I'm thinking of cleaning my rusted steel roadster tank with Muratic acid. The outside of the tank is pertty badly rusted in some places so I've found someone who can sandblast the outside, but the inside is actually pretty good. So my questions are: 1) Is using Muratic acid a good way to clean the inside? 2) What would be the ratio of acid to water. 3) How long should it be left in there/ or how quickly should it be removed? I remember some other threads on the topic of cleaning out the inside of a tank, using drywall screws to help knock off the crud while shaking it up, etc. My search on the pats threads for Muratic acid didn't turn up much detail. Does anyone have experience using acid to clean the tank out? Thanks in advance Cj
Rusted steel roadster tank
- Thread starter cjandme
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cjandme said:
I have not used Muratic acid. I have used electrolysis and also just let vinegar sit in it for days. You can see the results here:
post118551.html?hilit=vinegar#p118551
I am a believer. It is the least amount of work and environmentally friendly. You just need time and enough Vinegar to fill the tank.
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Engine builders cleaning tank ? :lol: . Car reto Acid ?? dip ( mightnt be anything left ) .EMER chemicals here make alkaline rust convertors.
Used to get ' Jenolite ' 2L phosphoric acid . Pretty tame . Dilluted I guess . Rinse out after , and oil .
R.I.O. was ' rust inhibiting oil ' from steelworks . Clear lacquer really . Rodders'd leave it rusted
:cry: . Black primer is to let you eye up the ripples,
so you can work them out over a year or three , Sightsem easier . Newspaper over lets the fingertips get more perceptive in these matters .
Some off these guys are spending more on a tank than you can get the whole motorcycle for . :shock: .
If you know someone who enjoys welding ( about 1 in a minute ) cutting the seam , you could get the sucker straight again .
If your going to spend anything. A tray off stubbies ?? .
Used to get ' Jenolite ' 2L phosphoric acid . Pretty tame . Dilluted I guess . Rinse out after , and oil .
R.I.O. was ' rust inhibiting oil ' from steelworks . Clear lacquer really . Rodders'd leave it rusted
:cry: . Black primer is to let you eye up the ripples,so you can work them out over a year or three , Sightsem easier . Newspaper over lets the fingertips get more perceptive in these matters .
Some off these guys are spending more on a tank than you can get the whole motorcycle for . :shock: .
If you know someone who enjoys welding ( about 1 in a minute ) cutting the seam , you could get the sucker straight again .
If your going to spend anything. A tray off stubbies ?? .
maylar said:
Yes, but either way will not that dilute when petrol/gas is pored into the tank?
The only way with and old rusty tank is to line tank with something like Petseal ( or similar) when tank is clean & dry.
But note; don’t by any product like this unless you intend to use it, as it has a use by date!
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Use a breating apparatus if using muratic acid. That sh*t is hard on the lungs.
rvich
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I went the vinegar route on my tanks. I have a Paloma hot water heater in my house and they sell some stuff for descaling it that is sulfamic acid. You use a small pump and rig it to pump out of a bucket and through the heater and back to the bucket. The stuff is dyed red and turns clear when it is no longer viable. I have been thinking that this might be a better way to do motorcycle tanks. Rig the hoses off the petrol taps and circulate the fluid through rather than letting it sit static. I have been thinking about carrying my tank down to Home Depot so I could borrow their display model Rigid Seesnake camera to get a better look at the inside of the tank!
Off topic question. Most roadster tanks have a ridge at the front where the tank fits over the frame. I have seen a number of MkIII tanks on this forum without that ridge. Are they original tanks or repops?
Russ
Off topic question. Most roadster tanks have a ridge at the front where the tank fits over the frame. I have seen a number of MkIII tanks on this forum without that ridge. Are they original tanks or repops?
Russ
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I've done about a dozen tanks
Phosphoric acid works well - as mentioned not to horrible
Muratic acid (HCL) is quicker than phosphoric, and does need ventilation, but works well too
( by the way works toilet bowl cleaner, available at most hardward stores is dilute HCL-works very well)
if you used HCL after rinsing immediately spray WD-40 in the tank (or swish something like marvel oil in there) to prevent flash rusting
my favorite is the nuts shaken (not stirred) followed by works toilet cleaner ( diluted 1:2) for about 45 min, rinsed for 4-5x and the wd-40'd - tanks come out very clean
vinegar (even coke-a cola-yes), molasses, other things will work, and take a much longer time
best thing is to by an alloy tank and be done with it forever - though in my tanks that have been cleaned i add a cap full of castrol 2-stroke oil ever other tank fill-up to help prevent future rust formation - seems to help
Phosphoric acid works well - as mentioned not to horrible
Muratic acid (HCL) is quicker than phosphoric, and does need ventilation, but works well too
( by the way works toilet bowl cleaner, available at most hardward stores is dilute HCL-works very well)
if you used HCL after rinsing immediately spray WD-40 in the tank (or swish something like marvel oil in there) to prevent flash rusting
my favorite is the nuts shaken (not stirred) followed by works toilet cleaner ( diluted 1:2) for about 45 min, rinsed for 4-5x and the wd-40'd - tanks come out very clean
vinegar (even coke-a cola-yes), molasses, other things will work, and take a much longer time
best thing is to by an alloy tank and be done with it forever - though in my tanks that have been cleaned i add a cap full of castrol 2-stroke oil ever other tank fill-up to help prevent future rust formation - seems to help
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rvich said:
Yes it would seem that some early MkIII Roadsters had the lipped tank, as that type of tank is can be seen in some brochure shots, but I think the majority had the smooth edge tank and there are certainly period photos showing MkIII Roadsters with the smooth edge tank.
Thanks for the reply Matt "cutting the seam , you could get the sucker straight again " but I'm just gonna knock the rust off the outside, clean up the inside a little bit & make sure it doesn't leak then paint it with a spray can and get my bike going. I'll address the dents at a later date. I have new petcocks, fuel line and in line filters. Really the inside looks to be in pretty good shape. Cj
The previous owner had this tank in the back of his garage (that's why it so rusted on the outside i think) anyway he offered it as an after thought saying that it was dented and he tried to use compressed air to "pop" the dents out but thought he'd used too much pressure and ruined it. I didn't know about the whole ethanol eating fiberglass tanks thing at the time but I said sure I'll take whatever you've got. walked away with a coiuple boxes of stuff. Anyway we'll see how it looks after it comes back from being sand blasted. It seems to be made of thick,heavy gauge sheet metal.Cj
Although muriatic acid is the vehicle, I wouldn't use it straight. Get a good, bad ass drain cleaner, the kind you get at the hardware store. I wolld not leave it in there for more the 2 minutes. Get 2 quart bottles. If needed you can repeat with the second bottle. Rinse the crap out of it. Being this cleaned, surface rust will begin developing immediately. Have a plan. see below.
Condition with acetone and get a pint of this http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp? ... ation=PINT. This will do three tanks.
Once the inside is done you can ship it off the the painter.
Condition with acetone and get a pint of this http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp? ... ation=PINT. This will do three tanks.
Once the inside is done you can ship it off the the painter.
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Mine had some surface rust in it and a friend of mine told me to use diswashing detergent and either a pound of nuts or small sharped edged rocks. Found some decorative rocks at a dollar store and used them, filled the tank with some detergent and water and shook like heck!!! I would pour out after about 20-30 shakes and do it again. After about 5 times the inside was good and clean once I rinsed the heck out of it. Put a good amount of WD-40 in and shook it all over then let sit out in the sun for a few hours to get good and dry then put back on bike.
staticmoves
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So I have noticed alot of people using WD40 in there tanks after various cleaning methods.
I am assuming by its widely accepted use that it does not clog up the carbberettors or foul plugs.
Would this be correct, I ask because I am just about to clean a small amount of rust from my tank before putting into service.
Oh and any other tips would be greatly appreciated! 8)
I am assuming by its widely accepted use that it does not clog up the carbberettors or foul plugs.
Would this be correct, I ask because I am just about to clean a small amount of rust from my tank before putting into service.
Oh and any other tips would be greatly appreciated! 8)
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