KBS "Gold Standard" Tank Sealer

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I was wondering if anyone has tried the well touted KBS Tank sealer and cares to comment. There are a few reviews around on this product but they were submitted shortly after installation which is just about useless information.
 
I finally got around to lining my FG tank with the KBS stuff. Looks like a metallic epoxy coating. The supplied amount would easily cover an Interstate tank. When applying it rolls around in there with the consistency of maybe 20W oil. I have yet to try it with gas so this post is also just about useless other than the application description. It is definately not latex.
 
Let us know how it holds up. It's always good to hear of different products being used.
 
If the coating it leaves is thin it can get a little hard, but if it's thick coat that it leaves must be pliable. When it’s all said and done the tank has to go back on the bike and get put to the vibration test that so many slosh coats fail. Please talk about how you feel about the balance of thick enough and soft enough as to thin enough to stand being hard enough. It may stand 10% but will it do 20%
 
norbsa48503 said:
If the coating it leaves is thin it can get a little hard, but if it's thick coat that it leaves must be pliable. When it’s all said and done the tank has to go back on the bike and get put to the vibration test that so many slosh coats fail. Please talk about how you feel about the balance of thick enough and soft enough as to thin enough to stand being hard enough. It may stand 10% but will it do 20%
Well....you lost me own the percent things. I mentioned the roll around speed to give one the idea of how fast (or slowly) he should be making the slosh motions to get a thoroughly coated interior since that is paramount. As far as "dried" thickness I would guess 1 mil? Thickness of a plastic freezer bag not a sandwich bag. I saved the can it came in since it had the coating in it. It will flex without cracking if pushed in on the sides 1/8" ...I don't expect my FG roadster tank to flex as much as that.
Still the greatest coating there is relies on the preparation of the intended surface. Who can guess what contaminants were added to that old polyester in the last forty years? Coating an old tank will always be a gamble whether it's fiberglass or steel.
I will certainly report back after reg pump gas has been in it for a while. I'm sure many will be interested in the results since a fiberglass tank should have better adhesion characteristics than steel not to mention the cost . I'd much rather spend that $400 on something else.
 
10% in your pump gas now, U.S. just passed up to 20% Are they just trying to scare us? Will they really do this?
I always thought of gold coat as a steel tank liner not a FG liner what do they say?
 
I have two roadster tanks and an interstate tank that need to be lined. I was planning on using POR15. I know it's all in the prep...
What are the thoughts on prep work?
What is recommended to remove the crap fron inside the tank without further screwing up the fiberglass????
 
pbmw said:
I have two roadster tanks and an interstate tank that need to be lined. I was planning on using POR15. I know it's all in the prep...
What are the thoughts on prep work?
What is recommended to remove the crap from inside the tank without further screwing up the fiberglass????

I was under the impression POR15 was not to be used on fiberglass. I've coated four steel tanks with it (a couple are getting on ten years now) and it's good stuff, but I thought there were other proven sealers for 'glass tanks. POR does sell a cleaner named Marine Clean that comes with it's sealer kits. It's a water based caustic stuff, IIRC, and will dissolve dried gas. I think a lot of POR's information sheets tell you that just because you see some brown stuff in the tank, it's not necessarily only rust, and that both rust and dried gas need to be addressed.
 
pbmw, Yes using some marine clean made by POR 15 is a very good idea but not their sealer, Marine clean is most like soap but aimed right at the gas residue. Hirsch makes liner just for FG tanks but without some kind of vacuum applied during the sloshing it will almost always leave a tiny uncovered area. As many here have found the liner does not fail but the thin spot you can’t see will get you every time.
 
pbmw said:
I have two roadster tanks and an interstate tank that need to be lined. I was planning on using POR15. I know it's all in the prep...
What are the thoughts on prep work?
What is recommended to remove the crap fron inside the tank without further screwing up the fiberglass????
I used acetone at first but found it would not touch the old tried gas residue (some call it shellac but you know what I mean). I then tried MEK and it worked great. Then I let it dry out so as not to react with the new liner.
 
norbsa48503 said:
10% in your pump gas now, U.S. just passed up to 20% Are they just trying to scare us? Will they really do this?
I always thought of gold coat as a steel tank liner not a FG liner what do they say?
On their website ( K&B) They say Steel, Aluminum and fiberglass. Stupid me threw the used can away not too long ago. I could of left some gas in it to see what it looked like after a few months :| think I'll dig in my shop trash to see if it is still there.
 
I have a steel tank that had the POR 15 applied to it 2 years ago and has failed to remain sealed. I have no idea how the tank was prepped, which might have something to do with it but it looks like it is flaking and peeling all around inside the tank. I was talking to a friend (an old guy that has been doing this longer than I have been walking) about fixing the tank and sealers, he recommended the Gold Standard for steal tanks over the POR 15 and only the Caswell for Fiberglass.

He showed me a tank he sealed over 5 years ago in his BSA Goldstar Flattracker and it looks like new inside, still thick, slick and shinny .
KBS "Gold Standard" Tank Sealer


I'll be using the Caswell on my glass tanks in the future. http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm
 
So do all metal tanks need to be sealed?
Sorry to jump in but its a question that comes to mind every time I see a post on sealing tanks.
 
Assuming the Steel tank is just rusty it can just be Phosphoric acid treated, that will leave a patina behind that is resistant to rust and if used right away as a gas tank it should be fine. I have done it that way for a long time.
As far as Caswell’s in a FG tank for all the guys that post that all the problems are over by using this there are always an equal number that write back after the bike has really run for two years that it leaks again. It seems that slosh products that are brittle have a short life on a bike.
 
I have wondered about using Ospho in a metal tank. Ever try it?

(if you ask why I wonder, you have not looked at my avatar photo!)

Russ
 
rvich said:
I have wondered about using Ospho in a metal tank. Ever try it?

(if you ask why I wonder, you have not looked at my avatar photo!)

Russ
Oh yes. I use it on almost everything ferrous that spends any time outside. I live on the coast. Things start rusting over night here :( On a tank I sometimes use muratic acid ,thorough water flush then mineral spirits to neutralize.
 
Everyone in the DVNR uses Casswell for glass tanks. The local guy who does it cuts out the bottom of the tank, brushes it on to insure full coverage.
 
One of my bikes is a 750 Norton with a fiberglass tank. As many know ethynol eats up fiberglass. KBS says their Tank liner works on steel or fiberglass so I used it on the Norton tank and saved the empty can.
Although I treated my tank with the KBS I still have not had gas in it . About a week after I did my tank I got empty KBS can , filled it with 87 containing 10% ethynol and sealed it in a zip lock bag (can's cap was damaged). I checked it occaisonally as the level of gas gradually evaporated. When all the gas was gone I was pleased to see that there was no effect to the coating at all.
 
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