steps..
My neighbor who never works on his own bike, always pays other people to work on it, but then pretends that he knows exactly how all the work is done, told me that if i didn't pay someone to take care of it, I would never be able to fix it myself...
I'll try the muriatic and the hose. I'll do it again next off season if I have too.. Kick ass.
jacksondee
Active Member
Tim said:And run an inline fuel filter - crap in your tank is only a problem when it gets to the engine
I'm an idiot... I always see those on bikes, but always thought to myself, "what the hell could possible get IN the gas tank??"
Only now that I've started taking apart and putting back together my bike and I see rust in the tank, I get what the fuel filter is for...
Thanks Tim. I'm headed to Amazon or eBay to purchase on right now before I fully reassemble the bike for the upcoming season..
jacksondee
Active Member
The guy at the hardware store almost had a heart attack when I told him I was gonna dump a half gallon of muriatic in the gas tank..
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
LandofRath
New Member
I have a couple gallons of Evapo-Rust in my garage. I just dump it in the tank and let it sit. I rotate the tank here and there to get all the edges. Comes out nice and clean. Never had a problem yet.
I use vinegar to get all of the fuel and vapors out, then phosphoric acid for the rust. If dry wall screws made pinholes that easily, then I wonder how bad it was rusty.budlite282 said:
haircuttergirl
Over 1,000 Posts
+1LandofRath said:
I like Evapo-Rust.
jacksondee
Active Member
Anything 'homemade' I can do to plug the petcock hole on the gas tank? I don't feel like making a trip to the hardware store to scrape around and look for some kind of plug to fit in there today..
