Need Rust Removal Opinions (Fuel Tank)

Hi Members, I have a question about derusting my tank!

I read on this board that muriatic/hydrochloric acid and water works best but no store around me carries it! I was wondering, can I just not eat for a while and drink lots of water, and then vomit into my tank?? How much water to drink to achieve the proper acid to water ratio? Also would any stray food-chunks hinder the cleaning process?! Thanks,

- Steve

Sugourny Weaver (sp) has a few movies where she battles these cute little reptillian lifeforms. Turns out their blood is acidic in fact it is perfect for cleaning out old rusty fuel tanks. Or fill the tank with sterno, light it and about 5 days later when the flame goes out your tank will be glowing. A couple of raps with a rubber mallet or a crochet mallet for that matter will dislodge any paint or rust on your new primo tank. But personally I spray adhesive into the tank to line the walls then I blow up a Condom using my air compressor inside the tank. After the adhesive dries I cut the openings out and voilar instant tank liner and it's safe!

Did you try Hardware stores for the muratic or Home Despot? I have also heard it done with white vinegar.

lowe's carries it. half and half muriatic acid and water works great. just keep an eye on it. flush it out with M.E.K. (also at lowe's) just a half pint should work. it removes moisture. then pour in your liner and you are good to go. i have did this on 3 tanks...no problems.

The way that a tank is treated for rust depends on the amount of rust. All tanks get some rust when left dry as the inside of the tank is bare steel. If the tank has a minimal amount of surface rust, use phosphoric acid. This is what professional painters use to treat metal prior to painting. The phosphoric acid should be used in about a 1:4 solution. Cover holes in the tank and let it sit overnight then flush good with water then flush with gas and then fill the tank fairly quickly with gas. The phosphoric acid stabilizes any rust and if filled with gas, the tank will remain rust free. Muritic acid is used to etch concrete and I wouldn't think it was very effective on metal. If the tank is worse than surface rust, and has rusty sediment clogging the petcock and rust flaking off, then buy a tank lining product like POR-15 or Kreem and they also include an acid which I believe is a hydrocloric acid solution. This stuff etches then you apply the liner product. At one time, radiator shops would "boil" gas tanks then tin the insides but most don't do this work anymore.

Steve_B wrote:

Hi Members, I have a question about derusting my tank!....

Welcome, Steve!

I just recently tried both the electrolysis method and the phoshoric acid method. Both worked well but had drawbacks.

One important thing is that both my tanks had black spots inside them, perhaps old gas residue or something, with the rust. NEITHER method cleaned those spots, and in fact the electrolysis method could not affect the areas under these spots, leaving raised areas.

I had read in here somewhere (sorry to the author that I don't remember) that he poured sand in his tank, and put it in a dryer completely surrounded by blankets and stuff, on "no heat" setting. I mentioned this to a member on the KZ400.com forum and he tried it but with BBs instead of sand. His result was spectacular. I will try that next, actually on the tanks I already treated with the aformentioned methods....

ambergrismooon wrote:

Sugourny Weaver (sp) has a few movies where she battles these cute little reptillian lifeforms. Turns out their blood is acidic in fact it is perfect for cleaning out old rusty fuel tanks. Or fill the tank with sterno, light it and about 5 days later when the flame goes out your tank will be glowing. A couple of raps with a rubber mallet or a crochet mallet for that matter will dislodge any paint or rust on your new primo tank. But personally I spray adhesive into the tank to line the walls then I blow up a Condom using my air compressor inside the tank. After the adhesive dries I cut the openings out and voilar instant tank liner and it's safe!

Did you try Hardware stores for the muratic or Home Despot? I have also heard it done with white vinegar.

you da man griz!:evil: :woohoo: :silly: :woohoo: :silly:

wiredgeorge wrote:

The way that a tank is treated for rust depends on the amount of rust. All tanks get some rust when left dry as the inside of the tank is bare steel. If the tank has a minimal amount of surface rust, use phosphoric acid. This is what professional painters use to treat metal prior to painting. The phosphoric acid should be used in about a 1:4 solution. Cover holes in the tank and let it sit overnight then flush good with water then flush with gas and then fill the tank fairly quickly with gas. The phosphoric acid stabilizes any rust and if filled with gas, the tank will remain rust free. Muritic acid is used to etch concrete and I wouldn't think it was very effective on metal. If the tank is worse than surface rust, and has rusty sediment clogging the petcock and rust flaking off, then buy a tank lining product like POR-15 or Kreem and they also include an acid which I believe is a hydrocloric acid solution. This stuff etches then you apply the liner product. At one time, radiator shops would "boil" gas tanks then tin the insides but most don't do this work anymore.

well, the muriatic acid is kinda harsh..and the tank will flash rust if not treated soon. is phosphoric acid any better? it doesn't harm the metal where you need the liner? i may have to swap chemicals.

Steve_B wrote:

Hi Members, I have a question about derusting my tank!

- Steve

My mom told me that if you wash the tank out with coke-acola after the vomit ewash it will be good as new!

My mom is a harley chopper driving, pot smoking, hippie so she should know!hehehe

gris, could i use your patented condon treatment on segourny weaver? what if is only our first date???

steve,please ppost pics of the tank wash process. lots of them.

Phosphoric acid is commonly used to etch metal prepping it for paint. It works fine in solution and isn't particularly strong or nasty. It neutralizes rust but like any other treatment, flash rust can occur quickly if you don't fill it with gas. I think they use stronger stuff prepping for a liner.

George-
Muriatic AKA HCL AKA Hydrochloric acid is commonly used for removing scale and rust from steel in (actually outside with rubber boots, apron, hose, and mask) many steel fabrication shops. It's used with a big brush. Like cleaning brick. Phosphoric acid reacts with the rust to form Iron Phosphate. IMO the best way to handle rust is to rinse the tank out, fill it with fuel, and check the filter and petcock trap often. If the filter is getting plugged with rust, then a rinse with acid is in order.
-Duck

I used a quart of gas and 1000 lead pellets(for a pellet rifle) and LOTS of elbow grease on a old Honda Tank with good results. The cupped end of the pellets seemed to scrape away the rust as they were shaken around.