jkahrs595 Posted June 10, 2010 Posted June 10, 2010 I like that idea, especially the cheapness factor. I need to find some good instructions on the method, as I don't want to electrocute myself. Thanks again. http://www.altelco.net/~jacil/clay/motorcycle/KElecSetup.html That's a pretty good how-to, please be careful!
johnsnownw Posted June 10, 2010 Author Posted June 10, 2010 So, of what I can see from looking inside the tank, there is a very minute amount of rust. Any rust is bad I assume. I got a quote (over the phone) of $175 to clean and coat the tank. Is it worth the money to have the coat the tank in sealant, or should I have them just clean the rust out, since the tank wasn't originally coated with anything? Cost is the issue at this point. Thanks, Aaron
Paulwhite Posted June 10, 2010 Posted June 10, 2010 So, of what I can see from looking inside the tank, there is a very minute amount of rust. Any rust is bad I assume. I got a quote (over the phone) of $175 to clean and coat the tank. Is it worth the money to have the coat the tank in sealant, or should I have them just clean the rust out, since the tank wasn't originally coated with anything? Cost is the issue at this point. Thanks, Aaron could you get at the rust yourself by putting a rag soaked in fuel on a stick and rub it till its gone? cause you can get a diy inner sealant and do it yourself, or just pay them to re-seal the tank or visa versa. im not sure if you can get away with not sealing it to prevent rust, guess the question is can petrol cause oxidization in the metal? i havent needed to do this myself so i cant give you a definitive answer but im sure someone will point you in the right direction.
Moderator drewpy Posted June 10, 2010 Moderator Posted June 10, 2010 you can de rust your tank using washing soda and a battery charger. Its basically reverse plating.
johnsnownw Posted June 10, 2010 Author Posted June 10, 2010 you can de rust your tank using washing soda and a battery charger. Its basically reverse plating. I like that idea, especially the cheapness factor. I need to find some good instructions on the method, as I don't want to electrocute myself. Thanks again.
johnsnownw Posted June 10, 2010 Author Posted June 10, 2010 http://www.altelco.net/~jacil/clay/motorcycle/KElecSetup.html That's a pretty good how-to, please be careful! Thanks, that's the one I found too.
Moderator drewpy Posted June 10, 2010 Moderator Posted June 10, 2010 couple of tips; use a stainless rod when i used a bucket, the distance from the part raised and lowered the resistance which helped my car battery charger. (it kept overloading and cutting out) what for the bubbles as they can really foam up wear gloves and use in a well ventilated area
johnsnownw Posted June 10, 2010 Author Posted June 10, 2010 couple of tips; use a stainless rod when i used a bucket, the distance from the part raised and lowered the resistance which helped my car battery charger. (it kept overloading and cutting out) what for the bubbles as they can really foam up wear gloves and use in a well ventilated area It's bubbling away now!!!
armyofda12mnkeys Posted June 11, 2010 Posted June 11, 2010 It's bubbling away now!!! Isnt there another to clean old rusty tanks with a bunch of bolts/screws/nails inside a tank and gas (or acetone, i forget) and shake the tank so nails remove the rust?
johnsnownw Posted June 11, 2010 Author Posted June 11, 2010 Isnt there another to clean old rusty tanks with a bunch of bolts/screws/nails inside a tank and gas (or acetone, i forget) and shake the tank so nails remove the rust? Yeah, but that will only get rid of big chunks of rust. Usually, that is the first method for a really rusty tank, but a second method using chemicals or electrolysis is used after--or so I read on the Internets.
DTGordo Posted June 11, 2010 Posted June 11, 2010 I saw a good article in a vintage bike mag that a guy did the electric plating thing and also put nuts in it, wrapped it up really well and put it in a small cement mixer with lots of padding and let the mixer do the work......
Speedshop Posted June 11, 2010 Posted June 11, 2010 Forget the washing soda and electricity. it doesn't work inside a tank. Been there got the tee shirt. I even made special electrodes to go right inside the tank. It only really works 'line of sight'. Any curves or bends mask the effect. Cement mixer and blankets - totally barking bonkers mad - an English man on acid in the mid day sun mad! What you want is deox c from bilt hamber. Commonly used to regulate the ph of swimming pools. Mix with water, fill the tank, leave 24 hours, drain, inspect the shiny metal. Unlike the complicated, downright dangerous electric method the acid actually removes the rust. the washing soda method does not. Fact. Deox C leaves the metal bright and clean, does not effect the paint and no risk of blowing your garage. After i would coat the inside of the tank with an etch primer and leave it at that. Don't what ever you do use a tank sealant like 'pet seal'. you'll find this in your carb once it starts breaking away. Etch primer clings tenaciously to the metal and is thin so doesn't break away but protects the metal under.
johnsnownw Posted June 14, 2010 Author Posted June 14, 2010 Well, the electrolysis worked pretty well. However, after 1 day without using the tank the rust all came back. So, I've decided to use electrolysis again, then seal the tank with POR 15. I'll let you guys know how it works out, should take me about a week to do.
Speedshop Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 Well, the electrolysis worked pretty well. However, after 1 day without using the tank the rust all came back. So, I've decided to use electrolysis again, then seal the tank with POR 15. I'll let you guys know how it works out, should take me about a week to do. Why - this method does not acually remove the rust, just converts it - google it. Also if you cut the tank in half, you'd see it had missed areas - put selant on top of that and it'll be coming off again very fast as the rust lifts it.
johnsnownw Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Why - this method does not acually remove the rust, just converts it - google it. Also if you cut the tank in half, you'd see it had missed areas - put selant on top of that and it'll be coming off again very fast as the rust lifts it. The POR 15 kit also comes with a rust removal liquid, so I'm just going use that as well. Also, from what I understand of electrolysis, the rust is removed from any place that the liquid mixture touches. I can't see why there would be spots that the process misses.
Noah Posted June 17, 2010 Posted June 17, 2010 it's really simple chemistry, rust is the iron in the steel oxydizing, a liquid rust remover may disolve some of the rust but will chemicly change the rust so that oxydation either stops or most likly slows down, with the electrolisis method yes it is more of a line of site so you will me left with untouched parts of the tank but more importantlly all you are doing is plating over the rust not removing it, the rust came back a day after doing it cause the rust was still there and simply ate it's way through the new (very thin) layer of metal, we all know that when you have a rusty fender on the truck and you just spay over it with a rattle can before preping the surface to get rid of as much rust as you can first it just comes back cause all you did was hide it not remove it, which brings us to coating the inside of the tank if you do this and have not professionally cleaned the tank with some really nasty chemicles all your doing is sealing the rust in under a bandaid and it will come back, if your gonna treat a tank on the cheap I suggest just doing a home kit that inhibits rust without a sealer and fill the tank as soon as you can the faster you prevent air from touching the metal the faster you'll stop the rust, this is why you're supposed to top off the tank during the winter so there is as little air as possible and aslittle room for moisture to condense. so inhibate the rust get some fuel in the tank fast then I recomend adding some marvel mystery oil to the fuel, this stuff is great it will soak into the tank metal and help inhibate rust and it will do the same for the whole fuel system aswell as lube any pumps and carbs it passes through, you can get marvel mystery oil at any parts place.
johnsnownw Posted June 22, 2010 Author Posted June 22, 2010 I thank everyone for their input, I had already ordered the POR 15, so that's what I'm using at this very moment. It's quite the pain to use, right now I'm on the first rust removal and tank priming steps. I will put the sealant in tonight, and it will be 4 days until I am allowed to put gas in the tank. I'll update when I'm finished.
armyofda12mnkeys Posted June 22, 2010 Posted June 22, 2010 My friend may need some of this rust remover for inside of his tank... I bought some POR-15 tonight thinking he could use it. Compared it to Kreem/Caswell gas tank sealer. Kreem reviews seem to indicate the sealer seems to flake. and the Caswell got good reviews but i see it overcoats over the rust, which people seem to rave that you dont need the rust remover step. plus it works on fiberglass, which i have ... buttttt bothers me that the rust is still under the coat. So I'll try POR-15 with him on his steel tank ... was reading the instructions for various steps of POR-15 tank kit ... "Pour the mixture into the tank, shake vigorously, and "roll" the tank around to ensure the cleaner gets to all inside surfaces for a minimum of 20 minutes."... When you roll around the tank to coat the walls with various liquids ... won't some make its way out of the gas tank cap (as they have vents, correct?). dont wanna get caustic liquids over me or my garage . EDIT: i guess after reading these: http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/cycle%20tank%20repair%20kit.pdf http://www.mklsportster.com/Articles/mcn-por15.pdf That the hole is plugged with ducttape. guess the petcock is removed and bungs covered ... and not sure but any other special vent holes (think my friends 85 ninja has some vent tube holes in the back. not sure about this but thought id mention). Thanks for the post about POR-15. i learned some stuff tonight about cleaning rusty tanks
johnsnownw Posted June 22, 2010 Author Posted June 22, 2010 It's for the inside of the tank. You have to buy the motorcycle kit, as it comes with instructions and three different chemicals you will need.
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