When you’re satisfied that the tank is free from rust,don’t forget to wash it out with some distilled water otherwise it’ll flash rust within an hour,I learned this lesson the hard way,once it’s done you’ll be fine
Same story after blasting. You cannot even touch blasted steel or aluminum. Especially because the grease in your hands will cause tiny, invisible and sometimes already visible flesh rust. And flushing the tank out with water will cause flesh rust immediately to and was a bit of shame to do. I should’ve indeed used anodized water. And to spoil your job a bit, apart from the visible brown rust spots on the inside the black ones are still rust to which will turn brown again due pretty fast due to the little bit of water in the gasoline. Lining? If you really want to get it an stays rust free, cut the tank open, blast it, and you will see the weak spots to which you can weld shut right right away. Than weld the two halves together and have it zink electroplated, (galvanized) only the inside if possible. Point is if the outside is galvanized to you will have to grind ore blast it of again. This in order to remove the zinc coating, because paint won’t stick to it in time. Eventually the zink will reject the paint. When the outside is free from paint, tread it with epoxy right away. But taking such a job under consideration I realize it’s quite (labor) intensive. Monster you Guys what call it crazy. But this tank Is quite old, and after this it will last for ever.
Thanks for the long reply with some golden information. It always comes down to how much work are you willing to do. You have to balance it against what your future plans are. I tend to get projects to a point where they are useable and presentable then loose interested and start with something else. Spending a lot of time future proofing something that will not be in my possesion in a couple of years time might not be a good investment for me. This tank came to me modified in the way it is. Mostly it is in quite good condition I suspect if it hadn't been modified it would have been serviceable for the next twenty years!
Actually crazy that you solve rust with water. I have been painting super yachts for several famous people which I can only name the Jobs family of and all the yacht builders over the world know we did that so I can name them to. I was actually really proud to be part of that incredible project back than. But any way, we had some special people who are painting all the water tanks, from graywater till freshwater tanks. But also the petroltanks, what is more like a kerosinething. Now I know that this is not a private custom build yacht ore motorbike but there are simple solutions to protect the fuel tanks and I never understand why it doesn’t happen. Probably a price thing, but it doesn’t have to be that expensive, galvanizing is possible on the inside. Well this was an other example of me making my storie longer than they should. It’s enthusiasm I think. Keep up the good the good work.
Hi, very interesting. Galvanising sounds like a good idea, but I can't say I have ever heard of it being offered for motorcycle fuel tanks. There would also be the issue if it was for a classic and the finish need to be retained, but for custom or complete rebuil it would be fine. I do suspect cost comes into it, but when a tank has corrosion on the inside and is quite inaccessable it would probably have to be remanufactured rather than just coated. A good dose of enthusiasm goes a long way :)
Use hot on my bolts, medium rusted tanks i tend to use white vinegar 20 litres for about a day. washout with mild detergent, dried with meths and air line followed by wd40 or a stale petrol and oil mix, have plenty from the restorations.
Hi. I've been using the deox c for a long time now, and it is really good stuff, no mistake. However, sometimes immersion and contact with the rust is not enough for complete removal, some mechanical abrasion, e.g. a brass wire brush, is necessary to remove the dark coating and expose more rust underneath. if you persevere with it though, you will end up with 100% rust free steel. Unfortunately there is a down side with everything, this being that the process it uses is called chelation, and this leaves the steel in a state where it flash rusts incredibly quickly. I once left some bolts that were like new when they came out of the solution for about 3 days, and they looked just as bad as they used to. The rust came off easily with a wire wheel, but I feel you will need to do something with the tank pretty quickly.
Thanks for the info. Flash rust is a demon. Just when you think you have it cracked it sneaks up on. I think I may need a bit of mechanical abrasion on the next tank that I am planning to do. :)
Great video, however seeing that tiny leak made me think I wouldn’t trust it even after a repair, how easy is it to get a replacement tank ,even that might be 50 odd years old and not be much better. Good luck.
Whats that tank off ? k2 or the super sport ?,. i would tank seal it, unless you want to give mrs spannerash a new kitchen sieve ! ,.would brazing the tank leaks be better ? my thoughts when you filed the tank "did he shut the fuel tank off" ? i would use whats left of the tank cleaner and brim it and leave it for few days to finally clean it out and find any more leaks,.i dont know if body filler is any good at stopping leaks, but that tanks going to need plenty, like me i bet youve seen loads of adds on YT for miracle leak stopping products, maybe apply some of that stuff pre painting,. cheers,.
It was modified when I got it. I think it is proably a Super Sport, but I really don't know. The parts that have been welded previously have been ground back so that the metal is very thin.. We are pretty sure that all of the leaks have been welded now, but expect that the thin metal may spring leaks in the future. I wouldn't normally use a liner, but I think I may have to with this one.
Apologies I missed that, I'll add it to the description but here you go mate. Good camera, I recommend it!: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspection-Teslong-Endoscope-Waterproof-Borescope/dp/B0C1BD1HCM?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=alexandermo0f-21&linkCode=ur2&linkId=83daf8156b6ee34d32312bc1d19e2852&camp=1634&creative=6738
White Vinegar mate … throw small nails washers etc in and swill around …. Look here too ….. YT …. Dave just uploaded a video Bon a Honda tank…. Common problem with Ethanol fuel……. Obsession Engineering.
I love Dave Hewson's videos and magazine articles. If you look back at our earlier videos you will see we have used vinegar, and even had a go at electrolysis :) The benefit with Deox C is that it doesn't smell, at all! And it is reuseable. I suspect vingar would be, but I have never wanted to store it.
I would hesitate to put a liner in your tank. My experiences over the years have not been good ones. Depending on the liner and the preparation, the results can be bad from day one. The unknown is the fuel that goes in your tank. You and I have exchanged thoughts on modern fuel in the past, and the one unknown factor is the liner's compatibility with the rubbish that is being passed off as fuel. I seriously doubt that it will improve in the foreseeable future. The concern that I have is the additives and the ethanol content are constantly evolving. A liner that works today, may be damaged with the next round of changes. When I do a full restoration to any motorcycle, I will search for a clean tank rather than add a liner. I am sure there are good reliable products on the market. I just can't help but wonder if any liner will be able to withstand the changes to fuel additives in the near future.
It's a really good point, about changes with fuel in the future. My experience of liners is always when they have failed in the tanks of bikes I have bought, and to be honest if the tank wasn't scrap, I have mangaged to use the tanks without replacing them. This is the first tank where we have actually done some welding to repair it. We think that the welding that has been done before was ground down making parts of the tank very thin. We found more leaks as we tested after welding, which did surprise us and knocked our confidence in the tank. Therefore we thought we should investigate liners before giving up on it.
When you’re satisfied that the tank is free from rust,don’t forget to wash it out with some distilled water otherwise it’ll flash rust within an hour,I learned this lesson the hard way,once it’s done you’ll be fine
Yes, flash rust is really annoying. Just when you think you have a good result it goes down hill.
Same story after blasting. You cannot even touch blasted steel or aluminum. Especially because the grease in your hands will cause tiny, invisible and sometimes already visible flesh rust. And flushing the tank out with water will cause flesh rust immediately to and was a bit of shame to do. I should’ve indeed used anodized water. And to spoil your job a bit, apart from the visible brown rust spots on the inside the black ones are still rust to which will turn brown again due pretty fast due to the little bit of water in the gasoline.
Lining? If you really want to get it an stays rust free, cut the tank open, blast it, and you will see the weak spots to which you can weld shut right right away. Than weld the two halves together and have it zink electroplated, (galvanized) only the inside if possible. Point is if the outside is galvanized to you will have to grind ore blast it of again. This in order to remove the zinc coating, because paint won’t stick to it in time. Eventually the zink will reject the paint. When the outside is free from paint, tread it with epoxy right away. But taking such a job under consideration I realize it’s quite (labor) intensive. Monster you Guys what call it crazy. But this tank Is quite old, and after this it will last for ever.
Thanks for the long reply with some golden information. It always comes down to how much work are you willing to do. You have to balance it against what your future plans are. I tend to get projects to a point where they are useable and presentable then loose interested and start with something else. Spending a lot of time future proofing something that will not be in my possesion in a couple of years time might not be a good investment for me. This tank came to me modified in the way it is. Mostly it is in quite good condition I suspect if it hadn't been modified it would have been serviceable for the next twenty years!
Actually crazy that you solve rust with water. I have been painting super yachts for several famous people which I can only name the Jobs family of and all the yacht builders over the world know we did that so I can name them to. I was actually really proud to be part of that incredible project back than. But any way, we had some special people who are painting all the water tanks, from graywater till freshwater tanks. But also the petroltanks, what is more like a kerosinething. Now I know that this is not a private custom build yacht ore motorbike but there are simple solutions to protect the fuel tanks and I never understand why it doesn’t happen. Probably a price thing, but it doesn’t have to be that expensive, galvanizing is possible on the inside. Well this was an other example of me making my storie longer than they should. It’s enthusiasm I think. Keep up the good the good work.
Hi, very interesting. Galvanising sounds like a good idea, but I can't say I have ever heard of it being offered for motorcycle fuel tanks. There would also be the issue if it was for a classic and the finish need to be retained, but for custom or complete rebuil it would be fine. I do suspect cost comes into it, but when a tank has corrosion on the inside and is quite inaccessable it would probably have to be remanufactured rather than just coated. A good dose of enthusiasm goes a long way :)
There was a catch when flushing the tank out and it was a flippin good one - well done mate 👍😊👍
Yes, thanks. Imagine if I had already painted it :)
A final rinse with high-percentage alcohol (iso, methanol, etc.) works well for quickly drying out a recently derusted tank.
Thanks. I don't tend to have alcohol to hand, so I have tended to rinse it with a heaveri fuel oil to hold the rusing back.
Use hot on my bolts, medium rusted tanks i tend to use white vinegar 20 litres for about a day. washout with mild detergent, dried with meths and air line followed by wd40 or a stale petrol and oil mix, have plenty from the restorations.
Thanks Rob. I have used vinegar and even molasses in the past, but this stuff doesn't stink! :) What do you think about liners?
Citric acid works very well. Cheap to buy in powder form. Stronger than vinegar but not too harsh
Good advice. I have used Citric acid in the past as well, love the smell!
Hi. I've been using the deox c for a long time now, and it is really good stuff, no mistake. However, sometimes immersion and contact with the rust is not enough for complete removal, some mechanical abrasion, e.g. a brass wire brush, is necessary to remove the dark coating and expose more rust underneath. if you persevere with it though, you will end up with 100% rust free steel. Unfortunately there is a down side with everything, this being that the process it uses is called chelation, and this leaves the steel in a state where it flash rusts incredibly quickly. I once left some bolts that were like new when they came out of the solution for about 3 days, and they looked just as bad as they used to. The rust came off easily with a wire wheel, but I feel you will need to do something with the tank pretty quickly.
Thanks for the info. Flash rust is a demon. Just when you think you have it cracked it sneaks up on. I think I may need a bit of mechanical abrasion on the next tank that I am planning to do. :)
You ever thought about buying a tesla?
Not for a moment, but with the second hand market dropping like a stone it might be mad not to soon. 😆
Great video, however seeing that tiny leak made me think I wouldn’t trust it even after a repair, how easy is it to get a replacement tank ,even that might be 50 odd years old and not be much better. Good luck.
It's a conundrum. I do like the shape of the tank, but it is worrying. That is why I am considering using a liner.
Whats that tank off ? k2 or the super sport ?,. i would tank seal it, unless you want to give mrs spannerash a new kitchen sieve ! ,.would brazing the tank leaks be better ? my thoughts when you filed the tank "did he shut the fuel tank off" ? i would use whats left of the tank cleaner and brim it and leave it for few days to finally clean it out and find any more leaks,.i dont know if body filler is any good at stopping leaks, but that tanks going to need plenty, like me i bet youve seen loads of adds on YT for miracle leak stopping products, maybe apply some of that stuff pre painting,. cheers,.
It was modified when I got it. I think it is proably a Super Sport, but I really don't know. The parts that have been welded previously have been ground back so that the metal is very thin.. We are pretty sure that all of the leaks have been welded now, but expect that the thin metal may spring leaks in the future. I wouldn't normally use a liner, but I think I may have to with this one.
POR do a paint for the inside of tanks that coats and fills holes.
Thanks.
Interesting video. Where’s the Teslong link? 🤔😅
Apologies I missed that, I'll add it to the description but here you go mate. Good camera, I recommend it!: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspection-Teslong-Endoscope-Waterproof-Borescope/dp/B0C1BD1HCM?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=alexandermo0f-21&linkCode=ur2&linkId=83daf8156b6ee34d32312bc1d19e2852&camp=1634&creative=6738
Ethereum 🏍️
Try investing in something more fun, like old bikes. Much less stressful too. 😆
White Vinegar mate … throw small nails washers etc in and swill around …. Look here too ….. YT …. Dave just uploaded a video Bon a Honda tank…. Common problem with Ethanol fuel……. Obsession Engineering.
I love Dave Hewson's videos and magazine articles. If you look back at our earlier videos you will see we have used vinegar, and even had a go at electrolysis :) The benefit with Deox C is that it doesn't smell, at all! And it is reuseable.
I suspect vingar would be, but I have never wanted to store it.
I would hesitate to put a liner in your tank. My experiences over the years have not been good ones. Depending on the liner and the preparation, the results can be bad from day one. The unknown is the fuel that goes in your tank. You and I have exchanged thoughts on modern fuel in the past, and the one unknown factor is the liner's compatibility with the rubbish that is being passed off as fuel. I seriously doubt that it will improve in the foreseeable future. The concern that I have is the additives and the ethanol content are constantly evolving. A liner that works today, may be damaged with the next round of changes. When I do a full restoration to any motorcycle, I will search for a clean tank rather than add a liner. I am sure there are good reliable products on the market. I just can't help but wonder if any liner will be able to withstand the changes to fuel additives in the near future.
It's a really good point, about changes with fuel in the future. My experience of liners is always when they have failed in the tanks of bikes I have bought, and to be honest if the tank wasn't scrap, I have mangaged to use the tanks without replacing them. This is the first tank where we have actually done some welding to repair it. We think that the welding that has been done before was ground down making parts of the tank very thin. We found more leaks as we tested after welding, which did surprise us and knocked our confidence in the tank. Therefore we thought we should investigate liners before giving up on it.
Nothing ventured and all that 'go 4 it'
It is always worth trying something new. And when you see others that you respect using it, even better.