Topic: Whats Your Favorite Tank Liner???

[calj737]

So old Japanese motorbikes don't have liners stock? Other than being a quick way to fix pinholes, I see it like putting super glue and rubber on a tire.

Not that I have come across but I haven't seen every tank from every manufacturer on the inside.

I can tell you from personal experience, that in order to fix badly damaged tanks, it is sometimes absolutely necessary to re-line them. Or, you must cut the tank shell free from the tunnel, work a patch to the curves, weld it in, grind it, hammer and dolly the metal, then, weld the tank back together. Would cost you right around $1,000 to do it that way.

Or, with some decent patch work, some tig welding and grinding, a liner insures that the patch is leakproof. So, sometimes, it's a matter of economics for folks on a budget who desire to retain the original tank.

And I don't know how much bodywork you've done, but Bondo is absolutely used on every show car to attain perfect lines. Bondo isn't the foe, gobbling it into dents to raise the surface by amateurs is. But every pro "surfaces" body panels to produce perfectly straight and flawless paint jobs. And they're not cheap either...

[b5rider]

I see it like putting super glue and rubber on a tire.

Not quite.
I see it as a way to seal a tank so I dont have to worry about rust debris entering my fuel system.

+1
That's the only reason I'm doing it.  I have a custom painted tank that would be difficult to match,  but it has some rust that is getting into my carbs despite a filter

[Retro Rocket]

Don't like liners at all, if  have a tank bad enough to need one I'll just buy a new one....

[AlekStooge]

So old Japanese motorbikes don't have liners stock? Other than being a quick way to fix pinholes, I see it like putting super glue and rubber on a tire.

Not that I have come across but I haven't seen every tank from every manufacturer on the inside.

I can tell you from personal experience, that in order to fix badly damaged tanks, it is sometimes absolutely necessary to re-line them. Or, you must cut the tank shell free from the tunnel, work a patch to the curves, weld it in, grind it, hammer and dolly the metal, then, weld the tank back together. Would cost you right around $1,000 to do it that way.

Or, with some decent patch work, some tig welding and grinding, a liner insures that the patch is leakproof. So, sometimes, it's a matter of economics for folks on a budget who desire to retain the original tank.

And I don't know how much bodywork you've done, but Bondo is absolutely used on every show car to attain perfect lines. Bondo isn't the foe, gobbling it into dents to raise the surface by amateurs is. But every pro "surfaces" body panels to produce perfectly straight and flawless paint jobs. And they're not cheap either...

I've never used a liner before and never done body work (interested though). I guess there is more work than just filling in the pinholes. I always hear bad things about Bondo.

[ofreen]

Fillers can be misused and abused like anything else. Used correctly they make a lot of things easier (and possible).

[calj737]

Time to pick your head up and learn some things, Alek. Your opinion of Bondo and tank liners are similar; low due to reputation. I'm not saying that people don't "misuse" Bondo to hide mashed in tanks, or body panels, because they certainly do. And honestly, not all people have the tools or trade to remove small dings and dents from surfaces, making Bondo a necessity.

Here's a tank I repaired. Despite all my efforts, some amount of Bondo was required (about a fingernail's worth). Crease was pushed out as well as I could, then metal was filed, then sanded, and still you can clearly see the divot. No other option than to add some surfacing mud (Bondo).






Same principles for tanks. Here's one I repaired for a buddy. Discovered a huge amount of Bondo concealing a bashed in front edge (hidden below a rattle can paint job). Guy had a very limited budget, and needed transportation. Despite working the metal, it was so fatigued, that even after patch and welding, there were leaks. Liner required (and some filler). Looks perfect now, and holds fuel. Another tank saved!

[Don R]

 I haven't lined one yet but I owned one with a liner in it. No trouble ever. I'm going to use Caswell on the fiberglass tank on my nostalgia drag bike. Just in case alcohol accidentally gets in there. I'm told it's the only one listed for fiberglass.

[jonda500]

Here's my 500 tank - a mate pulled the dents out with an ezybeat which left me with lots of little holes & tears

I gently banged the holes in slightly with a slag hammer and braized them up with the oxy welder, then ground & filed off the excess brass. After checking thoroughly for leaks it was ready for the paint shop...

Looks great now with its $800 paint job & has been in use for over a year without any liner/tank sealer products used and is still 100% leak free!

edit- The shop would definately have used some bog(bondo) under the paint to even out the surface. 

[AlekStooge]

Time to pick your head up and learn some things, Alek. Your opinion of Bondo and tank liners are similar; low due to reputation. I'm not saying that people don't "misuse" Bondo to hide mashed in tanks, or body panels, because they certainly do. And honestly, not all people have the tools or trade to remove small dings and dents from surfaces, making Bondo a necessity.

Here's a tank I repaired. Despite all my efforts, some amount of Bondo was required (about a fingernail's worth). Crease was pushed out as well as I could, then metal was filed, then sanded, and still you can clearly see the divot. No other option than to add some surfacing mud (Bondo).


When you use Bondo would you have problems polishing/powder coating? Like when using liner?





Same principles for tanks. Here's one I repaired for a buddy. Discovered a huge amount of Bondo concealing a bashed in front edge (hidden below a rattle can paint job). Guy had a very limited budget, and needed transportation. Despite working the metal, it was so fatigued, that even after patch and welding, there were leaks. Liner required (and some filler). Looks perfect now, and holds fuel. Another tank saved!

[rtbmrgl]

+1 Caswell.  Have 2 tanks with it.

+2 caswell, just lined my K6, should have done it a year ago. A year ago I brazed holes, fixed dents, and painted my 750 tank. I couldn't find any leaks after repairs, used the air pressure soapy water method. One year later a small bubble appeared in the paint, will seal next time I have a tank that had holes repaired. Luckily the bubble was under a decal.

[calj737]

When you use Bondo would you have problems polishing/powder coating? Like when using liner?

Standard bond is not compatible with being powder coated over. I'm told by the PC professionals, that there is a usable version, but I don't know it. As for polishing, do you mean fix the metal, use filer, then polish the raw metal? If so, the filler will show... (Not sure what you're asking here)

The bottom line is: Bondo is a tool like any other. Necessary many times, mis-used often. Tank liners are great tools, and they have terrible reputations from those that dislike them. There's not a single thing in the world wrong with using a liner. Just prepare the interior properly, install the liner properly, and forget about it. I can not imagine a downside to that process.

I have a buddy that likes to find antique motorcycle parts, and "restore" as well as he can the stock original finishes. Some he re-paints, many others not. But after de-rusting them, they may sit for years on a shelf. He lines them and sets them aside. Uses Caswell (because its clear, available in large volume containers, and works very well) and has never had a complaint. I'd say he's probably lined about 100 tanks in the past 5 years and swears by every one. I switched based upon his advice, and found it to be exactly what he described.

So now I line all my tanks before final paint. Necessary? No. A great method for preserving a 40+ year old piece of used metal art? You bet!

[Retro Rocket]

The bottom line is: Bondo is a tool like any other

Its nothing like Fenders Cal...!!   

[calj737]

Amen, he was a tool unlike many others...

[jonda500]

N.B. I have had three personal encounters with tank liners- all three were bad ones - but all three were the kreem variety, first time was when one failed in my rz250 - but maybe the PO didn't do it properly; second failure was when I stupidly added valve saver to my custom one piece frame/tank 500 race bike(sadly it killed that project for me!); third encounter was helping a friend try and line his harley tank- this is not a large tank but when we got to the final step (adding the cream to the tank) we found it quite impossible to get it to spread thin enough to coat much more than half of the inside. He later purchased another bottle of kreem but reportedly still didn't quite achieve full coverage an that stuf ain't cheap - he was NOT happy!
-however maybe the kreem, which was purchased from two different stores here in Australia, was old stock.

Caswell sounds like good stuff - if I ever have a rust pitted tank to repair I'd like to try it.

[petecb400]

No liner.  Add 365 in your tank.

[grcamna2]

I haven't lined one yet but I owned one with a liner in it. No trouble ever. I'm going to use Caswell on the fiberglass tank on my nostalgia drag bike. Just in case alcohol accidentally gets in there. I'm told it's the only one listed for fiberglass.

I had a Vintage Norton fiberglass tank lined inside;someone recommended a boat place.I super-clean the orig. surface inside and then I took it to the boat guy who did a 'Gel coat' clear fiberglass on the inside and let it set-up for a while before use.The tank has been in use for a while now and holding up well even w/ the E-gas we've been having to use.

[grcamna2]

Nice job on saving the bad tank(w/ the left dent/rot) in your lower pics Cal. 

[calj737]

Nice job on saving the bad tank(w/ the left dent/rot) in your lower pics Cal. 

I did that for SulphurDave in New Orleans. HE was pretty happy to get it back in one piece, sealed, and primed. He was very tight on his budget, but wanted to get his bike running very badly. A few hours of work, and a couple of days in the mail.

You can check out the whole process of pictures in his thread (it was a wreck!)

[Eddie]

I have a 75 GL1000 that the tank is fairly clean but after I de-rusted it, it developed pin holes in the seam. I'm going to try KBS Coatings gas tank seal. they have a 3 part system. Cleaner, Rust blast then the sealer. Good reviews. If you could find a new tank they are $600+...no way.

[grcamna2]

I have a 75 GL1000 that the tank is fairly clean but after I de-rusted it, it developed pin holes in the seam. I'm going to try KBS Coatings gas tank seal. they have a 3 part system. Cleaner, Rust blast then the sealer. Good reviews. If you could find a new tank they are $600+...no way.

Those GL1000 tanks are deep into the rear of the frame(they're like a auto style tank!)and I think it's a B*tch to get'em out.I like that they're hidden from direct sunlight so they don't have the same problems(heat-cool-heat-cool>condensate..)that our upper tanks do.

[Stev-o]

Nice job on saving the bad tank(w/ the left dent/rot) in your lower pics Cal. 

I did that for SulphurDave in New Orleans. HE was pretty happy to get it back in one piece, sealed, and primed. He was very tight on his budget, but wanted to get his bike running very badly. A few hours of work, and a couple of days in the mail.

You can check out the whole process of pictures in his thread (it was a wreck!)

Cal is a "Tank Whisperer"!  He also did a fine job on one of my 550 tanks, still owe ya big time, Cal. Thanks again.

[cakey]

I used POR 15 in both my GL1000 and CB750 K1 tanks and they both still look like new inside a couple of years later. I havnt faulted the product yet.

I spoke to the rep from POR 15 and he advised me on the final coat to put duck tape over the fuel filler hole and then poke my air compressor gun through the tape and give a squirt of air. The pressurising in the tank forced the POR 15 into the seams and any places it would normally flow over the top of. Good advice I thought at the time and I did it.

[calj737]

I've adopted the practice of filling the tank from the underside through the petcock hole first with half the batch, then flipping the tank over and pouring the rest in from the filler neck. Provides the best method for me to get proper coverage on the underside of the tank, and over the tunnel, and into the seams.

I follow this with ample tumbling of the tank in all directions. After inspecting the interior of the tanks with a fiber pic scope through the portholes, I'm confident I've gotten the liner everywhere.

[chewbacca5000]

So yesterday I went to home depot to get Xylene to make up some homemade rubber renue and noticed that they have the real MEK back in stock!  You know the nasty stuff.  For those who need to remove a stubborn tank liner this will do it.

No idea if your local Home Depot has it, but mine does.  Yippee!

[rtbmrgl]

So yesterday I went to home depot to get Xylene to make up some homemade rubber renue and noticed that they have the real MEK back in stock!  You know the nasty stuff.  For those who need to remove a stubborn tank liner this will do it.

No idea if your local Home Depot has it, but mine does.  Yippee!

Just read the Kleen Strip website info on MEK, "Not intended for sale or use in California."
Well it should say not for sale in calif.

My drug, gun runner smuggler can get it to Calif.  What the heck, are we motorcyclist or a gang of bikers,
lets get organized and corner the market on MEK in Calif. Ill setup the Sacramento area.