Hi all!!

I am new to all this. Just started a restoration of a 1983 Christmas Special. The Gas Tank was FULL of rust. Came across this:

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=3709.0

And to my surprise it worked GREAT!!! Went to "Freds" (local retailer) and spent less than $3

I will try to post some pics, but it took the inside of the tank down to BARE Metal!!!

Coated with WD-40 until I need it.

Hope this helps someone else!!

If anyone has any advice, I am open for suggestions.

Thanks in advance

thats nice thanks for the info

wish i would have known that before i kreemed my tanks

This one should be pinned for future reference! Copy/paste in case the other site goes away.

How to clean out a rusty gas tank, or clean anything with rust on it for CHEAP.
« on: June 01, 2008, 09:24:25 PM »

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Forget about the expensive POR15 or Cream kits that run about $50. I learned this while dealing with old hondas that had rusty tanks. One of the cheapest and best things to clean anything with rust on it is this:

Go to K-MART and buy two bottles of "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner. $1.50 a bottle so thats a whopping $3.

Take your tank off your bike. Drain out your gas, pour both bottles of the toilet bowl cleaner in your tank. Every 5 minutes pick up your tank and slosh it around. After 30 minutes, pour that stuff out. Wash the inside out with dish soap and water. Rinse out multiple times with hot water. Get a blow dryer and dry out your tank good, then fog it with WD-40 to keep it from flash rusting. Fill to the top with gas.

I have seen tanks from the 70's so rusty on the inside all you see is orange when you look in. After 30 minutes of the works cleaner it looks like bare metal brand new inside. This stuff also works for anything rusty, pour it in a pan and put your rusty part in.

Picture of Gas Tank AFTER I used the Toilet bowl cleaner on it. I have no "BEFORE" Picture becuae I didn't htink in a million years that it would work. For less than $3 for that matter!

Thanks for the info.Going to try this on my old KX 80.

I have used muriatic acid with great sucess on tanks, non diluted will eat the paint, chrome, and everything it touches off of metal. Here is another site for cleaning tanks:

http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Removing_rust_from_a_gas_tank

Quote: The Works (toilet bowl cleaner)
"The Works" toilet bowl cleaner is a cheap, readily available, fast, and effective product that will remove rust from your gas tank. However, the main ingredient in "The Works" is hydrogen chloride. Hydrogen chloride + water = hydrochloric acid = muriatic acid.


It's only like $5 for a gallon of muriatic acid at the local hardware store or at a pool supply place, just be carefull with it. I have gotten sick off of inhaling too much of it. I keep a tub of 50/50 muriatic acid beside my shop (tightly covered) and will dip heavily rusted parts into it overnight and comes out like sand blasted the next morning. Don't put alluminum in it more than a few minutes or it will eat it!!. I dip exhausts into it and it cleans the inside and out, also, drop your 70's axle tubes into it for about 30 minues and they come out ready to wash and paint.

Hope this helps

Yesterday, I bought a gallon of Acid Magic at Ace Hardware to try out. It claimed to be comparable to muriatic acid, but with less fumes. I mixed it with 4 gallons of water and dipped my stripped tank yesterday. It removed all the rust inside and out after soaking most of the day. I got the tank in primer late last night and I am applying Red-Kote to the inside now. Should be better than new once I get it painted.

I'm getting ready to clean a couple of tanks via the muratic acid /water method. I decided to coat the inside with POR-15. This is the cheapest I can find for the Cycle Tank Kit.

Anyone know anywhere cheaper?

a little muriatic acid in my tank did the trick.....great tip

muriatic acid also works well for welding prep. especially for welding any kind or hardware, it take the zinc or cad plating right off!