My Tank DeRusting Tale W/Pics

[loki7714]

Picked this up at local ace hardware for 5$ (muriatic acid)

Then used usps stickers (don't tell please lol) to cover hole on the bottom gonna tape up with the clear tape you see as well.

As soon as mom gets home gonna get this operation really going b/c i need her car to fill tank with gas as soon as it's cleaned to prevent flash rusting.

Here are the steps.
1. Block off holes as seen (or anyway you can as we'll see how well the stickers and tape are gonna hold up).
2. Pour in acid and shake well for 10-15 mins i guess?
3.Unblock holes and wash out with water from hose.
4. Wash out with boiling water with 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda to get out acid and put towel in through gas fill cap to soak up runoff.
5. Rinse your tank with 90% Isopropyl Alcohol, available at Wal-Mart and soak up runoff with towel like mentioned above and then put it in front of a space heater or something to get it completely dry.
6. Attach tank petcock and fill with gas to prevent flash rust.
7. Hit the road!!!

Special thanks to Buhdda and anyone else who helped in previous threads as well as anyone who wants to help critique (hope i spelled that right) this one

Welcome to criticism by all

[loki7714]

Gonna clean this with hot water and tooth brush while i wait for mom.

and the tooth brush (cheap dentist gimme one lol)

[loki7714]

Hot water doesn't work well... Got most but not all gunk out...
Any suggestions?

[GeeP]

Rinse your tank with 90% Isopropyl Alcohol, available at Wal-Mart.

Alcohol will absorb the water and transport it out of the tank when you rinse it.  That's essentially what HEET is.

[loki7714]

Cool will modify instructions.
That's what i'm talking about people

[beRto]

I always thought the purpose of this process was as prep for tank coating (Kreem, POR15, etc). But I don't see tank coating mentioned anywhere.

Am I missing something? 

[loki7714]

Just getting the rust out now then i'll take preventative measures to keep out rust and fuel filter should take care of anything that doesn't get flushed out by this.

[loki7714]

Told mom to pick up alcohol while she was out... Wasn't too happy 

[GeeP]

Tell her Everclear works too, but it's more expensive.   

[loki7714]

Lol idk if she'd go for that. Makes me remember an interesting tale though. One night at home i made some humorously innocent crack about alcohol and she challenged my drinking ability. I proceeded forthwith to the liquor cabinet and grabbed the bottle of everclear i know she keeps stashed there and chugged about 4-5 good mouthfulls... Totally got her by surprise she was like

[Pigeonroost]

Heap bad medicine!

The reason its called FLASH rust is becasue it happens, well, errrr, uhhhhh, in a flash.  I mean it begins in a nano-second and is well set in just a few seconds.  I fear you will end-up with more rust than ever.

Also, when using hydrochloric acid to etch metal, you want something more substantial than USPO stickers to protect your hide from spillage.  By the time you feel it burning your skin, you already have a nasty burn.  Have plenty of soda water avaialble to flush your eyes and skin.

Denatured alcohol will be more agreeable to dry the tank.  A dry abrassive grit or blasting beads would likley work better to strip the scale and crud from the tank.

It seems futile to do this with out going ahead and coating the tank.

Take precautions; hospital visits are more expensive than fuel tanks.

prs

[loki7714]

Heap bad medicine!

The reason its called FLASH rust is becasue it happens, well, errrr, uhhhhh, in a flash.  I mean it begins in a nano-second and is well set in just a few seconds.  I fear you will end-up with more rust than ever.

Also, when using hydrochloric acid to etch metal, you want something more substantial than USPO stickers to protect your hide from spillage.  By the time you feel it burning your skin, you already have a nasty burn.  Have plenty of soda water avaialble to flush your eyes and skin.

Denatured alcohol will be more agreeable to dry the tank.  A dry abrassive grit or blasting beads would likley work better to strip the scale and crud from the tank.

It seems futile to do this with out going ahead and coating the tank.

Take precautions; hospital visits are more expensive than fuel tanks.

prs

Excuse me they are uspS stickers my friend... And it's muriatic acid and i know my safety precautions. Still got my sheet from chemistry.

[loki7714]

Alcohol should dry right out under a heater right?

[GeeP]

In a day or so at 72F, if you get the bulk of it out.

I suggest a cheap old hairdryer set on Hi and aimed into the filler neck.   

[loki7714]

Lol i think we have an air compressor and i know somebody gave some cool method of getting the stuff out with an air compressor but im more of a visual learner and never really got it.

[loki7714]

Alright guys here's what it is poured about a cup or two worth of acid in and sloshed around but bottom seal didn't hold up so after 30 seconds or so i ripped it off and drained acid and dumped in over a gallons worth of baking soda (2 tblspoons) and water... AND ALL THE RUST IS GONE!!!!!! Unfortunately mom didn't get alcohol so will have to wait til tomorrow to finish up. 

[loki7714]

So after alcohol i just fill it with gas or do i need to drain all the alcohol?

[GeeP]

Dump in a standard 2-pint bottle of alcohol, slosh around for several minutes and drain the majority out.  Repeat with another bottle of alcohol.

If you're not going to coat the tank, don't worry about drying it out.  Just shake out what you can.  Reinstall your petcock and filler cap and fill with gas.  The small amount of alcohol will combine with the gas, which already has Ethanol in it.   

Try to avoid getting alcohol over the paint for any length of time.  It can dull the finish of some paints.

[loki7714]

Cool plan on repainting soon anyway.
My uncle owns his own car bodywork shop

[Pigeonroost]

prs

Excuse me they are uspS stickers my friend... And it's muriatic acid and i know my safety precautions. Still got my sheet from chemistry.
[/quote]

I am glad that you learned so much in your chemistry class.  Thus you are aware of the VAST DIFFERENCES between muriatic and hydrochloric acid.  WIshing you the best of success!

prs