|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> reconditioning old gas tanks /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1223571733 Message started by seviersavage on 10/09/08 at 10:02:12 |
|
Title: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by seviersavage on 10/09/08 at 10:02:12 I'm dreaming of swaping out my tank for at least a 3.6 gallon used older tank. My budget can only afford used and mostly I'm finding dented tanks to work with. I'm good with the body work painting aspect but what about surface rust inside. How do I treat it to return the tank to service? Thanks for offering up hope, Seviersavage |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by steely on 10/09/08 at 15:41:05 The inside of the tank can be cleaned and coated using a product made for gas tanks from POR15. There are other products out there, but POR15 is the only one that I have never heard any complaints about. They sell a kit that comes with an acid solution to wash the tank out with first, then coat according to the directions. Please remove the petcock first unless you don't plan on ever using that one again. My gas tank on my '58 Chevy was in pretty bad shape inside when I got it. I took the tank off, dumped some MEK (Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone) in it and a three foot length of logging chain, then shook the piss out of it. It cleaned it up enough that I am able to use it without coating the tank. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by rigidchop on 10/09/08 at 16:28:26 +1 on the POR15 |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by EssForty on 10/09/08 at 16:30:09 I've got a 5 gal dented Harley tank on the way that I'll have to recondition & paint so I've been doing some research. I've heard good reports about this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/CYCLE-TANK-SEALER-KBS-Coatings/dp/B000IBDIX2 and another product called Kreem http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-use-the-KREEM-Gas-Tank-Sealer-Kit_W0QQugidZ10000000001059206?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:2 |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by mikestrikes on 10/09/08 at 17:18:17 Yes the KREEM kit works great. But me being a cheap azz I just put in a few cups of Kerosene or Diesel and a pack of BB's and shake the hell out of it, pour out and repeat if its really bad. Then use a good filter to catch any left overs. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by EssForty on 10/09/08 at 17:23:03 The bargain basement solution is pea gravel and muriatic acid. But then you have to neutralize it. Good point about the filter! Would be critical to install an inline fuel filter after all the work is done to save the petcock and carb jets. Nomatter how clean you get it you'll still have little floaters for a few tanks at least, even with the coating products. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by seviersavage on 10/09/08 at 17:58:22 O.K. I've already used por15 on parts of a truck builup so I trust their products, and thanks for the links to others. Depending on the severity of the tank I could go the bb way :) Thanks for the help Seviersavage |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by Paladin. on 10/09/08 at 18:05:57 I got my ninety-nine cent tank cut in half, horizonally. It is an older tank, had been dented and bondo'ed, and redented, and had some sort of tank sealant sloshed around inside. It is FUGLY inside. I'm going to clean it with the sand blaster! Then put it back together two or three inches taller. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by photojoe on 10/09/08 at 18:48:42 My dented 2006 S40 tank arrived yesterday. The dent looks smaller, and not as deep in person. Inside looks fine also, but I'll still clean it up. Just for the heck of it, I'm going to try one of the suggestions on the site EssForty posted on the other thread to try and pull it out. Fire and ice are good. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by Jay on 10/09/08 at 21:18:04 I used por15 on an old Honda Shadow. Works great. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/09/08 at 21:21:39 Ospho is about $12.00 for a quart at Kelly-Moore. I keep one around, bout time for a new one, last one is over 3 years old. Phosphoric Acid turns Iron Oxide into Iron Phosphate, Check it out. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by seviersavage on 10/10/08 at 07:49:49 Paladin, When you put the tank back together are you welding it? Do you think some of the newer body panel epoxies would hold up to gas? Is that a lap weld or but weld? I have a mig and replaced about nine panels in my old 79 ford but I'm not sure my welding would be up to a gas tank fix. But its an intruiging possibility, custom upsize a stock tank. Dang, another choice in the mix :P Seviersavage |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by Tincanman on 10/10/08 at 11:30:12 had my bike a few months and went to a bike rodeo with guys from work that all ride HD's. after that we were heading home when one of them kicked someting up off the road and it hit my left thumb which hurt like hell. a few miles up the road we stopped to FIX his HD <--- (imagine that :o ;D) and I saw a golf ball sized dent in my tank, man I was PO'ed but got over it so now im goin to split the tank take out the dash/dent and make it bigger then seal it and get a Dakota Digital on the bars. I have seen POR15 used seams to work well. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by Paladin. on 10/10/08 at 16:05:10 5754414A474156534D48484D454957240 wrote:
I was thinking of flanging and soldering, or maybe brazing. Then, just in case I leave a small unsealed spot, a inside coat of a gas tank sealer (saw such on the web, will have to hunt for it again) that claimed to seal holes much larger than any I'd leave. By modifying a stock tank I get to keep stock mounting and (rather important to me) the narrowness of the stock tank. I don't think a two inch taller tank would be really noticeable unless you were near a stock Savage. Two inches, plus losing the speedometer hole, should gain me 1 to 1.5 gallons, three inches should be 1.5 to 2 gallons increase. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/10/08 at 16:07:51 I have a flanging & hole punching tool if you need it. Pay the freight tp you & ship it home, its yours for the project. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by photojoe on 10/10/08 at 16:55:42 While we're on this topic, anyone have any suggestions for the best way of getting the paint off a tank without a sandblaster? |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by srinath on 10/10/08 at 17:18:52 Done ospho and POR15 ... dont like both entirely but for different reasons. Here is some examples of my handiwork. http://picasaweb.google.com/srinath.the.man/SmithvilleFlatsTank# OK I am yet to take pics of it with ospho in it. But ... ospho will leave a lot of ashy powder in it and scaled up phosphate everywhere. Chain may not get it off. POR 15 is so particular about the surface being totally dry and rust free. The answer ... OK depends on the tank ... I prefer POR15 after muriatic acid on a tank I will have to powdercoat. I prefer Muriatic acid and Kreem if its been powdercoated already. I will do ospho only if the tank has no corners or crannies, not a savage tank ... virago 1100 tank yea. ospho and POR15. Cool. Srinath. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by YonuhAdisi on 10/10/08 at 22:57:57 425A5D465D585D320 wrote:
Sanding attachment for a drill. Works really well. Or a palm sander. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by EssForty on 10/11/08 at 02:38:10 You can take the chemical approach and use aircraft stripper, or some of the other heavy duty commercial paint strippers. After several hours it should come off with scrapers and scotchbrite. Be cautious of the container you use with chemicals. Lots of these strippers will also eat thru plastics. A large metal container is best. Also, do it in a good well ventilated spot away from heat sources. You should be able to find a local shop that will sandblast one for you for $20. By the time you're done buying chemicals, scotchbrite, sander attachments, etc you could spend more than that. |
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by Paladin. on 10/11/08 at 07:17:59 4042574C4C4D504A50230 wrote:
|
|
Title: Re: reconditioning old gas tanks Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/11/08 at 09:59:23 Paladin, check yer PMs Man.. |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |