What is the best way to clean the gas tank on a 86 spree?

[adfl7394]

I am need of a gas tank but I can't really find one that I can afford right now that is in good shape. What is the best way to clean the rust out of the tank it keeps pluging the screen in the tank and stopping the flow of gas. Please help!!!

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

If it's just rust, your local Honda-san dealer - indeed any brand of bike dealer - should have a branded commercial 2-part product to do this right. (If it's coagulated and petrified Fossil Fuel Residues, search The Beast! for my own adventures in Tank Hygiene...)

Eventually I used a kit from Yamaha, but there's a product called Kreme many endorse. Vinegar soaking is cheaper, but may not be as permanently effective. Instructions are included with the commercial products. You need to remove the petcock and find a way to cap the spigot.

Dump a hardware store's worth of nuts and fasteners - I've found the "Star" type lockwashers particularly effective - while whichever acid cleaner is in the tank and shake for maybe like a couple months. Wear protective gear for the nasty commercial stuff - muriatic acid is the active ingredient. NO HUFFING!! You can re-use the vinegar for a High Iron-Content Salad Dressing. Anyway, dump the contents, rinse at the carwash with a high-pressure hose for another month, then coat the tank with the sealer if you're using the 2-part stuff. If not, consider pouring a couple ounces of GN-2 into the tank and tilt the tank all around to cover bottom sides and top.

Refill with fuel and enjoy crud-free riding for several weeks at least.

[PimpinSpree]

certainly not as effective as a commercial product but what ive done in the past............

drain the gas and fill it with diesel. Throw a couple nuts, washers, bolts, etc. Shake it around for a few minutes. Drain the diesel out and have fun fishing the nuts and bolts out. Dump a little 2 stroke oil in if you don't fill it with fuel right away to keep it well oiled, or it could start to rust again

[mustangwagz]

i used muratic acid, and some nuts and bolts and did pimpin's method. worked great.

i gotta tank thats like CHERRY shape i could prolly part with?..what price range you thinkin?

[turtle13]

i used nuts on their own and rinsed, to get all the big flakes.
naval jelly and nuts then rinsed, to get the smaller pieces.
then shook around acetone to get rid of water in the tank.
blew out the tank with compressed air for what seemed like forever.
let fully dry overnight.

if you have pin holes coat with red kote. good stuff as long as you use it in a thin coat. if its too thick it will never dry...
most o'riely auto parts carry red kote, and seems to have a just slightly better reputation than kreem.
either product is good, you just have to follow the directions implicitly.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

Seven years in a South Texas garage with what started out as a full tank of gasoline. Cleaning chronicled Here.

[bakaracer]

what you can do is take the petcock off and take the screen out.drain the gas .take the float off,get a vacuum cleaner and find a 5/8in ID hose about 18in long tape it to the end of the vacuum with electrical tape since it stretches tight to seal of any gaps. get a long flat head screw driver and scrap the rust at the bottom of the tank use the vacuum to suck up the rust.you can use the nuts and washers to shake off any rust that might be on the sides and the roof of the tank.

[zuphilius]

My Gyro tank had some surface rust that I cleaned by dropping some of these pyramid shape resin pieces used in metal vibrator/tumblers for polishing/rust removal

Wow. They took the rust right off with me shaking it for about 20 minutes.

Now, I have rust powder inside, do I rinse with water and then coat with 2-stroke oil, or some other way to get rid of the powder? I won't be putting gas in it for at least a week, and I don't have a compressor so no air.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

I'd take it to the nearest self-serve car wash and blast away for about $3.00 worth, or until the water running out is clear. Bring a couple ounces of GN-2 along and coat it as soon as you're done. The oil will stick to the tank sides and displace the water pretty well. Set the tank in the sun for a day and you're done.

[PimpinSpree]

just stick a little diesel (or any other chemical really) in and shake around and drain. Do that a few times until the chemical comes out the same color you put it in. If your chemical of choice has low oil content, stick a little oil in when your done or it will rust

[RZRob]

Muratic acid is the most effective, but the surface must be treated immediately or it will rust as it dries. I began with that, but ultimately used the POR 15 kit that finishes with a coating. I've used this on 3 tanks with fantastic results. It's worth the $40 and solves the problem once and for all. http://www.amazon.com/POR-CYCLE-FUEL-TA ... B000H9K4JQ

Of course, you need to remove the cap, screen filter and sender unit, but this is easy.

RZ Rob

[RZRob]

I liked the idea of a safety tab off the stud above (Thanks MiniCooperS & FightingPlankton), so I fabricated this from a piece of aluminum flatstock I had laying around. Simple and effective.

RZ Rob

[SE50_4_ME]

I did an hour or two research on the net about how to clean the inside of my elite tank. ( inside of tank wasn't that bad, just a little bit of particles at the bottom and some minor rust spots)
And all i could only really find were these fancy methods of how to do it with special chemicals, epoxys and compressed air, diesel, vinegar etc. I didn't have access to any of that. (Well i could have bought vinegar etc but I am a bit on the impatance side.)

So what i did, was; drain tank, tape up bottom hole, then spray a good half a can of WD40 /CRC in there. gave that a good shake, then drained it. Then did it again but this time threw in a few washers and other non sharp edge metal items in. and gave that a good shake then left it, then shook some more. Then drained all that. Then rinced it all out with about 500mls of 'low odour' mineral turps i had. And it came up pretty good. When i'm ready to install and get bike running again, i will flush with actual fuel once more, then put in the final fresh fuel.

I have now taped up all the holes and i am going to sand/scuff all the outside back. And spray with gloss black chassis black paint. should look pretty neat when finished.

Oh, don't forget, I am a full so if you choose to do this be it on your own head.

Plus Not one drop of water entered my tank.

[PimpinSpree]

you need to put some oil in there or it will rust. Spray some wd-40 in there, Or better yet, stick a little 2 stroke oil in