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Best way to treat and seal a tank

musiclucho

Zombie
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Location
Delano
Moto(s)
Honda CBR900RR
Honda Nighthawk
Name
Gabriel
Some time ago I de-rusted the tank on a Suzuki GS500 with toilet cleaner for a couple of days. I added bolts to loose the rust and shake it from time to time. When I was happy with it, I cleaned it with high pressure washer, dry it with a heat gun and on my back yard at the day it was over 100F outside.

I could not see more rust inside so I applied some oil and weeks later used it with gasoline. Bike was running flawlessly. I put a fuel filter just in case. I started using the bike and after some weeks I noticed it was starting to run poor at the point that I had to pull all the throttle out and it was barely making to 50mpg.

Came back home, took tank, carbs and petcock apart. Petcock rebuild ordered because it needs it but carb bowl have this brown gunk thing at the bottom. I contains rust because I can attract it with a magnet.

Emptied the tank and bottom seems ok but top of it is all rusted. I suspect cold mornings with my bike outside my work place and all dew that attacks it, created that problem. I checked a video in YouTube from motorcycle MD and he said once you apply some acid to the tank, it becomes a high maintenance tank which means you have to keep it full of gas, maybe with some two stroke oil or it will eventually rust.

It is a 89 model tank so I would like to keep it. Haven’t apply coat and I want to do it right. I was thinking muriatic acid to clean rust and etch metal, then sodium bicarbonate to stop the acid, then dry and seal but I am doubtful because for example POR15 has a kit to be applied in steps. What you think?
 
WARNING

I witnessed first hand the damage muriatic acid can do to your beloved
engine... a customer dropped off a one year old liter Sportbike for
trouble shooting because it failed to start... I found no compression
in all 4 cylinders... I suspected a broken cam chain but as I removed
the valve cover I was horrified to discover an advance stage of rust
as if the engine sat in salt water... it was so bad all of the valves
got stuck in their guides and this was the reason for no
compression... later I learned the customer ran a Pool Cleaning
business out of his garage... the stored containers of muriatic acid
were the culprit... so I wouldn't store muriatic acid anywhere in a
enclosed garage where your prize is parked... I think his BMW car was
also effected but I don't recall at what degree...

SAFE and EFFECTIVE

I've had great success employing Kreem tank sealer kits in a number of customers bikes...

s-l1200.webp
 
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Here's a recent video of derusting a tank. I have not "finished" this tank due to other problems (pin holes) with it. Got fed up and pushed it aside for a bit. I have never lined a tank although this one and another I have sure would be good candidates for it.

I have evapo rust/metal rescue several tanks with surface rust. It works great but the stuff is quite expensive. I have recovered the used chemical and reused it several times. Look up chelation which is what this stuff does. The tank on my RZV500 was done with this stuff about 2015, post paint, and never had a problem.

Good luck.

[YOUTUBE]1YAfVrSWVfw[/YOUTUBE]
 
I have had good luck with POR15 tank cleaners and sealers in classic cars, it's a process that takes a few hours but does a really good job.
 
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