Rusty Tank

[Onemilewest]

Well, I took the plunge. I bought a 1965 CA77. I am wide eyed and full of questions. The bike has been in climate controlled storage for 16 years, so it is in great shape. The one thing that I forgot to check was the gas tank. You guessed it…. 16 year old gas and the rust to match. I drained it to find that it is only surface and has not eaten through. My question: I need to know the process for cleaning this up and protecting it from coming back to haunt me. I am completely stripping the bike clean, so paint removal is not a problem. A friend of mine suggested taking it to a radiator shop. Any advice?

I am new to the resto-world, so any advice on my project would be appreciated.

[Hahnda]

Radiator shop can take care of it for you and possibly coat the inside. I do it myself using phosphoric acid I buy at the local farm store. Its actually called milkstone remover and costs about $6 a gallon. I mix it 50/50 with water and let it sit in the tank, and slosh it around every once in a while. Take care that no aluminum such as the petcock ever come near the stuff. It will eat it right up.

Kevin

[Onemilewest]

Will this also protect the tank from future rust, or should I buy another product?

[joeweir1]

I used the POR-15 gas tank liner kit on mine.You can buy a complete kit to strip, clean and line your tank.I actually did two Dream tanks with the kit.That was two years ago and it still looks great inside and I have a spare tank if anything happens to mine.Joe

[Onemilewest]

Thanks for the help guys. One down about a hundred more to go.....

[deaddog]

This is how I remove rust from tanks.

Supplies: 10amp battery charger, Bolt (zinc or steel), 3ft. 10 gauge wire, water, Sodium Carbonate (Pool/Spa chemical PH+).

Mix 1/4 cup sodium carbonate for every 2 gallons water. Fill tank all the way full. Strip both ends of 10 gauge wire and twist one end on bolt. Attach other end of wire to pos. lead of batt. charger. Place bolt in tank suspended by wire. Clamp Ground lead to good ground on fuel tank. Plug in charger. It will bubble and start to have a crud foam form. Every couple of hours, remove bolt and rinse crud away, also pour more solution in tank to wash top crud out. Do this until no more crud foam appears (one to two days). Drain and rinse tank. Blow dry and put handful of 1/4 nuts in tank and shake (will Knock black oxide off). Blow out with comperssed air and you are good to go.

This process only eats rust not steel. It converts rust to black oxide. The surface left behind is rust resistent, and does not need coating (unless there is a leak). Acids will leave a surface that will rust quickly. Try it, it worked great for me.

[Onemilewest]

Thanks, I am going to do this just for the entertainment value........