Cleaning Up a Nice Tank

[johnstewart]

So I pulled this tank off a parts bike many (8?) years ago. I'm pretty sure I drained the gas before shelving it, but didn't do any other prep. Red, pretty damn nice shape.

Well, the paint's pretty much gone of my current tank, so I'm planning to swap it. The new tank was off a previously running (but totaled) bike, so apparently all was well with petcocks and everything.

Here's what it looks like inside:



That surface easily wipes clean with a finger. I guess this is either varnish and/or light rust.

Most of the searching I've done is about dealing with SERIOUS rust issues inside. I don't want to put a liner in this guy; I think it's in pretty good shape.

I'm thinking I want to just clean out with some acetone, from what I've read, then wash it out with a pressure washer, and let dry completely. Then I'll put new gas in and try out the petcocks.

Sound good, or should I be more concerned about the condition of this guy?

thanks!

[Yard Dogg]

You could use a mild soapy solution with a handful of pea gravel just to break loose any thing stuck to the surface, then rinse it out with distilled water to prevent flash rust. Then rinse with gasoline. I only say this cause I'd hate the acetone to mess up that purdy paint job.

[DGXSER]

If it were my tank, I would swash some acetone to clean off the surface rust/dust. Ten rinse it with denatured alchohol. Pop it on, fill with fuel and ride. Do you have inline fuel filters correct?

[jetmechmarty]

If it were mine, I would buy a gallon of Metal Rescue. Poor it into the tank and let it do its' job. Without effort from you, all of the rust will be gone and the remaining treated surface in the tank will remain unharmed. Pour it back in the bottle for later use. Rinse the tank out with gasoline, and fill it up. You're done.

I've tried this stuff and it works! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[WSL91]

So I pulled this tank off a parts bike many (8?) years ago. I'm pretty sure I drained the gas before shelving it, but didn't do any other prep. Red, pretty damn nice shape.

Well, the paint's pretty much gone of my current tank, so I'm planning to swap it. The new tank was off a previously running (but totaled) bike, so apparently all was well with petcocks and everything.

Here's what it looks like inside:



That surface easily wipes clean with a finger. I guess this is either varnish and/or light rust.

Most of the searching I've done is about dealing with SERIOUS rust issues inside. I don't want to put a liner in this guy; I think it's in pretty good shape.

I'm thinking I want to just clean out with some acetone, from what I've read, then wash it out with a pressure washer, and let dry completely. Then I'll put new gas in and try out the petcocks.

Sound good, or should I be more concerned about the condition of this guy?

thanks!

I'd avoid the acid washes, no need to etch that tank, clean it as best you can without the etchers and fill it and ride. The acid washes work but then the tank is highly susceptible to rusting and is usually followed up with some coating of which you do not need. Maybe a long dowel and a shop rag wire tied on the end as a swap and some lacquer thinner.

[motoman]

No need for overkill on that tank. Take the petcocks off along with the sending unit and float, spray it heavily with WD-40, take it to your local car wash and pressure wash it out from top and inner side where sending unit was. Dry it out real good and put the parts back on and use it as is. It'll be fine.

[Aches n Pains]

Clean it and ride it! Looks very nice.

[johnstewart]

Hey all; thanks for the suggestions.

No need for overkill on that tank. Take the petcocks off along with the sending unit and float, spray it heavily with WD-40, take it to your local car wash and pressure wash it out from top and inner side where sending unit was. Dry it out real good and put the parts back on and use it as is. It'll be fine.

Motoman's seemed like the least intrusive, so this is what I did. I sprayed it out, then washed and dried it. Still some tarnish, but I think decently clean. Stopping at the bike shop to get some fuel filters to put on before I try it out.

Now the next concern... should I use the petcocks from the new tank (which were fine when I pulled the tank, as far as I know), or the ones from my old tank, which I know work? Should I soak them first in some cleaner before I use them, if I do use the unknown ones?

Also, as far as my old tank.... anything in particular I should do to prep it before storage? WD40 probably is no good as it's more of a solvent than a lube.

thanks all!

[Yard Dogg]

To get rid of the tarnish you can mix seafoam with your first tank of gas.

[DGXSER]

Use the petcocks that are in it. Use the inline filters and you will be just fine. Guarantee you there are folks running daily riders with worse tanks than what you have there.