Gas Tank Coatings.....

Just a quick thought and Question...I am currently fixing a late 50`s Triumph Motorcycle tank and have split it apart to fix the horrendous brazed repairs and old lead work. Before I put it back together, I would like to paint or Rust Proof the inside of the tank. The owner wants to use that awful goopy Tank Sloshing Compound after I am done, but I hate that stuff. I have dug it out of Fuel Filters for years.....Anyone have any answers for this? I have Metal Finished all the Repairs..Can you believe 12 patches in this thing?! so the inside of the Tank is shiny clean Bare Steel. Anyone? Django? Any of you other Bike Guys??

 

I used caswell gas tank epoxy after I welded several tanks together to make one. Had pin holes around filler. I chose it because you didnt have to buy special cleaners from them to clean the tank and it is a two part epoxy it gets hard. It has bin in the tank a year now no pluged filters or peeling.

 

Thanks....Haven`t heard of that Brand before...Any others?

 

I've tried several MC tank sealers and also hate them all. I used the POR15 tank sealer in a John Deere diesel loader tank and really liked it. Silver in color, set up hard like an epoxy, outlasted the tank which finally split a second time and got replaced. It did not flow at all once it was dry.

 

Try the products made by POR 15. I've had good results with it. Be sure to us the complete system.

-Saint

 

Usual deal I suppose....Mix up too much,pour it in the Tank after welding it back together and testing for leaks, then pour out whatever doesn`t stick? Could you coat the whole top half of the Tank prior to welding it back together, then do the bottom/seam areas after the fact?

 

Tin it, spread a a film of solder over the cleaned areas.

 

I don't use anything. I slosh some phosphoric acid around and then just run gas in the damn things. I hate sealers, conditioners, epoxies, etc. Modern gas formulations will eventually break just about anything down...then it's in your filters and carbs.

 

I use Red Kote sealer, O'Reillys can get it, I have used it for years, and it will seal anything and it will not come off.

 

I used this in my tank for my modified. I'm yet to put fuel in it but it gave a really hard silvery coat to the inside of the tank. The cleaner and rust remover / etch stuff that came in the kit worked really well too, although you won't need them on fresh metal. I sure needed them.

http://www.kbs-coatings.com.au/

Pete

 

I use Wurth Rust Guard comes in black or grey been in my tank since 05' with no problems.

 

I used Tank Kreme in an old Virago with no problems...

 

I use the same thing my grandfather used in the '30s and '40s and the same thing my dad used in the '50s and '60s...


...nothing.

Why do we feel the need to seal or coat gas tanks? If you drive your cars, there will be no problem. Problems only occur if you let the car sit. Even with coatings and sealers, letting it sit will allow the new gas to eat at your coating/sealer and begin the disolving process.

Acid wash with phosphoric acid puts a thin zinc coating on the metal. Then just run it.

 

Thanks everyone...Ernie, If I use phosphoric acid, where can I buy it, and if I have a pinhole, I wonder if you could coat over the top of that....(yeah, I know, no coatings...but this is for a late 50`s Triumph 650 that won`t see many miles.... )

 

The link that striper put up will lead you to the KBS rustblaster stuff .It's the best stuff we can get in OZ and all the top end restorers insist on it here. Shouldn't be any h***les getting some sent over from to 'home'.



There was good report on it on the local Cruisin TV show recently. I have used POR15's tank cleaner and sealer on my own car and it works great.No worries after 5 years.

 

The middle stage of the KBS system I linked above must be something like this. It leaves a grey goating that looks like an old galvanised tank and can be left a month without coating and will not rust. I guess if the tank is in otherwise good nick you could leave it at that and run it. I had pinholes and leaky seams. The sealer filled them.

My tank is approx 100 years old.

Pete

 

Yeah, "tinning" with solder is an old method, especially used with soldered tanks...

.

 

Phosphoric acid can be found in hardware stores. Even big-box stores like Lowes and Home Depot - look for concrete etch if they don't have a row of acids...

 

Thankfully NZ has been spared the horrors of Homedepot and lowes.... although their home grown variety of hardware shops are H/D and wally world clones.

 

Thanks again for all your input, guys. Maybe when I get this poor creature ironed out and put back together I`ll post some before and after pics....

 

I build tanks for pre 20's bikes every day. I use PPG DX520. its a phosporus(?) metal prep/conditioner. Use it on the metal now. spray it on. scrub with a scotchbrite pad or steel wool. hose off with water. wipe dry. After you ***emble the tank. Just slosh with motor oil on the inside. The guys are right. If it sits it rusts. What I run into is building a tank for a guy and it sits on his shelf for 10 yrs while he screws around finishing the bike. It kills them to do that.

 

Chris..I`ve used DX 579 for years..does 520 work better? Good to see you are gainfully employed......Kiwi Paul.....

 

Come on people you know what it is.
Its hydroscopic ethanol in your fuel.
Etanol methanol will absorb thier own
volume in water.