Tank Rust

[Danny]

Hi everyone my gas tank was rusty...I get to say "was" now....which is awesome. The thing that worked the best was the apple cider vinegar and nuts/bolts/chain peices...so kudos for that one. Now since the tank is clean I was wondering do I even have to coat it or can I just leave it filled with gasoline?


thx
Danny

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I keep my bikes full all the time no matter how burned out I am after a long ride I always stop and fill them up before they hit the garage. My wife claims I've had at least 25 motorcycles over the years and rust in the tank has never been a issue.

[Magellon]

Keep it FULL. Mine was coated by my brother before I got a hold of it, nothing but trouble and will be IMPOSSIBLE to remove the red coating stuff. I've had to clean out the vent tube twice, real pain in the butt. With the tube plugged it acted like it was out of gas. Still worried that it will plug again.

[Daniel Meyer]

Just keep it full. I never coat one unless it has pinholes.

[Danny]

well it looks like it is somehow rusting even with it full....I'm going to try and rinse it again and fill it up one more time.

[Red Diamond]

It seems like you wouldn't have much of a humidity problem in the Tucson area, maybe you didn't clean out all that apple cider vineger you put in there, hence the continued rust problem.

[Danny]

yeah not to humid out here and only for about a month or so during monsoon but I'm going to try to rerinse with something like acetone or I dunno...something.

[Daniel Meyer]

yeah not to humid out here and only for about a month or so during monsoon but I'm going to try to rerinse with something like acetone or I dunno...something.

I always used vinegar to eat the rust, a little baking soda mixed with water to neutralize the acid (stops flash rust), and then immediately rinsed with a quantity of kerosene or diesel fuel. Install, fill with gas, and go.

[Dirty Dave]

You gotta watch that red tank coating stuff. When I got my '97 Valk with 800 miles on it, the tank was rusted out as I bought it in 2003 and it had been sitting for years without proper storage preparation. The dealer had the tank coated with that red automotive tank lining after I noticed the rust (very nice of him, dontcha think). Later after hydro-locking, I noticed a fine red silt from the coating in my carb float bowls.

New tank, new carbs, a Pingel petcock and an in-line filter and all has been well since then. I do all my own work as I can't trust dealers here.  Thanks to y'all at VRCC for saving my Valk. 75 K and still running GREAT. Got 45 M/G last week on some back roads.