Topic: Phosphoric acid-tank cleaning

[beelsamin]

This post is for any Canadian members.I read all the messages re: tank cleaning, and decided to clean the gas tank with phosphoric acid,most people said Home Depot has it.I went to a Home Depot(in Canada) and they do not stock it nor do they have muriatic acid.
I'd prefer the phosphoric as it leaves a coating that slows rust re-developing.My question is,does anyone know where I can buy it in Ontario?

[mustangcar]

try looking for this product in Home Depot -Phorophorc Plus made by KLEEN-STRIP also used in cleaning concrete,you try to ask the workers in Homedepot anything they are dumbfks got to look for it yourself goodluck try other hardware stores carrying that brand

[tbpmusic]

This post is for any Canadian members.I read all the messages re: tank cleaning, and decided to clean the gas tank with phosphoric acid,most people said Home Depot has it.I went to a Home Depot(in Canada) and they do not stock it nor do they have muriatic acid.
I'd prefer the phosphoric as it leaves a coating that slows rust re-developing.My question is,does anyone know where I can buy it in Ontario?

In my area, Home Depot doesn't sell the stuff.
Do you have Tractor Supply store or Farm&Fleet in your area??  They both carry it, as it's a dairy product.

bill2

[beelsamin]

I asked specifically for it and they said we do not carry it in Canada,I think I'll just get the Por15 kit,it has everything included and.....it is available in Canada for about $45
Thanks guys

[NWrider]

Try a Dollar Store or even a Walmat. Take a look at a product designed to remove water scale or lime deposits or that removes rust from concrete. Even Lime Away has phosphoric acid in it. While some are weaker, any with phosphoric acid should clean the tank up, provided you've knocked the rust chunks out with something like a handful of rocks, nuts, bolts, screw, chain etc.

NWR

[MCRider]

Try a Dollar Store or even a Walmat. Take a look at a product designed to remove water scale or lime deposits or that removes rust from concrete. Even Lime Away has phosphoric acid in it. While some are weaker, any with phosphoric acid should clean the tank up, provided you've knocked the rust chunks out with something like a handful of rocks, nuts, bolts, screw, chain etc.

NWR

I like this stuff as it has an inhibitor to protect the base metal which is paintable.  http://www.jcwhitney.com/RUST-TREATMENT/GP_2000778_N_111+10201+600016934_10101.jcw

The Dairy product is "Sterosol" but I couldn't find a web supplier. I have some I got from a Vintage Jap Motorcycle Club member. He did a bulk buy from Farm Bureau and we all bought some to clean rust from gas tanks.

[Bodi]

Well, they used to have it. I bought Behr concrete cleaner, this is just phosphoric acid. I can get the stock number, if you need (syill have a bit in the jug). A paint store that sells epoxy garage floor paint should have this stuff too, you need it to preclean/etch the concrete before painting.

[KingCustomCycles.com]

Dollar store toilet bowl cleaner.....

[beelsamin]

And I saw the Behr cocrete cleaner and etcher but was so intent on finding "Phosphoric acid" I didn't read the label.....duh me!
I am however going to buy the Por15 bike kit which has a cleaner in it,might as well do it right.
Thanks all for the help.

[beelsamin]

The tank is not bad,it was from an Arizona bike and has rust spots kind of like measles visible through the gas cap opening,I'm hoping that condition exists in the rest of the tank I can't see.

[The Gardener]

Hey, kind of surprised your local HOME DEPOT doesn't carry muriatic acid. Every DEPOT in the states has it in the Garden/Pool area. Cheap too, but can be nasty, stings. Anyway try a company that sells swimming pool stuff. If that doesn't work, I know I've seen tank cleaning using electrical current, I'll look for it & post it when I find it. Unless someone already knows how.

JD

[The Gardener]

Wow that was quick! I went to Tips&Tricks and there it was http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f38/rust-removal-using-electrolysis-63065.html

Check it out, it might work for you.

JD

[beelsamin]

I just went to the Canadian Tire store and they had muriatic acid so I'm treating the tank right now.
Thanks

[KingCustomCycles.com]

Be careful with the electrolysis process, it very nicely removed the chrome from a set of Springer front end springs.  I then had them powder coated so all was well.  I used the process to clean a rear brake lever on a 550 last year.  It worked well. I used a plastic 5 gal. bucket of water, a battery charger, a steel plate and baking soda in the water with a battery charger connected.  No warranty expressed or implied.

First time I used the muriatic acid I didn't dilute it much and it ate completely through the tank and petcock in about an hour.  I hate the stuff.  Toilet bowl cleaner is available all over the planet and is much safer.

[TwoTired]

Beware of flash rust with the muratic acid.   It doesn't leave a conversion layer on the metal surface like phosphoric does.

iron + water + oxygen = iron oxide.

Cheers,

[adamd9932]

I recently did mine according to this guide http://kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=11

I only used the muriatic acid after swishing some nuts around in the tank.  As soon as I emptied the acid, I rinsed the tank with water and then sprayed the insides of the tank with wd-40 and then let it dry.  It worked great for me, and as far as my naked eye can tell, I had no problems with rust after cleaning.

[beelsamin]

Just finished the acid bath and I did dilute the muriatic about 4 parts water to 1 part acid,turned the tank every which way fir 2 hours,looked in the inlet and she looked really nice. Drained the tank into a pail,neutrazed the acid with baking soda. Hosed the tank out with water for 15 minutes,dried it with a hair dryer,and sprayed liberally with WD40.I'll let it sit overnite then rinse with gasoline....oh and the acid water mix I emptied out was a lovely brown colour...

[mbrown67]

I just completed my tank. I should have read the posts prior to doing the the tank because I did not dilute my acid. Heres what I did:

1) Removed the petcock from the tank
2) Poured acid into tank
3) Put a handful of rocks/gravel into the tank
4) swished everything around for a few minutes(remember to wear some safty gear, I did and luckily did not feel the pain acid can cause)
5) Poured the acid out into a pail
6) Pour more acid into the tank & Swished it all around
7) Let the acid sit for a minute or two slowly rotating the tank to cover all surfaces
Drained tank & flushed with RO water
9) Flushed tank with baking soda/water mix (I did not really measure it out)
10) Repeat 9 several times (I flushed it out with a baking soda mix two or three times)
11) Flush well with water (I used hose water because I ran out of RO and was not sure if it is better)
12) Washed out with rubbing alcohol
13) Coated with ATF (WD-40 will work as well)

The tank looked good before I coated it with ATF. I will let you know how it looks in the morning.