RGA Petrol Tank

R

RGS1000RGS

Senior member
Location
Dorset, GB
I had a slightly disappointing conversation yesterday with the chap doing my RGA Sprint paintwork, who had advised me a couple of weeks ago that he'd found some pinholes after the tank was stripped. Yesterday he advised me that the tank had been passed the tank onto his metal specialist and that he'd found, with his boroscope, that the tank lined had been lined at some point, and that lining was detaching due to more heavy corrosion and there were more holes. All in all, the tank appears to be recoverable, but my questions is: Are there any RGA tanks out there in the Laverda universe, and what would the asking price?
 
Ahh that’s a shame, not what you’d like to hear.
The best way to repair it is to cut out the bottom and work from there, but take really good measurements first because there’s precious little clearance around the carbs 👍
 
Andy said:
Ahh that’s a shame, not what you’d like to hear.
The best way to repair it is to cut out the bottom and work from there, but take really good measurements first because there’s precious little clearance around the carbs 👍
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That's the plan, and hopefully the metal guy will resolve the issues with the tank. The repairs, and the tank, will be pressure tested and fingers crossed, won't need another liner installed.
 
RGS1000RGS said:
It's all down to the preparation, but also that the tank liners from years ago which were used to fix pinholes weren't up to ethanol addition to petrol.
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Ethanol?
Maybe it was lead free that they didn't cope with.
Ethanol seems to be the latest scare in some countries.
Not worth a mention in others.
Paul
 
IMPO there is not an easy fix liner on the planet that is any good, some dont even work, others for two or three years maybe. I got out of trouble in Spain a few years ago with chemical metal applied on the outside, it held for about two years, then tell tale stains, followed by drips, but when away, you have to solve the problem, however works best at that time, which I did, I carry it with me allways, the chemical metal that is, never know what it might bodge for a few thousand K's, on your own or someone elsees bike.

CLEM
 
Paul Marx said:
Ethanol?
Maybe it was lead free that they didn't cope with.
Ethanol seems to be the latest scare in some countries.
Not worth a mention in others.
Paul
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The issue with ethanol is that it is hygroscopic and that leads to internal rusting. Observing how quickly a litre of e10 fuel in a jug becomes cloudy is quite disturbing.
 
RGS1000RGS said:
The issue with ethanol is that it is hygroscopic and that leads to internal rusting. Observing how quickly a litre of e10 fuel in a jug becomes cloudy is quite disturbing.
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Phosphate the inside of the tank, that way you can take dents out without taking the liner out.
Your choice.
Mine is made. My tanks don't rust and like most of us, I use E5 and E10, no additives or particular precautions.
Paul
 
Paul Marx said:
Phosphate the inside of the tank, that way you can take dents out without taking the liner out.
Your choice.
Mine is made. My tanks don't rust and like most of us, I use E5 and E10, no additives or particular precautions.
Paul
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My Gpz900r tank was cleaned by electrolysis and then rinsed with phosphoric acid to chemically seal the clean steel, so I have previous experience. The RGA Sprint tank has been stripped, no dents found, only pinholes, and requires welding. The plan is to cut the bottom out, blast the interior, then repair, refit the tank bottom, and then pressure test. When the tank has passed testing, I can rinse the tank with phosphoric acid to seal it.
 
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RGS1000RGS said:
My Gpz900r tank was cleaned by electrolysis and then sealed with phosphoric acisbto chemically seal the clean steel, so I have previous experience. The RGA Sprint tank has been stripped, no dents found, only pinholes, and requires welding. The plan is to cut the bottom out, blast the interior, then repair, refit the tank bottom, and then pressure test. When the tank has passed testing, I can rinse the tank with phosphoric acid to seal it.
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Exactly.
Paul
 
Phosphoric acid to seal a petrol tank? Could you please clarify?
I don't recall anyone mentioning this before now, and there have been several discussions on this Forum regarding sealers/liners. How does it work?, Surely it cannot seal holes in the metal; perhaps sealant is not the correct term?
 
78jotadave said:
Phosphoric acid to seal a petrol tank? Could you please clarify?
I don't recall anyone mentioning this before now, and there have been several discussions on this Forum regarding sealers/liners. How does it work?, Surely it cannot seal holes in the metal; perhaps sealant is not the correct term?
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Seal it from future rust, is how I read it…. not to deal pinholes
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Yeah ... what does it do to the metal? Leave a thin oxide coating maybe?
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Cam gave a very nice explanation a while back, chemistry and stuff, very interesting. Works by changing the rust into a reasonably durable coating which can then be painted over. Panelbeaters use it a lot. I’ve used it for a few different things over the years with inconsistent results, seems to depend on how much rust you leave behind, but it’s great to fix the rust you can’t reach or clean up properly before painting.
 
Andy said:
Cam gave a very nice explanation a while back, chemistry and stuff, very interesting. Works by changing the rust into a reasonably durable coating which can then be painted over. Panelbeaters use it a lot. I’ve used it for a few different things over the years with inconsistent results, seems to depend on how much rust you leave behind, but it’s great to fix the rust you can’t reach or clean up properly before painting.
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Is that what “rust converter’ is made from?
 
Apparently, it is a bit inconsistent. I painted my Rusty shed roof with it; it's supposed to turn the rust black and seal and stabilise it. It did, but a couple of years later, it needs doing again as it's slowly getting a red rusty tinge. No idea how it copes with being flushed with petrol constantly.
 
78jotadave said:
Phosphoric acid to seal a petrol tank? Could you please clarify?
I don't recall anyone mentioning this before now, and there have been several discussions on this Forum regarding sealers/liners. How does it work?, Surely it cannot seal holes in the metal; perhaps sealant is not the correct term?
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Phosphating protects steel from rust. It's been mentioned often on this forum.
The only way to deal with pinholes is to replace the panel.
Paul
 
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