Topic: Cleaning gas tanks - AWSOME RESULTS

[ElCheapo]

Now I must start by saying that I would not reveal this trick to any and keep it as a trade secret. Anyway here is the cat out of the bag.

First all of the leak precautions stand that you would normally follow.

I took a Yamaha RD 200 tank That was pretty crusty inside. Looked a bit like a coral reef, dumped 1 gallon of Muratic acid in it straight for the first 1/2 gallon. Then added some water. then more acid, then more water. AFter the acid was in the tank for about 40 minutes with an occasional swish I flushed the tank about 4 times with the hose jammed in it and the cross over unplugged. Once I was pretty sure I had it rinsed completely................... Now here is the trick.... like some crazed witch doctor I chewed an entire mouthful of Tums until it was chewed up nice and spit her right in the tank. I slipped the cap back on plugged in the cross over tube and swished her for about 4-5 mintues. Now I rinse her again one last time. I pour 1/4 quart of 10/40 and then some old 2 cycle oil on top, capped her again and gave it the swish. After about 10 minutes I drained the whole mess and then put 1/2 gallon of gas in her for the final rinse.

This morning NO RUST AT ALL. Looks like the tank was sandblasted inside.

I have one more of these tanks in good out side condition but again I have the coral reef inside. I will post pics of the cleaning of this one.

[750goes]

Tom,

what are TUMS ?

and if they can clean a coral reef inside a tank, what do they do to the inside of your mouth ?

can you give us some photos of the before and after (not the inside of your mouth either)

thanks

[graydanielm]

Works with very similar results if you use Phosphoric Acid (commonly sold at Tractor Supply under Milkstone Remover) and less offensive than Muriatic Acid. Read the containers - always add water to acid not acid to water.  Wear safety glasses, please. I wouldn't go quite as strong as you did, but the result is the same. An overall 6-8% acid solution does the trick.

Also, stop making your stomach upset and just use any base to offset the acid - best to use a few heaping spoons of Baking Soda. No spitting! Once you neutralize the acid you stop the active ingredients that were reacting and clean up the mess.

[Chris Schneiter]

Do you coat it afterwards? I would think that after a cleaning like that, it would rust right back up.

[turtle]

Charlie
Tums are like Quikeze.

[ElCheapo]

The Tums neutralizes the Murartic acid after the cleaning, duh..

Anyway after 24 hours no rust at all. An no nasty coating.

The tank in the pics with rust is one that I have yet to clean, but it does look equally bad as the cleaned tank did before the cleaning.

Safety glasses are for kids 

[ProTeal55]

Sweet ....

[ElCheapo]

Sweet ....

I know sort of Witch Doctor HUH?, but I do have my grove on with this one. Just dumb chance.

[cb650]

Some how you foaming at the mouth from the tums wouldnt suprise me .




                     Terry

[oldbiker]

always add water to acid not acid to water

Don't want to contradict, but this is the wrong way round.  NEVER add water to acid as the reaction can cause a mini eruption which may splash acid into your face. Add acid to water and the reaction is so slow it can do no harm.

[graydanielm]

I stand corrected!

[ElCheapo]

Just pour the bugger in. I have had no problems with adding either way.

[74cb750]

I am going to try this this afternoon after the Germany/Argentina game.
WIll post pictures (if I can figure it out)
peace,
michel

[74cb750]

OK, hmmmm
did the acid twice, KZ1300 5-6 gallon tank and 1 quart of acid, 14 nuts for loosening the rust and
it still hasn't worked completely.
The gas level gauge is almost spotless, but the rest of the tank still has a lot of rust.

I kept the mixture in for about 1 hour each time. Maybe I am not leaving it in long enough?

will try again in the morning.
michel

[ElCheapo]

Quart? Don't be shy with the stuff.... Give her the whole gallon! The worst that can happen is that she turns into a noodle strainer (in which case it was in need of help anyway) and you have to give it a Kreem lining job.

Well the trick is straight acid right off the bat. Sometimes you have to do it a few times, I guess. Mine was clean in about 40 minutes. The trick is to get her in one run if you can. Start with straight acid and swish about every 3-4 minutes slowly, don't mess with it too much. Never shake her hard. Agitates the acid too much. Remember shaking it so "Acid is applied to acid" will neutralize the stuff. Also remember Acid needs oxygen to make it work. Swish so it is wet and leave IT ALONE!.

[Bodain]

Yep. I use the Muratic acid religously... My process is a bit different than yours. The first time I used the acid I found the tank rusting again almost immediately.  So... Here is my procedure.

1. Fill the tank about half full of water. Put in lots of heavy nuts and bolts.   Bake and shake. This just loosens the big hard stuff.

2. Put in acid / water solution.. Let set 30 or 40 minutes. Empty sludge and fill with clean water. Now add baking soda to nuetralize acid. Slosh a bit. Now one more rinse with clean water.

3. Acetone was key for me. Acetone absorbs water. Add about 1 or 2 cups of Actetone... Slosh around. This absorbs any remaining water.

4. Now put in a quart of any old oil and let it cover all surfaces. Rinse with gasoline and it's like new.


The Acetone step made all the difference in the world with immediate new rust formation.

[74cb750]

Seeing as it is raining again....might as well try it again now.
michel

[el kabong]

...The Acetone step made all the difference in the world with immediate new rust formation...

+1.  just be careful when sloshing/draining the acetone cause it can ruin the paint.

i used the molasses to clean my tank about a month ago, and it worked fine, but the inside of the tank would immediately flash rust, and it felt like i was back where i started.

on my second try, i rinsed the molasses out of the tank and immediately threw in the acetone to absorb the water, and there was no flash rusting.  then i immediately sprayed with WD-40 and so far so good.

the acetone streaked the paint, but i was planning on a new paint job anyway.

[Noel]

Huh. I just used the bottle of acid that came with the Kreem kit. Followed directions, left the stuff in overnight, no rust. Didn't bother with the Kreem; just sloshed some diesel fuel around in the tank to prevent rust while I was painting it, then poured that out when I was done and filled it with fresh gasoline.

I'm told I'm not a very creative person...

[ElCheapo]

Well noel, if it works, it works. Sometimes the best answer is the simplest one.

[74cb750]

Ok, Here the process worked.

First the nuts and shake and bake. Then take out the residue
(about 1/2-1/3 full of a sandwich baggie!!) Saving this to give to the owner
to convince him it needed to be done.

Washed with acid/water or water/acid, drained and used baking soda,
3 times, before I was happy with the results.

Except I did get some "flash rust" after empying out the water/baking soda.

Acetone is nasty so I didn't use it, just used oil and compressed air.

Darn, but it looks a heck of a lot better than before and the little gas level
sending unit actually goes up and down now. WOW.

Thanks.
will post before/after pictures if I can figure it out.

peace,
michel

[Pinhead]

Definately got to try this!

[ElCheapo]

Ok, Here the process worked.

First the nuts and shake and bake. Then take out the residue
(about 1/2-1/3 full of a sandwich baggie!!) Saving this to give to the owner
to convince him it needed to be done.

Washed with acid/water or water/acid, drained and used baking soda,
3 times, before I was happy with the results.

Except I did get some "flash rust" after empying out the water/baking soda.

Acetone is nasty so I didn't use it, just used oil and compressed air.

Darn, but it looks a heck of a lot better than before and the little gas level
sending unit actually goes up and down now. WOW.

Thanks.
will post before/after pictures if I can figure it out.

peace,
michel

This is all good. I always encourage creativity in this. This might be the reason I thought to spit Tum's in the tank after 3 washings. Something about the Tum's and 10/40 oil with 2 cycle gas did the nix on the rust. To date there is no rust in the tank.