Tank cleaning

[old_skool]

When cleaning your tank, with avapor rust or whatever, do you remove the petcocks and fuel gauge or are they ok to leave on, if not, what did you seal the holes with?

[natemoen]

I would take them off. Could use a piece of wood bolted in place or aluminum or steel sheets cut to shape.

[jetmechmarty]

Remove the petcocks, fuel sender, etc. I had success covering the openings with "speed tape". It's aluminum tape I sourced from my local hardware store. It stood up to my electrolysis treatment and subsequent acid wash.

[old_skool]

Thanks guys, have about 4 tanks to clean, man, gotta love my plastic atv tanks!

[DGXSER]

When cleanign a tank I use a piece of sheet metal cut to size, with a piece of rubber from an old tire behind it, drill for stock mounting bolts and bolt it up. Worked well for me.

[old_skool]

When cleanign a tank I use a piece of sheet metal cut to size, with a piece of rubber from an old tire behind it, drill for stock mounting bolts and bolt it up. Worked well for me.

good idea, thanks

[Shacknasty]

You can also use compression plugs from the auto parts store. It's a rubber plug with a bolt in it. I have made my own with a drill, nut, bolt and fender washers.

The best thing I have used is Evapo-rust from Rustoleum. It comes in a gallon can and will probably clean all four of yer tanks with one gallon. I have reused it several times before it looses it's strength.

No nuts and bolts, chains, gravel or shaking needed. Just prop the tank so that it reaches all parts of the tank. A couple hours in each position and yer done. If ya spill any on the paint it will wipe off, no harm to the paint.

Good luck.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Gorrilla tape

Removel the petcocks and fuel gauge stuff. Cover with gorrila duck tape, put in a pice of chain to rub off the rust, cover the gas cap hole and roll it around with the rust remover and chain inside Priceless

[crazy steve]

..put in a piece of chain to rub off the rust...

Think twice before using chain inside a standard tank; there's an internal tube (the water drain from the fuel cap recess) that can be damaged or the chain can get tangled in...

[jetmechmarty]

I was on another forum where several reported this suff to work like majic:


It's less than $10 per gallon at Home Depot. I'm going to give it a try.

[Rasputin]

I simply put Evapo-rust in the tank and rolled it every day (serious rust) The fuel sender came out looking new, the petcocks had a marbled look to them but no damage was incurred. I even flipped it on it's lid (had a drain pan under it in case) and even the fuel cap had no rust. I had Evapo-rust in there for no less than a week and it did no damage. Best stuff I have tried for rust on any part. YMMV.

[old_skool]

I was on another forum where several reported this suff to work like majic:


It's less than $10 per gallon at Home Depot. I'm going to give it a try.

I don't know about that one, sounds like you might be throwing good money away, the clue is on the label....stain remover, usually requires some kind of scrubbing, and some tanks are more than just stained after sitting for years.
rotsa ruck.....when he said with the evaporrust, might actually do all tanks with one can, that sounds like a money saver, $19.99 at Autozone.

[3Phase]

Marty, check the label and see if it's just dilute citric acid. Citric acid will remove the rust (it's EPA-friendly radiator cleaner) but the tank will flash rust after you rinse it.

If you're going to Home Depot anyway, stop by the paint section and pick up a gallon of Klean-Strip for less than $20. Its phosphoric acid at about a 35% or 40% solution so just dilute it to a 7% solution, then let it soak it overnight to remove the rust. After you rinse the tank it'll have an iron phosphate coating that prevents flash rust.

Because it's concentrated you'll still have most of the gallon left after you clean the tank and it'll come in handy for removing rust from other parts along with plenty of other things!

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Chain

For those who cant keep a hold of their chain when slinging it in the hole ( I only sling my chain in something Special)

http://www.evapo-rust.com/

Think twice before using chain inside a standard tank; there's an internal tube (the water drain from the fuel cap recess) that can be damaged or the chain can get tangled in...

[jetmechmarty]

ZEP @ Home Depot

OK. I pulled up the MSDS on the blue bottle at Home Depot. I IS acid. Thanks for getting me to take a closer look. I already have a gallon of phosphoric acid that works fine.

I have a gallon of Metal Rescue. I expect it is the same as Evapo-Rust. It appears that the Evapo-Rust is less expensive. The Metal Recue works the charm.