Author Topic: Gas Tank Rust Cleaning - Success - No Caustics No Flash Rust - Pics (Read 11213 times)

Johnie · « **on:** June 05, 2011, 08:01:00 PM »

I have not had very good luck with the local radiator shops cleaning my tanks. The last 2 out of 3 had leaks after they cleaned, etched and sealed them. I think sometimes the etching is either to hard on these old tanks or the shop leaves the corrosive chemical in to long. They also came back with dents and scratches. So this time I wanted to try to do it myself and did some research. I wanted to find something (if it existed) that was not corrosive, would not harm paint, not burn hands, and was bio friendly. Low and behold I found something that was one of many chemicals mentioned on this site, but was not mentioned much or very often to stick in my mind. First let me say I am in no way affiliated with the company. The product is called Safest Rust Remover and is made by Ultra One in NJ. I will list the website below if anyone is interested to check out the product and pricing. I used it this weekend on my 75 CB360T and I must admit I was skeptical since it is so safe. Seems everyone needs to use toilet bowl cleaner to get the results they want. I was hoping to avoid the caustics and the flash rust. This product did both and I am only mentioning it here to aid fellow do-it-yourselfers. I will highly recommend the product, especially if you want to avoid the pitfalls of the caustics. As you can see by the before and after pictures below, my rusty tank is now clean to the metal without having to shake bolts or chains around inside the tank. Just pour the product in and let it do the work. The recommendation was 12 - 24 hours and more time if you have bad rust. I left mine in for 48 hours, emptied the tank into a bucket, sprayed it out with a hose, dried it well and added fuel. The good thing is you can reuse the product by straining it out through a towel. It works best to completely submerge the tank interior so in my case I needed 3 gallons to fill it completely to the top. Again, I have no affiliation to the company, but want to provide some insight to a product that performed great for cleaning my rusty tank. www.UltraONE.com

ScoobyRoo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2011, 08:15:08 PM »

I'm a big fan of that stuff, never personally used it but they used it to preserve that plymouth belvedere in Tulsa with pretty amazing results. It works using chelation, believe it or not though molasses will do the same thing for a lot less money, most people just pick up some feed grade from a farm and tractor supply type store.

Johnie · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2011, 08:17:31 PM »

Seems it would be hard to get molasses out of a tank? I suppose you could just wash it out with a hose. Hmmmm...never heard the molasses deal, but it sure makes me hungry for those cookies.

ScoobyRoo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2011, 08:22:35 PM »

Its supposedly a tried and true thing

electrolytic rust removal is pretty easy, cheap and effective too but you cannot use it on chrome for obvious reasons. I might do a writeup on here if there isn't one already

Johnie · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2011, 08:51:26 PM »

There is a right up in the FAQ under gas tanks I believe on the use of the anodes and a battery or battery charger. There was some drawbacks to that I think I recall.

mrbreeze · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2011, 09:00:12 PM »

I'm real busy doin' other SOHC shoppin', investigatin', .....stuff like that at the moment but please carry on with your process because I am very interested in what you have to say..........I have 3 or 4 tanks at the moment that need attention with rust and dents and I'm all ears. Tell me some good stuff!!!

sopo400f · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2011, 03:40:51 AM »

Thanks for the tip!
I just Googled it, tons of info out there. That's what I will be doing to my tank.

Scott S · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2011, 04:39:55 AM »

That did a great job, but DANG!....three gallons is $75 plus shipping? Or $100 for the concentrate?

I'll stick with the $1.99 Works. Even if the other stuff IS reusable. All you have to do is add a few ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil until you put gas in it. I had one tank sit at the body shop for a year and it was still rust free.

Johnie · « **Reply #8 on:** June 06, 2011, 05:23:16 AM »

Agree it is not for everyone as the price does not compare to the toilet bowl cleaners. But I did not want to repaint this OEM tank. This product will not harm your paint job which was a main concern of mine. The fact I can reuse it is also a plus. The bio friendly turned me on as I am not the neatest person and do spill stuff in the process. Plus, there was no smell to alert my wife to what I was doing in the house rinsing stuff out.

number13 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 06, 2011, 09:49:31 AM »

For what it's worth, I've used molasses and it works great!
I used one gallon of molasses and 2 gallons of water filled up to
the neck, let it sit for 3 days and the inside looked like new. Best part for me was the fact
that you could pour the used solution down the drain, it won't hurt the environment.

sopo400f · « **Reply #10 on:** June 07, 2011, 05:16:57 PM »

$7.99 for one gal at tractor supply.

Johnie · « **Reply #11 on:** June 07, 2011, 05:34:18 PM »

If molasses is such a good cleaner of rust, then how come people use caustic toilet bowl cleaner?
Just wondering???

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #12 on:** June 07, 2011, 05:40:35 PM »

Quote from: Johnie on June 07, 2011, 05:34:18 PM

If molasses is such a good cleaner of rust, then how come people use caustic toilet bowl cleaner?
Just wondering???

Molasses works great, i was first shown molasses by a friends father that is a truckie and builds trucks as well, he had an old water tank cut in half in the back of his shed and it had around 1000 litres of molasses in it, all his old rusty parts would be thrown in and left until needed, they always came out looking really good. Dave500 uses it to clean his parts as well....

lone*X · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2011, 06:35:17 PM »

If we are looking into "cheap" products that are friendly to use lets not forget plain Vinegar. Available at the grocery and dirt cheap. Simple white vinegar is 5% acid content (about the same as molasses IIRC ) and dissolves rust slowly but surely. Heinz white vinegar is about $2.50 a gallon so even 3 gallons is easy on the wallet. Nice thing about vinegar is the cleanup. No sticky mess. Also if you have a little left in the bottles you can put it on your salad and have it for lunch. Can't get any more friendly than that. You will also want to recycle the used vinegar for use in the yard or garden. Best organic weed killer out there and no issue using it in ecco sensitive regions.

trent · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2011, 07:47:44 PM »

So after the cleaning you don't coat it? I'm a newbee, and I am doing my 350f tank as we speak. but I spent the cash for the sealant thinking if I didn't that it would just rust on me again. Thanks

Johnie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2011, 05:13:31 AM »

I did not need to coat my tank after cleaning the rust. Some products like the toilet bowl cleaners you will get flash rust almost immediately after which is why I chose not to go that route. It is the caustics which will sometimes cause pin hole leaks in the tank too. Then you have no choice but to line it. What you are really after is a clean unlined tank. It is your choice on how you want to try to get that end result. All I know is 2 out of 2 CB750 tanks that I took to a radiator shop to clean and line ended up with pin hole leaks...and that was after a liner too. They did not leak prior to the treatment. I just think these old rusty tanks sometimes are to thin to handle the caustics. This last bike I did was a 1975 CB360T and the tank paint was so nice I did not want to mess it up with a caustic solution.

Scott S · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2011, 05:24:32 AM »

Johnie, the tank won't flash rust if you do it correctly.
If you neutralize the toilet bowl cleaner with water and baking soda, then rinse the tank with a little denatured alcohol (to help speed the water drying), then slosh around a couple of ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil, you won't have any problems with rust. I personally had a tank sit at the body shop for over a year after doing this and it was/is still rust free. Just add gas when you're ready and go!
The M.M.O. isn't necessary if you plan to add gas right away.

If you have pinhole leaks, the tank was compromised anyway and it was just a matter of time until the thin areas gave way.

76CB5WI · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2011, 06:14:36 AM »

This is similiar to another product called Evaporust which has worked well for me.
flush with water and rinse with gas...post and it can sit for quite a while without rust-
say if your sending the part out for paint..etc..

Johnie · « **Reply #18 on:** June 08, 2011, 09:58:58 AM »

Excellent info guys...thanks.

trent · « **Reply #19 on:** June 08, 2011, 10:09:54 AM »

Very informative, thanks! I got mine very clean, and then washed it out with baking soda and water. I decided I would kream it because I had already purchased it. I am never happy with the results, (the occasional thick area and such) but it will hold gas and I only have to look in there when I fill the tank! So thanks for the info, my next tank will go much more smoothly.
Trent

Johnie · « **Reply #20 on:** June 08, 2011, 10:26:44 AM »

Good job Trent. I kind of like the magnet idea someone mentioned above after the cleaning...just as a fail safe item.

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Author Topic: Gas Tank Rust Cleaning - Success - No Caustics No Flash Rust - Pics (Read 11213 times)