Tank restore

[Jrocksampsonite]

How can I restore the inside of my tank. It's  really really really bad in there. The devil lurks. SOS..

[Jack]

http://www.kreem.com/fueltankliner.html 

I used this on my tank.  Works very well.  If I remember correctly cost me about $45. Follow the instructions, and be patient while cleaning out the tank.  It should take the better part of a day, and a bunch of beers.  Good luck.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Personally I would never Kreem a tank, too many horror stories of it breaking loose and plugging up the carbs, then having to use MEK to remove it. Probably due to inadiquate prep but still, I'm not the only one, here is a article from Randakks.
http://www.randakksblog.com/fuel-tank-service-dont-get-kreemed/

That said, there as several tried and proven ways to clean the rust from an old tank ranging from acids to toilet cleaners to vinagar, even feed grade molasis!

[Jack]

Personally speaking, it seemed like a good option when I did my tank. I had read about some of the issues, so I installed an in line fuel filter to combat the problem in case the lining ever did start to come apart. I have had it done for two years, and so far so good. However I am a noob at motorcycle restoration. I just wanted to try and be helpful and offer some advise.

[Matt Story]

I have also heard and witnessed horror stories about Kream.  If I wanted to go that route, I think the Caswell process or the Eastwood process would be a better bet.  Better still I think is to strip it back to clean bare metal.  I have done them 2 ways so far that have worked very well.

The best way I have found so far involves a clothes dryer, a hand full of 1" drywall screws, maybe 8oz of phosphoric acid (not very dangerous and available form Home Depot pretty cheap), and enough old bedding, pillows, towels, seat foam whatever to fully stuff the inside of the dryer full.  This can scrub a near cancerous tank to bare metal.

Remove and plug the petcock.  Place the screws and acid in the tank.  Remove filler cap and plug the hole.  Wrap the tank in old towels or something.  Pack the tank and rest of the bedding into the dryer.  Keep the tank in the center by packing all around it.  Pack it tight enough that the whole chamber is stuffed.  Nothing should be able to move around.  Turn the dryer on and run it for a long time.  Heat is not necessary and may be a fire hazard (don't know), so disable the heat source in the dryer.  Maybe an hour depending on how bad the rust is.  Maybe longer.  Unpack the dryer.  Turn the tank 90 degrees so the screws work a different surface from a different angle.  Repack and run the dryer again.  Run the cycle maybe 4 times with the tank in different positions.  If the tank is real bad, you might want to rinse it out and change the acid and run again.  When your done, you need to rinse the tank well with fresh water, drain it, and immediately fog it or coat the inside with a film of phosphoric acid or some other rust preventative.  If you don't coat the surface immediately with a rust inhibitor or put into immediate use with a coating of gasoline the tank will flash rust in minutes and you'll have to do the process again.

The electrolytic process works too.  Takes more time and probably more suitable to less rusty tanks.  Here's a link to the process I followed http://thekneeslider.com/how-to-get-rid-of-rust-in-motorcycle-gas-tanks/

A third method I have heard gives good results is to fill the tank with feed grade molasses and let the tank sit for a week or more.  Molasses is slightly acidic and will eat the rust away over time.  I think it is pretty cheap at a local feed store or grain elevator.  Might take a week or a month depending on how bad your tank is, but I have heard it works well.

Matt

[Hoosier Daddy]

Jack wrote

Personally speaking, it seemed like a good option when I did my tank. I had read about some of the issues, so I installed an in line fuel filter to combat the problem in case the lining ever did start to come apart. I have had it done for two years, and so far so good. However I am a noob at motorcycle restoration. I just wanted to try and be helpful and offer some advise.

No harm Jack, That is what it's all about. I'm sure Kreem has helpped thousands of people... Seldom is there only one way to do anything. What works for one may not work for another and vice-versa. Keep the input coming!

[Jrocksampsonite]

I did plan on going with Eastwood. I need to remove a bunch of rust first.

[Jrocksampsonite]

Rusty. Very rusty. This tank should be junked. But. I have time. Lots of time.to try to repair. I was thinking murattic acid. To really speed up some of the heavy rust. Than wash out and clean clean clean with some mek to prep for the tank sealer

[Matt Story]

Muratic is pretty harsh.  In a little time, you might have leaks to deal with along with rust.  If you have lots of time, why not try something a bit milder first.  I did alot of searching before doing my first take.  I didn't see where anyone was recommending muratic acid for derusting tanks.

You would definitely want to cut the muratic acid before using it.  I used it to deplate some hardware at 1/3 or 1/5 strength.  Left the parts in over night.  They were 3/8 bolts or something.  By morning the plating was gone and so was alot of the parts.  So much that they were useless.  Also the structure of the remaining metal was ruined.  Don't forget to mix the acid in the right order.  You're supposed to always add the acid or the base to the other in the right order.  Do it backwards and you may get a violent reaction.

With lots of time, why not try the molasses?  It might cost $10-15 and take a few weeks

[Lucky 1]

I have used Kreem on three tanks.
On the third tank it did not work. There was something wrong with the product.
Maybe it sat on the shelf too long.

So I tried Caswell's and it was much better.
I used white colorant in it which I bought at  TAP plastics.It was the premixed white colorant.
Caswell's approved that.

I got great results. Better than Kreem. Better tech support too. much better.

Mix the entire kit not just half.

[TOOLS1]

I clean tanks with a 50/50 mix of muratic acid, and water. It only takes a few minutes. Be sure to rinse the tank out with clean water. Also be sure not to inhale any of the fumes!!!!!! As for lining the tank. I DO NOT recommend it. Sometimes it works, but when it fails, IT FAILS! Then it causes more problems. If the tank is that bad that it needs lined to hold gas; fix it by welding, or use JB Weld. If that will not fix it, throw the tank away, and get another one.  
TOOLS

[lostson]

There is a shop near me that will redo a tank for 150-200 dollars, good guys and they do good work and well worth the money. Personally if you can find a shop that does it for a reasonable price I would go that route.

[LukeM]

The inside of my Shadow's tank was lined, but one of the previous owners didn't de-rust the tank first (or didn't do it well enough).  The liner material flaked off, and got into the reserve tank and the fuel lines.  Rather than try and clean it out, I found a NOS tank on EBay for about a hundo, liked it, and put the botched one on EBay.  Got about $50, even the seller knew it was in bad condition on the inside.  He said he had a way to get it back to original.  More power to him.  So, net cost to replace my tank: $50.

Luke M