Topic: Why aren't tanks coated from the factory?

[GroovieGhoulie]

I heard that BMW is the only manufacturer to coat the inside of their tanks against rust from the factory.

How come other manufacturers don't do this?  It seems like a easy way to make their tanks last MUCH longer.

[eldar]

Thats exactly why they dont do it. They make more if you have to replace the tank. Would be nice if it was a factory option though.

[grumburg]

Honda probably never figured someone would still be messing with these things in 30-40 years.

[eldar]

I dont think even the new ones are coats but I have never asked.

[Gordon]

Because coating the tank doesn't increase the performance, doesn't make the bike look better, isn't required by law, and would cost the manufacturer, and therefore the customer, more money. 

[GroovieGhoulie]

Because coating the tank doesn't increase the performance, doesn't make the bike look better, isn't required by law, and would cost the manufacturer, and therefore the customer, more money. 

But I'm sure there are people who would be willing to pay the few extra bucks to make the tank rustproof, especially if they happen to live in humid/condensation-prone areas which just rots away bikes.

I know I would.

[Gordon]

I agree with you, Groovie.  I'd pay a little extra for that option, too, but I still think those are the main reasons why it's not offered more often. 

[eldar]

I would too. I can see why it was not thought of in old bikes. But it would be nice as an option in new bikes. But maybe they are thought of as being disposable like cars seem to be though of these days. I am sure even the bike manufacturers want you to buy new instead of repairing.

[MRieck]

Harley has done it for years....it's true.

[eldar]

Wow they were actually progressive with something!?

[6adan]

How many of us would have thought of this when we bought these bikes new, I know I didn't when I bought mine 36 years ago. Dannie

[Chris in Ramsey]

  If you're willing to pay extra for a coated tank.......why not just have it done?

[GroovieGhoulie]

  If you're willing to pay extra for a coated tank.......why not just have it done?

Because if it's done that way from the get-go, it'll NEVER rust.  So instead of having to run acid and cleaners in my tank, making the metal even thinner, it would be a non-issue from day one.

[Dusthawk]

I just got my new tank sealed for $50. Beats buying a new tank in a few years. It was much cheaper than I thought, so a good buy. I would advise against kreem if anyone is considering it, it hardens and flakes in the tank. I can't remember the name the stuff that was used on mine right off but it stays flexible after drying so no clogged fuel filters.

Peace and Long Rides,

Jeff

[GroovieGhoulie]

Which leads to another question:

How much "give" do these coatings have, specifically POR-15?  What would happen if I coat my tank and then have a dent pulled?  Would it cause it to fail and flake off or would it move with the metal?

[bowhunter]

Are any automotive tanks coated? I'm not aware of any. Part of the problem is that motorcycles tend to be driven seasonally. The off season comes and the bikes get put away, and not always properly prepared for storage. Store it with less than a full tank, and moisture in the air starts it's slow destruction. Likewise during the riding season, anytime the bike sits for a time, unriden, moisture still accumulates, condensing on the exposed metal. I'm sure that are many older cars and trucks, with tanks on the verge of leaking, that are just waiting for the right bump, or stone, to start leaking. I had a '67 Pontiac LeMans that I couldn't fill past half way, because the seam leaked like a sieve, a few years ago. That's just one of the joys of owning 25+ year old machinery!

Bowhunter

[Tim.]

Harley has done it for years....it's true.

Harley's need all the help they can get.

[jawshunter]

Which leads to another question:

How much "give" do these coatings have, specifically POR-15? What would happen if I coat my tank and then have a dent pulled? Would it cause it to fail and flake off or would it move with the metal?

The por-15 magazine says it will not chip peel, or crack. They show two thin wall pieces of tubing with the por 15 on it and they banged them together showing big dents with no peeling but who knows for sure. I did use the Kreem on a badly rusted tank. I took it to a friend that said he would Kreem it in trade for some truck parts I didn't need. I put the tank in my house and didn't use it for about two years, then when I decided to put it on I noticed a couple of big crack that allowed me to pick big chucks off. There was rust under the Kreem so I was not impressed and don't think Ill use Kreem again. Of course I don't know how good of a prep job was under the Kreem and just like painting, it won't stay if the preparation of the surface is lacking. Two gallons of Acetone and several cups of paint stripper later I got the Kreem stuff out. I then used the POR-15 tank sealer kit with a cleaner/degreaser and metal prep. The metal prep is phosphoric acid ( the stuff in Coka Cola ) and zinc phosphate. This put a zinc type coating on the tank that looks pretty good. After cleaning the tank and putting the metal prep in I decided not to coat the tank and after 1 1/2 years still no rust! Mark

[mrbreeze]

It's like some unmentionable car makers ("FORD") that will make a part for your vehicle that consists of 10 parts that bolt or screw together that make up this one part.One little insignificant part of this #$%* cluster will break but can you buy it seperately?Hell No!!!! you buy the whole piece of #$%* just to keep you going till it breaks again!!! Then to top it off....It is obsolete in 2 years so you are SOL unless you are McGiver or become a wrecking yard junkie.The key to this whole post is that no matter how great something is or what you pay for it or how much thought went into it's longitivity,you will still get bit in the ass and wonder what they were thinking.I'm a mechanic and we have always joked that some engineer caught his wife screwing around with a mechanic and said..Oh I'll teach him....and designed something that was so impossible to work on.Yeah...the old tanks do need to be lined and what they did with cars is make them out of plastic......WTF?

[Raul CB750K1]

My modern GZ250 have some chrome covers on the rear fender. When I removed it recently I discovered it was rusted on the back, but the chrome was shiny on the visible area.

I also thought about why the factory didn't protected the inside of the cover and came to this conclussion: the bike must look nice and shiny at the showroom, and be cheap. If it starts to rust in six or seven years, who cares? Bike manufacturers make a living out of building bikes. They need the bikes to tarnish, so the bike owner will rather buy a new one than have his bike painted or TLC'd. He will probably sold cheap secondhand, so the second owner will really not put much money on a cheap bike, and so the cycle starts again.


Raul

[GroovieGhoulie]

I decided not to coat the tank and after 1 1/2 years still no rust! Mark

I did the same thing, but only three months later my tank has a nice layer of rust over the entire bottom of the tank.  And I kept it topped off religiously.  I can only think it's my humid environment.  Every morning the bike is covered in a layer of condensation.  If it's on the outside, it must be on the inside and I'll bet water was forming inside the tank and since water is heavier than gasoline, it was moving under the gasoline to the bottom of the tank and rusting out the tank.

I'm having to do it again and this time I'm doing it right.

[Jonesy]

Just out of curiousity, did bike manufacturers have the means to do this 30+ years ago?

[jawshunter]

I decided not to coat the tank and after 1 1/2 years still no rust! Mark

I'm having to do it again and this time I'm doing it right.

Well it sounds like you will have to coat it with the PO-15 after you use the cleaner and then the metal ready prep stuff. They say it is very important for it to be absolutely dry inside, even one drop of water will mess it up. The best way to dry it is with forced air from a hose stuck inside the tank ( move from one side to the other in the tank a couple of times). A wet/dry vacuum or one of those high volume/low pressure little air mattress blowers like they sell at Wal-mart would work great for this.