Rust in the Gas Tank

[trapper]

I think I mentioned in my other post that the V65 I just adopted had obviously been sitting for at LEAST a year and has surface rust in the tank.  From the look and feel of it, I suspect there may be some pitting as well.  I have read several articles in the last couple of days about rust removal,  Do any of you have first hand experience and advice on how I should proceed to get this tank cleaned up?  The various chemical applications I've read about have me concerned    about possibly damaging the outside finish if spilled or leaked on it, not to mention disposal issues and PPE requirements.

Any thoughts, comments or advise is greatly appreciated

[drkngas]

I've tried Creme and another similar product with some success.  I recently had a Honda Rebel tank totally restored from Don Hart.  It is totally impressive.  They can totally restore it  or they can steam and coat it.  It is a polyurethane coating with a 5 year warranty.

http://www.donhart.com/

[drkngas]

LOLOL  I must be impressed, I used the word totally a total of 3 times!  

[trapper]

That is totally awesome.  I'll check it out..!

Thanks

[silveradocowboy]

Got this tip from Kirby on the SMOT list....
Phosphoric Acid....commonly called Milkstone Remover...That brand is commonly used in the Dairy business. When ya start on the gas tank....fill it with what ever your gona use and put a hand full of nuts and bolts....ball bearings ...even some smallish rocks and shake the gas tank around..the nuts will knock off the big and loose stuff....and expose the rust close to the metal of the tank to the acid.  The phosphoric acid will set up a coating on the inside of the tank that resists rust..

[Magnum Magna]

A friend that just picked up a Magna has rust in his tank.  He was telling me something similar but hooking it up with a paint shaker.  I said that would be a trick.  If you need to shake it for a long time I suggested putting it in the clothes dryer packing it so it would not tumble around. Put it in a direction the tank would rotate long way allowing the nuts and bolts would go from end to end .  I would add I would do this when the spouse is not home.    

[trapper]

Jeff,

I'm guessing that I need to seal off the openings of the tank pretty tightly??  I probably don't want to get phosphoric acid on the outside of the tank if I hope to preserve the paint??

Robert,

Thanks for the excellent tip, but Tina says I CAN'T use the clothes dryer because even if she's gone, she'll find out about it.    Any other ideas...

[dc112675]

Do you have a trampoline and some kids?

[Charles S Otwell]

I don't think gas fumes and clothes dryers go well together  

[rjb/AKA Bob Barram]

Man oh man, this stuff is better than the comics!!!!!!!!LOL!!!!

[silveradocowboy]

Jeff,

I'm guessing that I need to seal off the openings of the tank pretty tightly??  I probably don't want to get phosphoric acid on the outside of the tank if I hope to preserve the paint??

I have a V45 Sabre tank that needs cleaning is the reason I asked him about it. I haven't tried it yet but I'm pretty sure you don't want it on the paint. Kirby has been around bikes a long time and when he talks MC's I listen, he has forgot more about MC's than what I'll ever learn. Send me you email and I'll give it to Kirby so the two of you can talk directly about it or check out the SMOT site for it.

[Magnum Magna]

I agree. I had suggested to my friend to put it in a big trash bag to prevent gas fumes going in his GAS clothes dryer.  But last night he has read a different way to brake the chemical bond of the rust and the metal tank.  Fill the tank with distilled water use a battery charger has a power supply put the black cable to the tank and the red wire to the water.  That will brake the bond of the rust and the tank.  The rust will still need to be removes by some abrasion action as the bolt in the tank to remove the rust.  When washing a car hitting it with water from the hose does little good you need to wipe the dirt away.  With the electrolysis the rust is just wiped away like dirt on the car.

[trapper]

Verrrry interesting, Robert.  I need to research that the electrolysis idea.  I want to be very careful lest I end up with a new type of hairdo....

[Greg Cothern]

John I just seen on Ebay a NIB OEM V65 tank..

[drkngas]

Last time I did the DIY liner a friend suggested putting all the nuts on a string before shaking them around the tank.  I used jetline.  It sure makes nut removal easy.