Diesel to clean rust out of tank?

[knewsom]

I'm about to clean the rust out of my old tank, and I remembered a trick that another VW guy once told me - empty the gas out, put in the dogchain or whatever you're going to use as friction, and put in DIESEL to get the rust out - apparently the oil content in the diesel fuel will better penetrate and protect the metal of the tank? does this sound crazy? Obviously, one must rinse the tank in REAL gas a couple times afterwords to make sure there's no diesel in your actual FUEL, but the oil in the diesel is supposed to stay in the steel/former rusty bits.

whaddaya think?

[DiverRay]

It should work, and I would rinse once with diesel, and only once with a little bit of gas. The amount of left over diesel won't harm the bike, and will be out of the tank after the first fill.
Ray

[knewsom]

cool, but will it work better than just gas? Is there any merit to the oil content thing? Does diesel clean better than regular 'ole 87 octane gasoline?

[randy]

I don't know if I'd feel safe banging a chain around inside a tank with gas in it. Diesel is less volatile, though.

[knewsom]

Originally posted by randy
I don't know if I'd feel safe banging a chain around inside a tank with gas in it. Diesel is less volatile, though.

apparently you can drop a lit cigarette into a vat of diesel and it'll just put the cig out. I'll definitely be using diesel. blowing myself AND a perfectly good gas tank up would really ruin my morning.

[John]

Don't forget to remove the fuel gauge/light senderm and make a plate to cover the hole where the sender was. A chain may put a hurt on it.

[xschop]

citric acid

I use pharmacy grade citric acid. It comes in crystal form. Put 8 oz. per gallon of hot water, fill tank up and let sit for 24-48 hrs, this will take the rust off to the shiny metal without causing anymore rusting. I have done many tanks this way and then coated with johnson's tank liner,the best....chop

[knewsom]

Re: citric acid

Originally posted by xschop
I use pharmacy grade citric acid. It comes in crystal form. Put 8 oz. per gallon of hot water, fill tank up and let sit for 24-48 hrs, this will take the rust off to the shiny metal without causing anymore rusting. I have done many tanks this way and then coated with johnson's tank liner,the best....chop

...so no shaking with a chain in 'er? Just let it hang with all that acid? Where do you GET pharmacy grade citric acid anywho?

[xschop]

farmocy

I get it from fisher science. but you can call your local pharmacy they should have it. If your tank is heavily rusted. Shake the thick rust off with stainless steele sling shot from WAL_MART then rinse with hot water. Then immediately put the CA/H20 soln. in and let sit. IF your temperature of the soln. Inside the tank stays 90 degrees then you can let stand for 24 HR. IT is hot here, but if not, then 48 hrs is better. you will be amazed....chop

[rockjok]

I recently used some short pieces of chain and the chemical portion of a Kreem kit to clean up a tank (decided not to use the coating tho')

There's a thread here on, I believe, phosphoric acid from a hardware store to do the same. Next time I'll probably use this cheaper method.

Also, here's a link to an electrolytic method. Looks interesting:

http://twinoak.altelco.net/%7Ejacil/...ElecSetup.html

Rob

[randy]

Rob,

The chemical stripper in the Kreem kit IS phosphoric acid.

[xschop]

phosphoric acid

P-acid is a very good rust remover, you just have to know that it "eats" a small layer of the base metal, so you cannot leave it on or in the tank longer than need be. Also the Phosphoric acid does leave behind a coating of Iron phosphate that will protect the base metal afterwards...the citric acid does not destroy any of the base metal however and is non-toxic....chop