Tank storage

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YING

YING

Pittsboro,NC
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I changed over from a steel roadster tank to an Interstate and wanted to know the best way to put it away without having to worry about it
Thanks
 
Either drain empty or fill completely, use E0 in preference to E5 for the fill. Tape over the breather in the gas cap, make sure you remove the tape before the first start.
 
If you're putting it away for a while I'd make sure it was empty and dry. Think about sloshing some clean oil around to coat the inside, or better still some sort of corrosion protective stuff.
 
Empty it, let all fuel evaporate, spray it inside with ACF50 or just good ole WD40. If storing in a dry environment, WD40 will be more than adequate.
 
If storing empty, silica gel sachets are used to absorb airborne moisture, though where you'd buy them I don't know....
 
I assume you are speaking of long term storage as opposed to just a few months as in over the winter. If so, I'd empty the tank. My motos, in different locations, are often unused for 6-7 months but all I do with them is add some StaBil to the fuel, ride the bike for a few miles to ensure the Stabil is mixed/distributed through the fuel system and and that's it. I do the same with cars and have been doing that for many years with no issues at all. I've never used anything other than the 'normal' gas at the local pumps which is up to 10% methanol.

I have seen the results of long-term storage of current gasoline without either draining the gas or using a stabilizer and it isn't pretty! But, again, I have had stabilized gas in a car for as long as 8 months with the car battery disconnected (not on a charger) and upon connecting the battery, the car starts as if running yesterday. When we arrived in TX a couple of weeks ago, my BMW R1200RS and my wife's Ducati Diavel had not been started in a bit over 7 months and both fired right up/ran normally on the gas in the tanks - both with maybe 1/2 tank of fuel (plus StaBil).

Re full fuel tanks...I used to do that with cars, motos, and our boat but I quit about 15 years ago after reading an article by well known marine surveyor, David Pascoe. We were long time boat owners and I did all the maintenance on our 1980 Hatteras 53 MY. His article is here: https://www.yachtsurvey.com/myth_of_condensation_in_fuel_tanks.htm We sold our boat in 2017 and I'm constantly amazed at the improvement in our bank account! :)
 
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I am going to store the tank for at least a year and don’t want to leave it full of treated fuel. I just drained it completely and want to put it up in the attic over my garage.Is there any problem with shooting it with WD-40 and then coating it with oil?
 
WD40 is oil (with propellant). A generous dousing with WD should keep it fine IMHO.
 
I've used cylinder fogging oil for years as I I had both an Interstate and Roadster tank. The Interstate tank would go a couple of years without use. It was stored in a very humid and salty environment as I lived on an Island in Washington State. Worked very well.
 
If it was my tank, I wouldn't store it in an unconditioned space above a garage. Did that once with a bicycle
and it rusted badly.
 
Min
lazyeye6 said:
If it was my tank, I wouldn't store it in an unconditioned space above a garage. Did that once with a bicycle
and it rusted badly.
Click to expand...
Mine have always been stored in a garage attic as I've never had another option. I've never had any rust or corrosion issues but I always used some type of protective treatment. In the early days (1970- 1980) I used cosmoline on all my stored metal junk. I worked part time in a motorcycle shop back then and that's how they had been storing stuff for years. About 1980 my employer had bought a huge supply of aerosol products; contact cleaner, solvent, penetrating oil, and metal protector. We never got the required MSDS data so we couldn't use them at work so the employees (mostly me) were allowed to take them home. Bye bye cosmoline.
 
A professional petrol tank restorer told me to always store a tank upside down with no filler cap or taps
 
Also consider a large plastic tub with well sealing lid to keep the tank in. Will protect the paint and secure from scrapes and dents while in a storage cupboard etc.
 
I’ve had good luck removing the taps, pouring in about a cup of 30 weight, sloshing all around and pouring out what’s left. Plug the tap holes with rubber plugs and store. When ready to use the tank I pour in some gas and slosh it around and pour out, then install and fill with fresh gas.
 
eskasteve said:
I've used cylinder fogging oil for years as I I had both an Interstate and Roadster tank. The Interstate tank would go a couple of years without use. It was stored in a very humid and salty environment as I lived on an Island in Washington State. Worked very well.
Click to expand...
Steve
I have no idea what cylinder fogging oil is
 
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