De-rusting a gas tank

[bucks1605]

I just pulled my bike out after the long winter and was doing a little inspection when I noticed a lot of rust in the gas tank. I read this guide http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=15666.0 on how to de-rust and kreem the tank. Is this the best/easiest way to do it? Thanks in advance for your replies.

[werase643]

big debate on what is easiest or best

check with a radiator shop to see what they charge to line the tank
if not real bad....
drain tank
make plugs to cover all holes....explain later....
pour in a gal of muriatic acid....used for driveway cleaning
get a chain....something easy to fish back out
slosh/rattle it around for a bit...do not leave in too long....the acid will disolve the cap and shutoff valve.......
drain wash out with water
rinse out with MEK

fill with gas...ride

or kreem it if you want and wait til it falls in on itself and redo

[scottpA_GS]

or kreem it if you want and wait til it falls in on itself and redo

Can I redo the Kreem job? The last one was crap, I dont know how much of it is left in there... What could I do to (RE: Re-line my tank 

[trend]

man, I just had the same problem last week. I poared some 'Naval Jelly' into the tank, washed out with gas.. washed out with gas, washed out with gas, poared more Navel Jelly in, washed out with gas, washed out with gas, and washed out with gas 3 more times.

I believe it worked it worked very well.

[pres589]

Is the Kreme coming apart a common issue?  I made sure to use just small amounts of the stuff when I did the tank on my GS, just to coat it. 

[The Buddha]

Oy ...
You dont need a gallon of muriatic acid. Like a pint is plenty. Duct tape to seal holes id great. Then dont need a chain, the acid will eat everyhting in sight, chain just adds to the stuff your acid has to eat. Then dont flush with gas, flush with hot hot hot water with baking soda in it. Then of course put the fittings back in the tank and put inner tube in the middle, use MEK, then use very little Kreem. thin thin thin coating.
Oh yea ... read the FAQ. Starwalt and several others have written up a masterpiece.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Onlypastrana199]

I've never had Kreem come off...and my honda has had it for...oh...5 years or so..but i dont put a thin coat on...i use a bottle and a half in gs tanks.....I did mine and Joe's (dwn4whadever) and neither have had an issue 

[The Buddha]

If you took off all the rust well and coated it progressively thicker, it will be ok. I have had too many come off to count on it though. Heck I took out a huge chunk off this tank just last week.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Jughead]

To derust use Evaporust. 

[spc]

MEK???  son't you use that crap for fiberglassing??   Seem to remember It's a catalyst for hardening or something like that....................

[The Buddha]

Its a general solvent. Its methyl ethyl ketone CH3-O-C2H5. Acetone is actually methyl methyl ketone. CH3-O-CH3. Its prolly the base solvent for a million things starting with Nail polish.
Cool.
Srinath.

[bucks1605]

Alright so I found this guide over at the wiki and I'm thinking about using it. What are your thoughts? Heres the link http://cgi.stanford.edu/~sanjayd/gs500/Restoration/TankRust

[yupoo]

I hate Kreem...We used Acetone to get the old kreem out but it did not get all of it. So we took it to a radiator shop. Then used POR-15. This stuff is amazing. We used it to eat the rust out, then used the stuff to prep the tank. then used the por-15 coating. You dont have to use much. The stuff is like cement. We dripped a little on the outside and it took awhile to sand it out (we were repainting the whole tank). The old kreem was flaking away, may have been the previous owner not doing it right or Kreem isnt that great...but por-15 is amazing. I purchased ours at a local paint supply store.

[The Buddha]

On a poorly prepped tank Kreem and POR will come out just as easy. Removing kreem is easier with either stripper or acetone, especially when applied thin. That is why you would want to apply a thin coat really. POR thin or thick isn't going to come off so you're at this point praying that its prepped well and there isn't rust under ...
I have had kreem come off from kreem jobs done by others ...
POR prepping is easier than kreem, and I have actually skipped their acid and their metal ready etc ... and just done Muriatic acid and acetone ... and not had it give me trouble. It sticks well ... and not just to metal. I ahve a table, a patch on my driveway, my truck tail gate etc ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[bucks1605]

On closer inspection it appears that my tank has been kreemed/por-15 before. It seems that there are large chunks of it floating around in the tank. When I flip the tank or move it around you can hear clanking sounds inside. There doesn't appear to be much rust at all. So how should I go about geting these chunks out of my tank?

[werase643]

re read the replys above that explain how to remove kreem....

[The Buddha]

I just fished out one of those freaking things out of one tank.
Honestly I'd sut a big hole in the underbelly of the tank and get it out manually. Then reweld and coat it thin thin thin ... that's the key ... its gotta be thinner than Hillary Duff after Queen Latifah plonked on her and rolled her into a tortilla ... thin ... almost invisible thin ...
BTW I did a POR job just now, and I used it full strength (OK OK but I had my reasons it had a hole in it ... no pin hole either ... large enough to stick a pencil point in ... heck larger than that) ... and needless to say it puddled up and I knew it will but I set it so I can scrape it off with the fuel level sensor hole ... (its not a GS tank so dont get your panties in a bunch) I got pics too ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[SmartDrug]

If anyone's interested, I have a brand new 3 step kreem system that I don't need.  I'll sell it for $30 shipped.  PM me if interested.

[bucks1605]

I just fished out one of those freaking things out of one tank.
Honestly I'd sut a big hole in the underbelly of the tank and get it out manually. Then reweld and coat it thin thin thin ... that's the key ... its gotta be thinner than Hillary Duff after Queen Latifah plonked on her and rolled her into a tortilla ... thin ... almost invisible thin ...
BTW I did a POR job just now, and I used it full strength (OK OK but I had my reasons it had a hole in it ... no pin hole either ... large enough to stick a pencil point in ... heck larger than that) ... and needless to say it puddled up and I knew it will but I set it so I can scrape it off with the fuel level sensor hole ... (its not a GS tank so dont get your panties in a bunch) I got pics too ...
Cool.
Srinath.

Yeah that was one option we were considering, cutting a hole and having welded back in. But I just ended up stabbing the piece with a screw driver, lift it up to the top, and drill holes in it until they were small enough to remove. Then I had to vacuum all the shavings, and 3 rocks! out of the tank (Yea i said rocks!) Talk about a pain in the ass. But its all out now (knock on wood)