Electrolytic Tank Treatment

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.
 
Burly ma man, I've had moderate cheap success cleaning out a tank using baking soda and vinegar.

1) Emptied bottles of vinegar in, then funnelled the baking soda in after.
2) Frothy, frothy brings flakes of rust out filler.
3) Rinse with running water, in filler neck, out fuel tap outlet (tap removed)
4) Repeat 1-3 until water clear.

Cost me about 5 quid, and I ran it with the old tap and inline filter for a few weeks, then changed tap and filter and was all good.

Not done the electrolytic treatment. Our local paint shop does tank interior strip, then coats inside with a resin sealer. Probably cost half of what the tank does though. Useful for really rare stuff.
 
Same here, at the local shop i can buy a cleaning set.
First one is a allround remover of dirt, rust etc. Quite heavy and nasty stuff.
Second one is a cleaner/neutralizer.
Then a round with water after which the tank needs to be dried. Give it time, or use a airgun, but get it dried completely.
Third is a special epoxy, benzine resist, that covers the whole inside of the tank and can even close of small holes in the tank.

Seems brilliant stuff, haven't tried it my self, and cost about 70 euro's total.
 
I was looking into this because it's cheap, i have most of the stuff (except for the powder), and it doesn't require heavy chems. Plus like I said, I'm dead broke at the moment. I will probably give the baking soda and vinegar a swing at first to see what it does. The rust is very thick inside though. I can't believe I didn't notice it while filling up.
 
If youre broke... Dont do it. Dont cheap out on something that will possibly leave you stranded on the side of the road, in the rain
 
Yes, I figured that out when I tried doing a cheap fix on my stator. I ended up having to redo almost the whole electrical system including a battery. It blew while I was on my way to work last year in snow and 5* weather. I was saying it was cheap because I already have most of the supplies except for the anode and the powder. It turns the solution a cleaning chemical and the electricity make tiny oxygen bubbles that literally lift the rust out of the metal. I'm really thinking it is the same way we get rust off aircraft engine parts at work. If it doesn't work then I will go the more expensive route (maybe even get it professionally done). Things seem to be finally calming down with the new house and everything.:cool:
 

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