Treat a rusty tank with vinegar

fasterspider · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 2:18 pm Post subject: Treat a rusty tank with vinegar

I have come to find out that less than $20.00 worth of vinegar will clean the rust and mung out of a gas tank.
I have 5 gallons of distilled vinegar in this CB1100F 5.3 gallon tank and it has been there for 11 hours.

Look at the gas cap?

I saw what vinegar can do to a badly rusted GL1100 gas tank. If it could fix the mess I saw in that GL tank, it will work on any tank.
48 hours of soaking in vinegar is recommended but, it may not take that long for your tank.
Then you rinse with water and blow dry with high pressure air.

The rust is almost gone and it has only been 18 hours.

I put this post into another thread but, thought this could use it's own thread here on this web site.

KirkN · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject:

Great tip, Ray!

I've read of using vinegar, but never seen any pix of anyone that had done it. Thanks.

Any 'before' pictures? Although, in the first (11 hrs), right up near the top of the opening, I can see the rust that then appears to be gone in the bottom picture (18 hrs). Am I seeing that right?

That's outstanding! Thanks.

Kirk

fasterspider · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject:

ol55 · Commuter Joined: Feb 09, 2009 Posts: 391 Location: VA

I have seen them use molassas on old truck bodies on stovebolt.com but have not seen vinegar. Great Idea! Are you going to seal it or just rinse and go?

Larry

fasterspider · Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

After 36 hours of soaking in vinegar, 80% of the rust was removed but, 15 minutes after rinsing the tank, it rusted up the complete inside surface again. Shocked

I just ordered a POR-15 cycle tank repair kit for $48.00.

dorT500 · Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 11:56 am Post subject:

Very light flash rust or worse? But as you said you still have about 20% of heavier rust you need to remove. At any rate, I have read of people..at the pre-liner drying stage...sticking a hot air gun in the tank for 2 days...with the petcock hole as a vent to make sure all moisture is removed before the liner process. They still reported a very light patina of just "flash" rust that was still evident but is not suppose to be an issue.

fasterspider · Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

dorT500 · Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject:

Oh, I know....just messing around one day with one of the spare tanks I have...just used naval jelly and water after getting the big stuff out at the car wash and ball bearings and shaking routine.....After many rinsings....Looked at it and was all excited, looked great. Walked off for a couple of minutes..looked at it again.. Crying or Very sad

I think the hot air gun would be a good trick for at least getting all the nooks and crannies and seams truly completely dry. Any moisture in there at all in there is going to be the most important issue before the liner is applied. They say you have to follow the instructions "exactly" This is why the instructions, the drying time and a complete, thin even coat is so important. Por 15's original development was not "marketed" for motorcycle tanks....it had many other applications,floors, cmpartments, holding tanks......etc. As I said before.....I think with the contours and nooks and crannies of a motorcycle tank...that the pre-liner drying time be greatly extended.....for a motorcycle tank.

ol55 · Commuter Joined: Feb 09, 2009 Posts: 391 Location: VA

Is POR-15 now considered the best product for this? Does anyone have any long term results? I have a few SL100 tanks I want to do.
Thanks,
Larry

Barchetta · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:38 pm Post subject:

This is what I heard, please let me know if it's all hogwash. I'd like to know before I work on my tank this winter.

I was thinking about doing the vinagar routine, as my tank isn't all that bad. I "heard" that after the baking soda rinse, don't wait. Spray with 1040. That's just to avoid the flash rust till you can get the tank outside.

Then, as soon as you can, rinse the tank out with gas, then fill the tank, full. Once full, you have to keep the tank full or it'll rust.

Up here when bikes get put away for the winter, the (full) gas tanks get a couple ounces of stabilizer. It's wood alcohol to keep moisture from seperating from the gas and rusting a layer of your tank.

I "HEARD" that stabilzer eats Kreme tank coating, leaving the inside of the tank a real mess. I "heard" Por 15 was a better product, and isn't affected when you use gas stabilizer.

Well that's just what I heard, I'm not sayen it's true.

Lonsjunk · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 8:23 am Post subject:

If used the vinegar trick a couple times but i had the same rust flash problem to. the last tank i did i just coated the whole tank with motor oil and it seemed to stop it from happening
As for the kreme product i haven't had much long term success. I haven't tried the por-15 for tanks so if someone uses it I would like to here how it worked out to..

Lonsjunk · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 8:24 am Post subject:

If used the vinegar trick a couple times but i had the same rust flash problem to. the last tank i did i just coated the whole tank with motor oil and it seemed to stop it from happening
As for the kreme product i haven't had much long term success. I haven't tried the por-15 for tanks so if someone uses it I would like to here how it worked out to..

Lonsjunk · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 8:29 am Post subject:

If used the vinegar trick a couple times but i had the same rust flash problem to. the last tank i did i just coated the whole tank with motor oil and it seemed to stop it from happening
As for the kreme product i haven't had much long term success. I haven't tried the por-15 for tanks so if someone uses it I would like to here how it worked out to..

lordmisterford · Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:18 am Post subject:

fasterspider · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject:

So the vinegar thing works if you do it right I guess. I did not do it right.
I did do the POR-15 right though and came up with a good looking gas tank.

Cpompare that with this?