Gas tank repair

[mschor]

81 Special, 20 years in a garage. It's mostly clean, but behind one of the Yamaha signs on the tank it tired through. I cut out the rust. Is this repairable? Was thinking of JB welding a piece of metal over it and then fiberglassing over that so the fiberglass is not in constant contact with fuel. Sound like a worthwhile fix? Local welder said he'd probably warp the tank welding it.

[mschor]

How to post a pic?

[jetmechmarty]

Host the pic someplace else then click image icon

Paste the address of the image there.

[DavePlum]

I have no idea if it's now repairable now. You would have been much better off asking that question before cutting into the tank but it's possible you discovered this site after the fact? There are a couple methods used to remove rust from the inside of a tank. A radiator shop can clean and seal it but you'll need new paint after they're done with it and that process is not cheap. Many people on this site have used electrolysis, apple cider vinegar, or a combo of the two to remove the rust. If you do a search you'll find these methods discussed in depth.
If your bike sat for 20 years the fuel tank might be the least of your problems.
Good luck.

[mschor]

I cleaned and coated the inside of the tank. I cut it out because it was still leaking after. Metal was paper thin there. What if anything to do now is the question.

[mschor]

Yeah there's a lot more I'm working on as well but this is my last step before trying to start it up

[soccer4m]

Get another tank for safety

Howdy,,,,I would highly recommend getting another tank, before we see you above a leaking one,,,,on flames going down the street. If its gone in one area, all it takes is another pinhole opening up and gas catching on fire to ruin your bike, and life. It would probably save you the same money and a lot more time trying to save a bad tank,,,,,lots of them available if you have a mc parts yard or ebay or craigslist, or try the parts guy in the parts section, andreas, very solid supplier for a lot of us..........your choice, but leaky tank is a lot of effort to restore,,,,,,good luck and hope your xs can give you a lot of fun riding....Mike in Sun Diego

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there,

Good advice from Mike. However, if you're wanting to try to repair, do NOT use JB Weld, it is not fuel proof, and actually breaks down with long exposure to fuel/ethanol!

Others have sealed small holes and such with plumber solder or such, not as hot and as hard to do as welding. Then after fixing hole/plate/patch, then would suggest reapplying the tank sealant to the inside at least in the repair area. YMMV!

T.C.

[BA80]

Keep an eye on ebay, I've gotten them for as little as $30 in good shape.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...100+tank&rt=nc

[ERM83]

hey, there's a couple of H's for sale around here...check louisville KY's craigslist. I've been looking stuff up on this board and haven't seen in the last day if they're still available on there (i'm on C.L. EVERY DAY...looking for a good deal on an SE/SF engine), but I KNOW one was a "project", and the tank was in really good shape....

If you can't find one close to you, just PM me, and I'll snag you one from here. We're lucky to have a couple of low-key shops, and salvage yards that have vintage bike parts here! There's a bunch of XS stuff as well...most people here that are into older bikes go Honda or Harley.

Eric M