SuzukiSavage.com - Rusty Tank?

Tiki YaBB Newbies Offline aka HawaiianRey Posts: 18 Seattle, WA Gender:	Rusty Tank? 08/29/15 at 16:55:47 I've got a rusty LS650 tank. I've done the White Vinegar + Sheetrock Screw method (For 3 Days), and I'm not impressed with the results. I don't want to attempt to get the rust out again. Would I be able to efficiently use this gas tank in this same condition, or should I go get myself a replacement? Tiki
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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #1 - 08/29/15 at 17:51:56

I just got done doing this. I used a different method though; I used cider vingar, soaked for a day, then distilled water with baking soda to rinse. There was some rust left over a little lighter than what youve got going on now. I ran my bike for a day and havent encountered any problems (yet). But i also ran a rag on the inside of the tank prior to installing it, to make sure there wasnt a large amount of residue. There was not if any at all. Hope this helps.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #2 - 08/29/15 at 17:52:25 If you're done working, then at least get some Ospho, dilute phosphoric acid, Kelly Moore, a quart lasts me years, around ten bucks. It turns iron oxide into iron phosphate. I'd get some in there and make it splash to and wet thoroughly the entire interior. Liquid, not gel. Read the directions..
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MnSpring

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #3 - 08/29/15 at 18:03:04

Lots of ways to clean the inside of a rusty tank.

If you are done, and have the, ‘big/flakey’, stuff out.

Put on a filter, (a good one), and run it.
The very, very, small stuff, that goes through the, ‘good’, filter,
will just pass through the carb.

Then, change/clean, the filter, as needed.
You keep running it, running gas through,
the cleaning of the filter, will be less and less.

And, Oh, did I mention,
use, ‘Good’ gas. “Non-Oxy” (no ethanol/water)
if you can get it.

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jspace YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 48	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #4 - 08/29/15 at 19:08:33 what would you say is a "good" filter?
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chzeckmate

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #5 - 08/29/15 at 21:18:37

This tank looks like a good candidate for electrolysis. Follow this process and you'll get good results in a couple of days.

1. Cork any holes in the bottom of your tank and then fill your tank with a solution of water and three tablespoons baking soda (Mix well before putting into tank).
2. Get a steel rod (this is your anode) and put it all the way into the tank but don't let it touch the side of the tank. You can put the rod through a piece of styrofoam (or something nonconductive) and bend the rod into the tank and just bungee the piece of styrofoam to the tank to keep the rod from touching any part of the tank.
3. Get an AC/DC converter rated for 10A and strip the plug off the tip of it.
4. Connect Jumper clamps to the stipped plug positive and negative.
5. Connect the negative jumper to the piece of steel and the positive jumper to the tank near the tank bolt holes. You have to have good contact here. Try to connect to bare metal. You'll know it's working because you'll see little bubbles at the mouth of the tank.
6. Unplug and check it twice a day. If the piece of steel is coated with rust then clean it with sand paper before plugging it back in.

That's it. Just keep doing this until your tank is completely rust free. After it's completely dry you can line the tank with Red Kote, Kreem, or whatever. Good as new.

Warning: This process creates hydrogen gas so do it outside.
Warning: Don't use stainless steel as your anode.

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Tiki

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #6 - 08/29/15 at 21:55:27

chzeckmate wrote on 08/29/15 at 21:18:37:

This tank looks like a good candidate for electrolysis. Follow this process and you'll get good results in a couple of days.

1. Cork any holes in the bottom of your tank and then fill your tank with a solution of water and three tablespoons baking soda (Mix well before putting into tank).
2. Get a steel rod (this is your anode) and put it all the way into the tank but don't let it touch the side of the tank. You can put the rod through a piece of styrofoam (or something nonconductive) and bend the rod into the tank and just bungee the piece of styrofoam to the tank to keep the rod from touching any part of the tank.
3. Get an AC/DC converter rated for 10A and strip the plug off the tip of it.
4. Connect Jumper clamps to the stipped plug positive and negative.
5. Connect the negative jumper to the piece of steel and the positive jumper to the tank near the tank bolt holes. You have to have good contact here. Try to connect to bare metal. You'll know it's working because you'll see little bubbles at the mouth of the tank.
6. Unplug and check it twice a day. If the piece of steel is coated with rust then clean it with sand paper before plugging it back in.

That's it. Just keep doing this until your tank is completely rust free. After it's completely dry you can line the tank with Red Kote, Kreem, or whatever. Good as new.

Warning: This process creates hydrogen gas so do it outside.
Warning: Don't use stainless steel as your anode.

Steps 3 & 4 kind of confuse me. I would like to try this though. Do you have a picture of some sort that shows what steps 3 & 4 look like?

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chzeckmate Serious Thumper Offline Be the person your dog thinks you are Posts: 514 Houston, Texas Gender:	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #7 - 08/29/15 at 23:35:16 Get an ac/dc plug like this http://www.all-battery.com/productimages/adaptor/01382-x450.jpg strip the ends like this http://www.librarium-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/NecronMonolite-14.jpg connect jumpers to the stripped ends like this http://www.chargingchargers.com/images-samlex/sec1215-alligator-clip-cable-se...
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Dave

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #8 - 08/30/15 at 04:53:10

I have tried the electrolysis, and it is just impossible to get a big enough piece of iron down the small fuel cap hole to allow good rust removal. You also can't get anything down in the recesses of the tank. I used a large steel rod bent to fit down the filler neck, and it has to be taken out and cleaned often.....as a black coating builds up on it and stops the process.

Here is the method I use....it is doesn't work the only thing you can do is take it to one of the stripping places that immerse the tank in a stripper. It costs money....but it works great and the tank will be spotless when you get it back.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1386849349

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #9 - 08/30/15 at 06:31:25 Awwrite, Dave, if you're gonna keep on doin this, you're gonna hafta mail me a pack of stars for the scoreboard. You're starting to cost me.
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Tiki

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #10 - 08/30/15 at 09:00:37

Dave wrote on 08/30/15 at 04:53:10:

I have tried the electrolysis, and it is just impossible to get a big enough piece of iron down the small fuel cap hole to allow good rust removal. You also can't get anything down in the recesses of the tank. I used a large steel rod bent to fit down the filler neck, and it has to be taken out and cleaned often.....as a black coating builds up on it and stops the process.

Here is the method I use....it is doesn't work the only thing you can do is take it to one of the stripping places that immerse the tank in a stripper. It costs money....but it works great and the tank will be spotless when you get it back.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1386849349

Thanks Dave, I'll give this method a shot if electrolysis doesn't work well for me.

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MnSpring Serious Thumper Offline Younger than most people my age. Posts: 9348 Minn Gender:	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #11 - 08/30/15 at 09:39:44 jspace wrote on 08/29/15 at 19:08:33: what would you say is a "good" filter? A very good discussion is on: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1211846392/0 Read it all, (It's good for ya)
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Tiki

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Re: Rusty Tank?
Reply #12 - 08/30/15 at 12:34:43

MnSpring wrote on 08/30/15 at 09:39:44:

jspace wrote on 08/29/15 at 19:08:33:

what would you say is a "good" filter?

A very good discussion is on:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1211846392/0

Read it all, (It's good for ya)

Really good info there. Thanks a bunch for the link. I'm attempting the electrolysis method today after work.

I've also made the decision of purchasing a Harley sportster gas tank and custom fabricating some mounts for it. I'm planning on using that external filter method with the Harley petcock.

I will still be getting the rust out of my LS650 gas tank with the methods listed just so I have experience in dealing with this kind of trouble in the future, as well as giving a reference point to anyone else roaming forums to find a solution.

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chzeckmate Serious Thumper Offline Be the person your dog thinks you are Posts: 514 Houston, Texas Gender:	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #13 - 08/30/15 at 21:07:29 That's a nice lookin' tank there. Please post pics and report back on the electrolysis.
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Tiki YaBB Newbies Offline aka HawaiianRey Posts: 18 Seattle, WA Gender:	Re: Rusty Tank? Reply #14 - 08/31/15 at 09:00:19 chzeckmate wrote on 08/30/15 at 21:07:29: That's a nice lookin' tank there. Please post pics and report back on the electrolysis. Thanks! I set up the tank for the electrolysis process before I went to bed, woke up and didn't have time before work to check on it. I'll be checking on it and taking pictures once I'm off work once again.
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