Seal a new Metal tank?

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

I know I am re-opening the proverbial can of worms here but I just had to ask. I bought a new steel roadster tank from Burton's Bike Bits and have been wondering if I should coat the inside of the tank with Caswells or just leave it alone.

bwolfie · May 10, 2012

Just leave it alone. It is a steel tank after all. Coating it will just induce problems. and if it needs a coating to hold fuel, then I would return it, because it is not a fuel tank then.

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

Thanks, I guess I just needed some reassurance!

iceteanolemon · May 10, 2012

coat it with gas. on the inside of course. :mrgreen:

bwolfie · May 10, 2012

How does it look? Is it made in India? I went on their site, looks to be one of the better offerings out there. What is your impression of it?

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

I couldn't find any markings as to where it was made. The finish actually looks quite good, it won't take a lot of prep to get it ready for paint,

concours · May 10, 2012

Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

shrugger · May 10, 2012

Make absolutely sure it doesen't leak. Before anything else.
Make sure the cap will close. Some have been too crooked to latch the cap.

DogT · May 10, 2012

£305 = $493USD + 3% currency conversion = $508. So how much did shipping cost?

Are you going to buy the metal strap for the rear mounting?

Dave
69S

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

concours said:
Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

I was thinking about rigging up something with an old tube with schrader valve wrapped around the filler neck...maybe I could pump a couple PSI in there with a bicycle foot pump.

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

The cap latches and seals the filler neck but is a little loose where the cap attaches to the filler neck. Also the cap flips forward instead to the rear like the original.

I bought a seat at the same time as the tank, I think shipping was around $100

JimC · May 10, 2012

dirtymartini said:
concours said:

Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about rigging up something with an old tube with schrader valve wrapped around the filler neck...maybe I could pump a couple PSI in there with a bicycle foot pump.

Put a rubber stopper in the filler and put a fuel shutoff valve in one outlet, put the Schrader valve in the other. As was previously posted, easy on the air. 2-3 psi will do it.

In fact, you could use both fuel shutoff valves. One turned off, the other with a hose and Schrader valve. I had a fitting for the tank outlet

DogT · May 10, 2012

dirtymartini said:
Also the cap flips forward instead to the rear like the original.

You mean the other way 'round? Mine flips towards the front. I think it was a safety thing they switched so it wouldn't open if something hit it from the rear.

What colour you painting it?

Dave
69S

dirtymartini · May 10, 2012

DogT said:
dirtymartini said:

Also the cap flips forward instead to the rear like the original.

Click to expand...

You mean the other way 'round? Mine flips towards the front. I think it was a safety thing they switched so it wouldn't open if something hit it from the rear.

What colour you painting it?

Dave
69S

Yeah, what you said :lol:

I'm trying to find something close to Fireflake Red

DogT · May 10, 2012

If you want to try it yourself, the Duplicolor MetalSpecks red is not bad for a rattle can. But you will need 4 or more coats of clear to make it shine and it's enamel, so it won't hold up to gas great, but will stand the dribbles you may drop on it. Duplicolor High Performance Wheel coating in clear is about as good as enamel gets. That's what I did but with blue. The price was right. About $10 a can from Autozone or similar.

Dave
69S

Hobot · May 10, 2012

Even a few PSI can split weak seams or bulge areas, I'll just plug the taps and hold tank under water upside down for bubbles.
Throw a few chips of dry ice in it and seal over cap and let warm a while is easier than plumbing air line.
For sure don't seal it till it begins to rust and oxidize with boozed gas, then can do as I did with the Caswell's 2 part sealer which is easy as pie no brainer to prep do right in a metal tank. You can not store new age gasoline w/o the ethanol absorbing water till sinks in a puddle on bottom exposing metal to water-alcohol oxidizing corrosion chemistry.

concours · May 11, 2012

dirtymartini said:
concours said:

Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about rigging up something with an old tube with schrader valve wrapped around the filler neck...maybe I could pump a couple PSI in there with a bicycle foot pump.

I got a plumbers test plug (expandable rubber) at the industrial supply, fit the neck perfectly. 1/4" BSPT plug and one petcock, or two petcocks.

dirtymartini · May 11, 2012

concours said:
dirtymartini said:

concours said:

Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about rigging up something with an old tube with schrader valve wrapped around the filler neck...maybe I could pump a couple PSI in there with a bicycle foot pump.

Click to expand...

I got a plumbers test plug (expandable rubber) at the industrial supply, fit the neck perfectly. 1/4" BSPT plug and one petcock, or two petcocks.

Do you think the big box stores would have that or should I go to a plumbing supply store?

dirtymartini · May 11, 2012

concours said:
dirtymartini said:

concours said:

Absolutely don't put the sealer in it, but SURE AS HELL test it before applying the paintwork. 2 PSI and soap bubbles will give the needed assurance.

Click to expand...

I was thinking about rigging up something with an old tube with schrader valve wrapped around the filler neck...maybe I could pump a couple PSI in there with a bicycle foot pump.

Click to expand...

I got a plumbers test plug (expandable rubber) at the industrial supply, fit the neck perfectly. 1/4" BSPT plug and one petcock, or two petcocks.

Do you think the big box stores would have that or should I go to a plumbing supply store?

DogT · May 11, 2012

I would be very leery of putting pressure on it. I think submersing it would be plenty of pressure if you can find a tank big enough (horse trough). My 2 cents. First I'd put some primer on it.

Dave
69S

Seal a new Metal tank?

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