burlyjack
The bearded dude with a cool YouTube
Well as some of you know the Steel Donkey is sick. It's been two, long, miserable weeks since I've been able to ride her. After digging, probing, breaking, and pretending I know what I'm doing I found out the bottom of my tank is full of rust. My filter was completely clogged and my fuel pump was full of the red stuff (I'll leave the carbs to the pros). I'm saving my pennies to get a new $70 pump in and I've put in new line and a filter. However, there is one problem, it's either spend over $200 for a used tank, or figure out how to get the rust out of mine. I've been researching Electrolytic treatments (using SCIENCE! and maths to clean stuff). Basically you mix baking soda and water, fill your tank up with it and apply a 12v DC charge to a steel anode that you put inside the tank and ground it on the outside of your tank (http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-From-A-Motorcycle-Gas-Ta/) It seems to work but my main fear is ruining the metal or accelerating the rusting process after the treatment. Has anyone ever done this? What are your thoughts or experience. It seems to be the same process we use to clean rust off of turbine aircraft engine parts at my job.