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any know of a good way to clean a gas tank


marlboro man

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BB's as mentioned, nuts and bolts, chain lints etc. will work to help remove it. If it is just a light surface rust in a small section then you can just try to remove it as suggested, but if you are going to try and seal the whole gas tank then get a chemical that will cause a reaction to the rust to bind to the top sealing layer. I have heard many stories about POR15 not working correctly. I do not know the reason (I have never used it myself) but I suspect it is due to improper surface prep.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Couple of rolls of pennies. Copper (or whatever the hell they're clad with nowadays) is softer than the steel and easier on the tank. A dilute acid should also remove rust--phosphoric for sure, or the commercial product "Lime-Away"--but MAKE SURE YOU RINSE EVERYTHING real well when you're done. Use some baking soda to neutralize the residue after the initial rinse.

I wouldn't use any of the liner products like POR unless you've got a leak.

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Bicycle chain. Ever tried to get that last nut/bolt/bb/rock out? Bike chain is the way to go, then phosphoric acid, it will put a skin-coat of ferric phosphate on the steel protecting it from rust.

Or......

You can mix up some electrolyte (water plus washing soda) fill the tank, suspend a cast iron doohickey in the tank NOT TOUCHING ANY PART OF IT and hook a battery charger to it. Neg lead on the tank, pos on the iron. The electricity passes from the tank to the electrolyte, picks up the rust and sticks it to the iron. Use iron or mild steel, no stainless. Graphite works the best but I doubt you have a big chunk of that handy. Clean your annode daily and change the fluid every two days6-10 amps is good current. . Produces hydrogen gas in small quantities so put a fan on it.

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Bicycle chain is a great idea. And I also use the phosphoric acid. Electrolysis is also excellent if set up properly.

edit: Swimming pool muriatic acid should work pretty well also.

edit: http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolysis-rust-removal-motorbike-fuel-tank/

Edit: Found this, not tried it before.

Metal Rescue for restoration

http://www.amazon.com/Workshop-Hero-WH290487-Rescue-Remover/dp/B005JVNQPQ

http://www.metalrescue.com/consumer.aspx

Edited by ReconRat
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I've used straight vinegar in the past. Fill that sucker up to the brim, let sit 2-3 days then dump it out. The down side is you have to rinse it when you're done to neutralize the acid. You can use just water but it'll get a super fine surface rust when you're done (defeats the purpose, right?) but it's not too bad.

Then I use REDKOTE to seal it. I don't like Kreem because that dries kinda like a porcelain, or like an egg shell hardness and if you don't get that just right it cracks off and clogs the fuel line.

REDKOTE is available at Orielly Auto Parts for about $26. It's intended for cars so you'll get enough to do about a 17 gallon tank. It's more of an elastisized sealant so there is no cracking like Kreem.

Just remove the petcock and any fuel gauge you may have, dump it in, swirl it all around good, then set it upside down on a bucket to let it drain. It's a little stinky so don't do it indoors. Once the stink is gone in a day or two it's fully cured.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search.oap?keyword=redkote

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Fill it 1/4 way full of nuts and bolts. Get a bed comforter and wrap the tank and tape it safely in. Put wrapped tank into clothes drier and turn on low heat and leave it in for as many cycles as necessary. norm 2 runs @ 1hr. Now shake all rust and nuts and bolts out and seal the tank. AMAZING results out of the clothes drier!

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  • 4 weeks later...

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