Topic: Will vinnager really clean rust out of a gas tank?

[Bob Wessner]

I would recommend you do some research before choosing muriatic acid, which is hydrochloric acid will leave the metal exposed and can lead to flash rusting. Phosphoric acid would be a better choice as it actually leaves behind a coating on the steel. Just a thought.

[cbjunkie]

that's the beauty of the phosphoric acid, you're right about that, Bob.

...sometimes the "get 'er done" attitude doesn't pay off...the phosphoric freezes the rust and won't flash, as Bob has said.

i keep a spritz bottle of the Must4Rust right by the parking spot - regular, bi-monthly shots on the little random screw heads and bits are all i need to keep me looking clean ...that and a touch-up can of satin black rattlecan...it lives next to the chain lube and rust medicine.

[nippon]

I would suggest to use Por-15. That tank work should be done once and the right way.
I have derusted and coated my tank with the Por kit. I'm absolutely satisfied with the result.
Never have to think about it. Don't make any experiments with unknown or not satisfying results,
...my opinion.

nippon

[petescb]

I don't know about vinegar or molasses but I would use POR-15.  Just follow the directions and make sure the tank is dry before you apply the final coating and you'll be fine.  Definitely worth the $30.

[neil young]

what about CLR has anybody tried that . i have a bottle and was thinking of trying it on a tank someone just gave me . i heard some where to use it then after dumping it add vinegar to neutralize the  C L R [ calsium, lime, rust ]

[kaceyf2]

Heres a "modern take" on an old theme, instead of filling the tank with nuts and bolts /gravel and shaking till your arms fall off ( not too efficient for rust removing)  what you do is this.......put in the nuts and bolts and /or whatever "shaking mixture" is your fancy......wrap tank in a duvet, yes, a duvet or loads of bubble wrap and cardboard OR A SLEEPING bag, tape it all up well, and put your tank in..........
a cement mixer and switch it on, and lie back for a good few hours reading the paper and having a beer with mates........maybe the odd spliff or three, ( just dont forget what you are doing)   The cement mixer is your "power arms" an excellent tool, been around for a while now, sort of "does it for you"
makes an excellent sound as well...mine (well not mine, but one i borrowed offa someone who can afford more tools than brains)  makes a sort of "pooty, pooty", sound, In fact me little uns call it "The neighbours pooty pooty machine that dad borrows to get rust offa things"
oh yes, cant you all see that it works real well, with no instantly noticable drawbacks?
All that shaking and rust removing power??? Its like having your very own "tank cleaning slaves" taking it in turns to do the work for you all......and there is also the pooty pooty song that one can learn to sing while in the reclined relaxed position, but that can wait till next time.............
wow, hes right, hasnt dave up the road got a cement mixer he hardly uses?
Hya dave I was just wondering.......................

[Bob Wessner]

A member posted an alternate suggestion to nuts/bolts last year (too late to help me though ). Use a couple/few short lengths of sash chain from the hardware store, they are easier to fish out than individual nuts and bolts.

[cafehonda]

There are also products from Eastwood called metalprep & oxysolv. It eats rust and coats with phosphate. The great thing is that it is reusable, just allow to settle and pour off, leaving the rust particles behind. Eastwood also sells tank coating products that are far superior to Kreem. $34.00 for the 5 gallon tank kit. Did mine 6 years ago and it's still great inside. They also have tons of great autobody products and tools.

[neil young]

again i will ask in Canada you can buy a product called C L R  [ calcium,lime,and rust ] remover.has anybody tried this to clean out a rusty gas tank . and if so what were the results. i think its pretty strong stuff thats why I'm reluctant to use it  as the outside of my tank is so nice but the inside is a mess of rust

[DME]

Here´s my opinion:

If a tank has holes in it from rust or whatever, then use a tanksealer like Kreem, POR 15 or other.

If it´s only a bit rusty but still intact, just remove the rust and leave the coating out of it.


My tank had some slight rust but no holes.

I removed the rust using citric acid (the stuff used for cooking...) bought at the local supermarket.

Add 90 grams of acid to every gallon of water, and fill the tank right up.

Remove the petcock first as the acid will eat the aluminium....

Leave the water/acid in for a couple of days and every bit of rust will be gone. Even the deepest pores will be clean.

Then pour the mixture out and immediatly rinse the tank with some carbcleaner. That will stop flashrusting and soak up the small amount of water left in the tank.

Mount the tank and fill her up, your tank will now be fine for another 30 years of service 

Best tip to prevent tankrust is to keep the tank filled up, especially if its left sitting for a long time in conditions where the temp is going up and down a lot...

Cheers
Daniel

[cbjunkie]

the MUST FOR RUST product - available at commercial home supplier stores is equivalent to the POR-15 rust-eater (and MUCH cheaper).  it is a phosphoric acid-based treatment and acts much as cafehonda has described the Eastwood product.

THE WORKS - toilet bowl cleaner is equivalent to the CLR remover.

i'm sure that the industrial grade chemicals are available to the  adventurous buyer, however both of the above mentioned products work, and are easily bought in sufficient (small) quantity to handle the corrosion in a 5 gallon tank at Home Depot.

Depot also carries a ZEP Lime, Rust and Calcium cleaner - I have a 2 gallon bottle of it, but have yet to experiment with its efficacy.

[nickjtc]

Depot also carries a ZEP Lime, Rust and Calcium cleaner - I have a 2 gallon bottle of it, but have yet to experiment with its efficacy.

Probably the same as the CLR stuff we get here.

[cb650]

Heres a "modern take" on an old theme, instead of filling the tank with nuts and bolts /gravel and shaking till your arms fall off ( not too efficient for rust removing)  what you do is this.......put in the nuts and bolts and /or whatever "shaking mixture" is your fancy......wrap tank in a duvet, yes, a duvet or loads of bubble wrap and cardboard OR A SLEEPING bag, tape it all up well, and put your tank in..........
a cement mixer and switch it on, and lie back for a good few hours reading the paper and having a beer with mates........maybe the odd spliff or three, ( just dont forget what you are doing)   The cement mixer is your "power arms" an excellent tool, been around for a while now, sort of "does it for you"
makes an excellent sound as well...mine (well not mine, but one i borrowed offa someone who can afford more tools than brains)  makes a sort of "pooty, pooty", sound, In fact me little uns call it "The neighbours pooty pooty machine that dad borrows to get rust offa things"
oh yes, cant you all see that it works real well, with no instantly noticable drawbacks?
All that shaking and rust removing power??? Its like having your very own "tank cleaning slaves" taking it in turns to do the work for you all......and there is also the pooty pooty song that one can learn to sing while in the reclined relaxed position, but that can wait till next time.............
wow, hes right, hasnt dave up the road got a cement mixer he hardly uses?
Hya dave I was just wondering.......................

I thought I was the only one that did this .




                  Terry

[Lumbee]

i have been to home depot here in Toronto and Canadian tire when i asked for por 15 and or kreme kit nobody has ever heard of it so now im pissed any suggestions

...you won't find these at Home Depot...you need to go to an autoparts/MC parts store.  I've never seen Por15 on the shelf...I got my off the web...

[brad]

how do i rinse the leftover CRUD out of the tank.  I soaked my tank in vinegar with a chain and left it in the bed of my truck for a week drove it back and forth to work everyday and if you live in the boston area you know what potholes are, so the rust, vineer, etc. all flaked up off the tank but now i have these sheets of crud floating around in the tank that i can't get out.  i tried flushing it with water both from the filler hole and the petcock hole.  any tricks or tips? 

[johnny-from-bel]

If you have not flushed it for a couple of hours, you will never get it out. High preasure for 2-3 hours.

[brad]

can you describe the crud, sir?

this particular brand of crud looks like wax paper. 

[Terry in Australia]

Stop playing games with it.

Go to Ace Hardware. Buy one gallon of Muratic Acid. Done right, you will have a perfectly clean tank in about 2 hours.
Read all cautions. Be very careful. Highly toxic and very nasty stuff for a very nasty job.

Muratic acid is both unnecessary, and dangerous. 

[brad]

If you have not flushed it for a couple of hours, you will never get it out. High preasure for 2-3 hours.

do you just stick the hose in it and go have a sandwich? 

[brad]

can you describe the crud, sir?

this particular brand of crud looks like wax paper. 

actually i have more crud.  big chunks of what appear to be a liner/coating that have freed themselves.  i'll take pictures tomorrow.  i have no idea how i am going to get these things out.  they're at least 6 inches long and a couple inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. 

this ought to be fun. 

[cbjunkie]

it's my understanding that acetone dissolves KREEM-type liners - at this point you might as well give it a shot.

[brad]

it's my understanding that acetone dissolves KREEM-type liners - at this point you might as well give it a shot.

i did a little test on a piece that i was able to get out of the tank. soaked it in acetone for a little while and it got a lot more brittle but didn't dissolve.  maybe if i leave it in for longer it'll break up enough to get it out of the tank??  who knows?  it's worth a shot i guess. 

anybody need a 76 750 F tank with more holes in it than swiss cheese? 

[brad]

yo - bradley - tell me about yer avatar...

http://www.kbdrecords.com/2006/08/22/shock-this-generations-on-vacation-ep-7/

punk rock. 

and it's just "brad"  no  "ley", "lee", or "ford"

[johnny-from-bel]

it's my understanding that acetone dissolves KREEM-type liners - at this point you might as well give it a shot.

i did a little test on a piece that i was able to get out of the tank. soaked it in acetone for a little while and it got a lot more brittle but didn't dissolve.  maybe if i leave it in for longer it'll break up enough to get it out of the tank??  who knows?  it's worth a shot i guess. 

anybody need a 76 750 F tank with more holes in it than swiss cheese? 

Any thank that is not disintegrating is reparable

[brad]

it's my understanding that acetone dissolves KREEM-type liners - at this point you might as well give it a shot.

i did a little test on a piece that i was able to get out of the tank. soaked it in acetone for a little while and it got a lot more brittle but didn't dissolve.  maybe if i leave it in for longer it'll break up enough to get it out of the tank??  who knows?  it's worth a shot i guess. 

anybody need a 76 750 F tank with more holes in it than swiss cheese? 

Any thank that is not disintegrating is reparable

johnny any chance you could send a couple of westvleteren 12's my way?