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rust is good, but not in your gas. what's everybody use to seal the inside of these old gas tanks? i used Por15 once on another bike, and it has held up well so far. does anyone have any other suggestions?
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I use POR 15 on all my tanks. Haven't found anything better so far. -
Once you use a sealer any future repairs are a crapshoot. Also, WHEN the sealer starts to come off you have a real mess. Do it right the first time by welding, or soldering, whichever is proper for your type of tank.Comment
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Indianut, can you elaborate on what you mean by welding or soldering? I have two gas tanks and two POR-15 kits in the garage, and was planning on sealing them this week. How would welding or soldering prevent future rust?
BMW tanks from the '50s and newer were all coated with a red paint inside, and I suspect in that case at least that POR-15 will last longer. The other tank I have, from a 1941 bike, doesn't seem to have ever had a coating. As I intend on riding these bikes, I want to minimize headaches from the start...Comment
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Welding won't keep them from rusting, but keeping them FULL WILL. Even kerosrene when not in use. Are your tanks leaking or are you just trying to get and keep the rust out?Comment
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no leaks, but they have got some fairly good sized patches of rust inside. even if i do keep them full, won't they eventually rust through? that's why i am thinking better to seal them and be done with it. from what i understand, that por 15 is longer lasting and more solid than that old kreme stuffComment
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I had poor results with POR-15.
("15" stands for "15 minutes in P4gas".)
Beware that even seasoned sealers have been self-destructing in modern fuel blends (see attachment where a red sealer suddenly "digested").
And sealer formulae have changed as well. Kreem ain't what she used to be.
Rust removal is necessary whether sealed or not. But unless you are dealing with a soldered ternmetal tank, sealers are more risk than they are worth.
...CottenComment
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Wow, Cotten, that's ugly!
The red sealer in the tank on my '53 BMW is mostly gone. There are still some patches of it visible, but most of the tank seems to be down to bare metal. Neither of my tanks appears to have any rust... right now.
On other forums and mailing lists I've read a number of complaints about Kreem, but everyone says that POR-15 works great if you follow the directions closely. Can you say what caused problems in your experience with POR-15?
Thanks!Comment
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Darrylri!
The problem is not with the sealers, its with the modern gas. POR-15, like so many other sealers, softens and expands, thus wrinkling off. It was digested. Much as the rubbery red stuff was turned to raw pig's liver.
I tried Caswell's (baked) epoxy, and it survives a few months before it flaked apart..
If we assume straight gasoline shouldn't eat engineered sealers, or dissolve neoprene, or swell Buna-N and Viton to the point of splitting,...and straight ethanol doesn't either(!), then additives such as detergents and injector cleaners become suspects for extreme chemical aggressiveness. And we all breathe their fumes.
At this time, the only sealer that I can endorse would be an isocyanate urethane.
Good luck,
...CottenComment
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so cotten, am i better off doing nothing or doing something?Comment
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While I certainly am not nearly as knowledgeable as some of the more Esteemed Members of this board, I will say that due to the fact of 'Terne-Plate' being the most likely of all tank materials to need a repair job, if they will be actually used for riding instead of being trailer-Queens, I definately would NEVER use a sealer in them. Once you do forget about ever putting heat to them for repairs. They really aren't that tough to restore, or repair if you are careful, go slow, and get everything CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN! As far as just removing rust from a decent tank there are real good ways of doing that. Here is what I think is the best way to fix a soldered tank.Comment
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Here is an example of a simple repair. Not possible with a sealer!Comment
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I did everything correctly 60/40 solder, rubber insulated. Weight of gas and vibration produced leaks. Twice repaired. POR15 coated now. I'll speak up if it fails.
Iron Horse Corral for welded Indian tanks for a rider. Stress free - smart investment.
Just consider the labor, materials and 6 days of time to tin assemble and paint. Another day to coat w/ POR 15. I don't have big money and I try to make things work with limited means. Iron Horse is lookin like a good deal to me. That's just my experience of doing it all myself.Comment
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SurfDude!
You never told us what kind of tanks you are concerned with.
Once again, sealer or not, your primary concern is removing the loose rust. finishing up with a chemical wash like muriatic acid is easy, but knocking off the loose scale inside is not.
I slowly tumble tanks with aquarium gravel first, then acid flush, and then follow with a slurry of cracked corn and baking soda (see attachment). Takes forever at one rev per second.
If an unvented tank releases no airbubbles when immersed in hot water, then there is no need to risk fixing it with a sealer!
...CottenComment
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Those ol'boys from Illinois are sharp ain't they..........a tank tumbler. What will you come up with next Cotten. johnnyComment
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