Preventing Flash Rust…IMPOSSIBLE!! (prove me wrong)

Flash rust hasn't been a problem for me since I learned this method.
www.kzrider.com/articles/technical-tips/22-rusty-tanks
Bill

wrote:

wrote:

wrote:

Marty, speaking as a woman that uses WD-40 for clutch/throttle cables, throttle tubes, my chain, and pretty much everything else that I can...I don't really agree. I sprayed a bare engine block with WD and 3 years later when I dug it out, no rust. 

That being said, it isn't my first choice for this topic. I'm just kind of irked. 





 

That's no surprise at all!  The engines on the KZ bikes are made of an aluminum alloy, so no matter what they cannot rust.  Rust occurs on ferrous metal, not aluminum.  Ed

I didn't say a KZ block, you arrogant prick.
 

That's worth a couple of weeks in the barrel.
Bill

wrote:

Please see my previous post #849097.  Unfortunately I was premature in classifying Attempt #5 a success.

Oh, bummer.  Thought you had it.  

Well, I've not found a way to totally eliminate the flash rust.  It's just a very light layer though.  Repeating myself but I use water rinse (as quickly as possible), then alcohol, then WD-40.  Think I stuffed a rag in the tank after that to soak up the solution.  One idea would be to dump in some small sharp edged stones like uncoated aquarium rocks after the tank dries out and shake the crap out of it.  The stones will scrub the metal and make your arms fall off because it's a PHYSICAL effort!  I do that when stripping liners off inside tanks.  Some guys use nails or what have you but I found the smaller the particles the better chance you have to reach every tiny nook and cranny in the tank.  Feel free to dismiss this suggestion of course, just trying to help...

 

One idea would be to dump in some small sharp edged stones like uncoated aquarium rocks after the tank dries out and shake the crap out of it.  The stones will scrub the metal and make your arms fall off because it's a PHYSICAL effort! 

Or, wrap the tank in in old sleeping bag or quilt. Duct tape into a nice tight package. Send the wife on an errand. Tumble in drier at no heat.

Maybe use Evaporust.  pour a gallon in there & leave it overnite. Then reposition the tank to coat the next area. etc etc etc.

Finally Success on attempt #6!
Hi everyone,  I am now able to claim success in de-rusting my tank without flash rust.  I have been proven wrong!  Thank you all for the help and input.  I adjusted my operation based on your suggestions and finally have a successfully cleaned tank with zero flash rust.  I appreciate being proven wrong in this case.

Attempt #6:  First of all I had to get rid of the black crud and residue left over from attempt#5.. To do this I added a couple handfulls of small rocks,  water and dawn detergent and shook like mad.  This was able to get rid of all the black crud, contaminants and oil remaining in the tank.
Final procedure:
1)  I added about 3/4 gallon of Klean Strip Metal Prep (≈ 40% Phosphoric Acid).  I kept the solution in for two hours.  I set my phone timer and rotated the tank to different sides every ten minutes.  Then I drained out through  the petcock until almost all the Klean Strip was removed.

2)  Next I had to rinse the tank well.  Rinsing was the point where the flash rust was forming in previous attempts so knew I need to perform this as quickly as possible.  The slow draining of the tank was the culprit.  So I rigged a 1" hose on my shop vac so I could suck out the water quickly.  I added 1 gallon of Distilled Water, shook like mad and then sucked out the rinse water with the shop vac in a couple of seconds.  Did a second rinse with a gallon of Distilled Water and sucked out with my shop vac.

3)  Next I immediately added 1 quart of 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (absorbs water).  Shook violently for a short time.  Sucked that out with the shop vac.

4)  Next step was to add a quart of WD40 (absorbs water), shake like mad and drain out through the petcock.  (I didn't really want to use the shop vac to drain the WD.)  Repeat with a second quart of WD.

5)  Checked the tank and it looked Great!  No rust..Yoohooo.  I drained out the 2nd quart of WD and used a couple of rags to get all the standing WD out of the tank.  Finally I added a quart of Marvels Mystery Oil that I have had in my cabinet for a couple of years. Shake and rotate, Drain, Done.

Notes. The shop vac was the key as the rinse draining was too slow and is the point where that darn flash rust was happening. In addition I was not keeping the Phosphoric acid in the tank long enough.   I had all the rinsing supplies, 2 gallons distilled water, alcohol, and 2 quarts WD40 staged so there was no down time during the rinsing a water removal.  I set up my workstation in the backyard in the shade to prevent the tank heating up.  Also I was being too anal about the flash rust in the beginning as it was minimal, too much perfectionism is a disease;-)
The project:
 
Next step is to assemble, bench synch, and install carbs.  Then time to fire it up!  I have gone through everything from the taillight forward to the tank.  I am going to fire it up and ride her for a while then I will completely disassemble clean and repair as necessary the front end from the steering head forward.
Thanks again for everyone input and help.  Sorry about the dissension that happened.

Glad to hear you have found a method to clean your tank without the flash rust happening.  Now go out and ride, as that is sort of the whole idea behind cleaning the tank.  I was going to respond earlier in this thread but then it sort of when off kilter so to speak.  

But I would of said, not being a chemist you should take this with a grain of salt so to speak.  It is my knowledge ( again not with any over great knowledge of chemistry) any time bare steel is exposed to air and or moisture, iron oxide will happen. This is certainly dependent upon what the steel alloy is made up of,but the carbon will pull up oxygen from the air and from any moisture in it or added to it and create what we call rust.