Petrol tank rust removal

ngiles

ngiles

Senior member
Location
Sydney, Australia
Hi there - the Flying Kangaroo (1200TS) has some rust in the petrol tank so I'm looking for any recommendations for cleaning it out. Seems there are various options - vinegar seems to be one; there is a product from a company called KBS - I'd welcome any successful method anyone has used. Also is it recommended to then add a tank sealant? Cheers, Nick

1200 Tank.jpg
 
I used electrolysis one of my SF tank that sat empty for too long with significant powdery surface rust, after much online searching and advice from others. Dilute sodium hydroxide (used as a home brewer cleaning agent) as the electrolyte, a small power source, and left it over night. A frothy sludge came to the top and then I rinsed out heaps of loose rust with water. Used dilute citric acid to wash it again as was advised. Then I used dilute phosphoric acid for final treatment. There was no sign of any loose rust on the metal, just a very dark surface. It has not had any sign of rust since, done a few years ago.
 

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I think Cam came up with a cheaper solution than Evaporust.

My Rusty Tank Treament Journey

Bought a used bike recently. Owner rode the thing intermittently. Immaculate from the outside. Checked (almost!) all the obvious things and handed over the cash. First fill up and surprise! Well poop :poop: I wanted to document my rust treatment journey to help others in future. Took it on...
netrider.net.au netrider.net.au
 
I had mine chemically cleaned at a professional metal treatment business, but then I needed to reapint it anyway. Glad I went this route as it showed up large areas of thin metal and pinholes. If you want to save the paint and are sure the tank retains it's full thickness then Deox-C or citric acid would be my choice. Have used it to clean a pile of stuff and works really well..
 
I've had complete success with this KBS product on a 3CL tank that sat for 20 years with rust inside the tank.
After silver soldering the rusted through holes used the KBS and never had a problem.

www.kbs-coatings.com.au

Motorcycle Fuel Tank Sealer Kit - KBS Coatings

THE GENUINE KBS FUEL TANK SEALER KIT! A great 3-Step cost savings kit designed to repair fuel tanks of motorcycles, generators, lawn mowers, tractors, or other small tanks. Detailed instructions included. Satisfaction guaranteed! Regular Kit (20L Tank) - $122.50 Large Kit (45L Tank) - $132.50
www.kbs-coatings.com.au www.kbs-coatings.com.au
 
Tank sealers and resins are another question all together treated in depth and to death before.
The question was, how to deal with rust in a tank.

Paul
 
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I am done with any kind of internal tank sealer, might get you out of trouble for two years or so, but its aggro big time, when you come to welding and repairing the tank properly, which should be done in the first place, not the second place, if in trouble when away from home, take a day off, then use some chemical metal on the outside of the drained tank, I did that and got another two years, easy to get off, when cutting patches into the tank, at a later date.
CLEM
 
Vince said:
I think Cam came up with a cheaper solution than Evaporust.

My Rusty Tank Treament Journey

Bought a used bike recently. Owner rode the thing intermittently. Immaculate from the outside. Checked (almost!) all the obvious things and handed over the cash. First fill up and surprise! Well poop :poop: I wanted to document my rust treatment journey to help others in future. Took it on...
netrider.net.au netrider.net.au
Click to expand...
My go-to method is soaking in citric acid. Costs bugger-all, is not hazardous to use and is environmentally benign.
 
My go to is Oxalic acid ,brought in powder form and mixed with water ,sloshed around and left to do its job its safe to paintwork too 👍
Tried the vinegar route,wasn’t impressed and left the garage smelling like a fish shop for weeks! 😂
 
CLEMTOG said:
I am done with any kind of internal tank sealer, might get you out of trouble for two years or so, but its aggro big time, when you come to welding and repairing the tank properly, which should be done in the first place, not the second place, if in trouble when away from home, take a day off, then use some chemical metal on the outside of the drained tank, I did that and got another two years, easy to get off, when cutting patches into the tank, at a later date.
CLEM
Click to expand...
My tank would have had so many patches welded in I may as well have started from scratch and just tried to build a new one. :(
 
Molasses, worked every time. Tank full, diluted as heavy does not describe the 19L of Molasses, that dense you could probably do some external panel beating while it actions the surface rust. Post treatment phosphoric acid wash, bulk quantity for both local country co-op in horse area. HTH, j ( picked up the lucky door prize at a gig i did....covid.... taking a while to attain old new self...wince. )
 
Thanks for all the insight - think I'll start with citric acid as its cheap and seems relatively simple, and work up from there if needed to more complex/expensive options
 
iis_iis said:
Molasses, worked every time. Tank full, diluted as heavy does not describe the 19L of Molasses, that dense you could probably do some external panel beating while it actions the surface rust. Post treatment phosphoric acid wash, bulk quantity for both local country co-op in horse area. HTH, j ( picked up the lucky door prize at a gig i did....covid.... taking a while to attain old new self...wince. )
Click to expand...
Yep, agree with the molasses. Just not from a supermarket, that stuff has the goodness taken from it to make it fit for human consumption
 
Tah Marty, not long for this world, cough cough, last reach for the starter button on the Jota... what more could a dying Laverda Tragic do... final breath... last sound you will ever hear....bang bang bang miss...bang bang bang miss..... fading away...grin j.
 
My mother would feed us Syrup like Malt as kids to beef us up, hard to believe but I was a fussy eater and skinny as hell. That Malt was the most DISGUSTING shit I have ever tasted, the thought of it still makes me gage.
 
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