Rusty Tanks

ClassicBiker

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I've used distilled white vinegar and hot water followed by hot water and coke/mountain dew. The majority of soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which you can buy at most automotive paint suppliers to remove surface rust of body panels prior to priming. Where as the straight phosphoric acid might mess up the paint on a tank, vinegar or soft drinks won't.
I want to try electrolytic derusting using washing soda. https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm
On an episode of "Cafe Racer" I've watched as they poured the solution into the gas tank, hook up the battery charger and leave it for a couple of days. The results looked promising.
Steven
 

Vincent Brake

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and now for preventing it happening again, i use with succes a coating in my C for over 9 years now.
but overwinter, fill up with BP super-stuff
 

macvette

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I've used distilled white vinegar and hot water followed by hot water and coke/mountain dew. The majority of soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which you can buy at most automotive paint suppliers to remove surface rust of body panels prior to priming. Where as the straight phosphoric acid might mess up the paint on a tank, vinegar or soft drinks won't.
I want to try electrolytic derusting using washing soda. https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm
On an episode of "Cafe Racer" I've watched as they poured the solution into the gas tank, hook up the battery charger and leave it for a couple of days. The results looked promising.
Steven
I've done this on 3 of my tanks. It has the advantage of not removing metal or affecting the paint and leaves a good very clean surface. It's slow but very safe. It also reaches every part of the tank (unlike acid solutions which can form pinholes)
When I first tried it using a battery charger, nothing happened. I think my battery charger has some electronics which protects it if its not seeing a connected voltage. I got over this by hooking up a 12v battery to the tank and then the charger to the battery.
Regards Mac
 

ClassicBiker

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I had wondered how my charger or battery maintainer would do the job as it won't light a bulb because of that electronic protection circuit stuff. I had considered using a battery instead. Then realized I could use the battery to do the job and the charger to maintain the battery. I also thought about putting a light in circuit as a tell tale to make sure the electrons weren't slacking off. I'm okay with slow and safe.
 
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Albervin

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Before you even start to de-rust you need to remove the crap/crud from fuel residue. Marine Clean or other water based anionic cleaners are good. What you want is a good surface for the rust and acid to interact. Whether you are "dissolving" the rust or forming a phosphate you need to remove the fuel residue that acts as a micro varnish over the rust.
 

Jim Bush

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VOC Member
Metal Rescue has worked really well - done about 5 tanks with mild to minor rust. Only issue you need to fill the tank completely - I used 4 gallons, but being reusable it can be spread over any number of tanks or even your other rusty parts.

 

Roslyn

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Non-VOC Member
and now for preventing it happening again, i use with succes a coating in my C for over 9 years now.
but overwinter, fill up with BP super-stuff
I put some paraffin or two stoke oil in the fuel if laying the bikes up for a long time help a little and when do start the bike it does smoke for a while after
 
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