As an older rider I have to find a less athletic method . The shaking chain method works great for those with the power of youth. What works for me is to jack up the rear of any car, truck, tractor or other vehicle and bungee the tank to the wheel, start the engine, and while in bottom gear just let the tank roll over and over for a half hour at a time until the chain or whatever medium I’m using has done its job the let it roll with the vinegar in it until it has done its job. Even leaving the chain in along with the vinegar will work too. The last tank I did had pin holes along the bottom along the pinch weld. Removed the paint in that area, used a blunt punch to create divots into the pinholes, the filled the divots with JB WELD ORIGINAL, it seals perfectly! Never have had issues with the jb weld ORIGINAL method. THE CLEAR 2 part epoxy not so much. I Don’t recommend it. All the best 🤠.
many years ago I used some old brass keys for a BMW motorcycle tank and shook vigorously with vinegar - suddenly a key tip poked through the bottom of my tank! From that day forward, I only use vinegar and fairly light rounded chain, no sharp anything, - I often rinse and use Ospho to prevent flashing and then add two stroke mix as you did. I have never failed yet to bring back a tank from near rusty death -nice vid!
Bought a ‘99 Ducati 900SS long ago. Previous owner poured tank liner in tank without removing *anything*, including the mesh prefilter and the fuel pump. The bike ran great until it warmed up. The guy he sold to took it to local Ducati dealership who said it needed an ECU! He sold bike to me without telling me any of this. Learned about bike after providing Duc shop the VIN. Sued him even after I signed “As-Is” statement. Why? Because he did not disclose condition. Long story longer … guy didn’t show up to court, I testified, default judgement to me and then, “It is clear to me that the seller did not represent the item accurately. Therefore, I am doubling judgment in plaintiff’s favor.” All this headache because someone installed tank liner solution incorrectly. So who is to blame?!? Italians, of course! 😂😂😂
@BrickHouseBuilds a process I use for restorations.. soak with a strong caustic solution seems to soft the oxide bond but main focus to remove water resisting oils.. the acid I use is Oxalic.. it's used by dry cleaners & wood workers to remove metallic stains in clothes & wood g available from paint & woodwork suppliers & commercial cleaning suppliers.. it doesn't seem to harm them.. at all.. & I've not had any adverse effects handling the solution with bare hands other than it stings cuts.. Oxalic acid doesn't attack the inlaying bare steel either.. at least for a few days soaking dependent on strength I would think.. I've found an enhancing visual effect by scrubbing items with a stainless steel wire brush or stainless pot mit/scouring pad.. in the solution.. there seems to be a molecular exchange that deposits I think chromium to the base steel.. it brightens it quite noticeably with a minute or so right in front of your eyes.. AFTER.. the rust/oxide has been dissolved.. the solution goes green & remains effective for further jobs for several uses & a yellow partical sediment settles in the solution.. I drain off the usable green solution for further use & discard the yellow sediment.. until it starts turning brown at which point its lost all effect.. I sometimes finish with a phosphoric acid stainless wire brush scrub.. seems a little less susceptible to rerusting tools etc.. lookup phosphatising steel (gunsmithing).. cheers 🇳🇿🇳🇿 NZ 👌👍
I had my rusted tank filled up completely with cleaning vinegar and left it for 24 hours. Worked really well. And did all the things you did of course.
I had to restore a tank from a vintage Vespa we shipped from Italy. I dumped in about two pounds of screws, nuts and bolts. Then I wrapped the tank in several moving blankets and put in the the clothes dryer with no heat. After a couple of hours it was polished clean.
The 1979 CB750 I restored had a gas tank full of rust. I used chains and solvent to clean out the heavy rust and flakes. Then I used Ospho to neutralize all the rust. Lastly cleaned it out with some gasoline to flush. It came out good. Ospho is amazing stuff. It turns iron oxide into iron phosphate which is inert. The rust was gone and never came back.
Did you re-line the tank afterwards, or just leave it bare? Apparently, if you can get non-ethanol gasoline and always keep your tank full, you don't need a liner. Wondering, because I have a couple of tanks to do.
i landed here from a F9 Dr650 video; first 10 seconds on your channel and found this piece of art...rebuilding a Suzuki marauder and the fuel tank is crusty AF. thanks for all
Nice job. I always put about 50ml of blue smoke oil in a full tank before a long ride. Wouldn't foul the plugs but did put a soot coating in the mufflers. Stopped worrying about rotting out with rust.
Yes...baking soda is a critical step lol. Bike project i picked up last year the owner knew the tank was a little rusty so he threw vinegar in it while working on the bike and then it sat for a year. Needless to say worst rust ever. Took weeks of on and off cleaning it out. Even did your electrolysis method. I still need to seal it up for a few pinholes that popped up. I got the POR15 kit but you and a few friends of mine have recommended the Caswell, so rethinking it. I will say the POR15 degreaser did VERY well on taking out the dirt and old varnish. From what I read its about the same as a heavy duty marine cleaner. Might be worth trying next time. Excellent video as always!
Great video and nicely demonstrated, what a massive difference in the tank, and what i really liked was that the products that cleaned it are what most people have in their home, it's the first time that i have seen a tank getting cleaned and it now makes it less daunting to try it myself. Really nice down to earth guy doing the video, thankyou.
This was really explained well BJ 👍🏻 I remember restoring my buddy’s 77 KZ1000 and that tank had so much rust inside 😳 I used pea gravel to knock around the innards with some kind of rust removing liquid I bought, it was a long time ago. Took me forever 😂 You have this down to a science. See you next week 👋🏻
My zg1000 tank is 7.5 gallons so I ended up hanging the rear end from its bolt-on bracket -- imagine a trophy fish hanging from the tail. Then I hoisted it up my carport rafter with a ratchet strap to about belt height. I had already partially filled the tank with my choice of cleaners, such as vinegar, citric acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, bolts, water rinses, etc. Then I picked up the other half of the tank and methodically pushed and rocked the tank to scour the inside of the tank with all the abrasives I could cram inside, like nuts, bolts, screws, and the acid tongue of my mother-in-law. It was much easier to hold up the tank and be 100% thorough this way. Hope that helps anyone. P.S. 90% Alcohol (pick your flavor) works well as a final rinse, followed by a hair dryer to elminate flash rusting.
Seriously helpeful video mate ....I would say when the tank pressured up due to the baking soda was a great free pressure test for leaks. Again ,superb vid......Thank you from the UK.
As a shaker, one method is to wrap the tank in thick foam, bubble wrap or even a duvet, then place in a home clothes dryer so the tank is jammed in snug.....put on tumble cycle, no heat. Let it go for 30-60 min with your abrasive of choice inside the tank. Oh, if you don't have a pre-nup only do this while wife is away ;-)
I am doing my Kawasaki VN2000 fuel injected bike. I am going to try Evaporust first, then possibly the toilet bowl cleaner method. This looks really gentle to the paint, though, and I will need to check this out. Loved the chain, I have used a bucket of various sized garbage nuts and a carton of BB's before. Never thought of drywall screws!
Thank you. This is the 4th video I watched about cleaning a gas tank. Only 2 mention neutralizing the vinegar. Looks like I have to start over on my 1985 Yamaha. I will find some muscle for the shaking, though.
On my Suzuki T 350 2 stroke my tank was like yours I cleaned it with muriatic acid . Then I put RED Tank is a gum that sticks inside the tank. Another 50 years without any problems.😎
I feel for you. We had a bad hail storm back in '98. They were the size of baseballs. Busted every window out of my truck and totalled it out. I had two payments left. 😂
@@BrickHouseBuilds yeah but I ended up buying it back from the insurance company and driving the crap out of it. So it wasn't too bad. Didn't worry about scratches and dings after that 😂
Simple wire brush wheel on a drill will clean up the filler neck 100%. Small wire wheel on Dremel flex shaft (porting flex shaft) will finish those leftover spots of rust. Run a spoon of two stroke oil in the fuel tank will keep it generally rust free while using it. But it will need lining.
Perfect timing! Now moving on from the Nighthawk ~ (not started yet). So yea. The 01 600 Bandit is well ~ yuck! Petcock needs a rebuild. I think you have another electrolysis video but this is very user friendly. Thanks again! Perfect for me right now. Oh yea. Someone says "Ospho?" Not so much about the 'clothes dryer' method. Whoo wee. Thanks again, and again, and again.
cheap ball bearings or hex nuts (cleaned of galvanizing in vinegar) also work great for cleaning up the inside of a tank. You can use them with the vinegar to make less steps. Tank looks great!
Fantastic result with the tank, in regards to the storm when you knew it was approaching why didn't you rush inside and grab whatever blankets & donna's you could to protect your vehicle from possible hail damage as I do being uninsured for hail here in Sydney Australia! Maybe a thought for next time!
Because I didn't know it was going to hail until you see that clip where I rushed out to find it hailing. Normally If I know in advance I get my vehicles parked inside or covered up.
BJ - took your advice and did another round of vinegar and really make sure to neutralize well after. 48 hours later...beautiful result. Hopefully next time I'm in MO with this CB750 I won't get stuck on the side of the road with rust clogged filters again! Maybe make it to the shop on The Deuce.
I’d done that, and after I cleaned it out I treated it with Kreem Fuel Tank Liner. I first got a gallon of mercuric acid from a swimming pool dealer. This was to remove the rust. You still get rust flashing when it dries out. Then you treat it with Kreem.
About the baking soda and vinegar in a sealed container. We used to make rocket engines out vinegar and baking soda and baking powder, you would be surprised at the velocity and altitude we would get, Be careful with that combo.
Nice job on the tank BJ 👍🏼. Nice storm, too. Ive found a couple of old army blankets spread out on the roof and hood prevent hail damage, unless the stones get stupidly big!
Hi BJ pretty good result with the tank ,worked really well man I felt for the truck at the end hope it didn’t cause too much damage I’d build a carport after that lol save a bit of damage then again if a tornado struck would it have been worth it take care and enjoy your week great video as always mate 🔧🔧🔧👌👍🏍️🏍️❤️
Try Apple Cider Vinegar, its much stronger than white vinegar, doesnt harm the paint and is only a few bob more expensive. I also used a kilo of steel gunshot from a gunshop. It's smaller that tech screws and easily removed with a magnet. My result was perfectly rust free base metal and the gunshot was so small it got deep into the seam welds. Of course i had to use baking soda immediately just as you did to stop the flash rust. It's now been 21 years since I did my ZL1000 tank and it's still like new today.
Very nice I plan on using the vinegar trick on CBR. See you have one in the background @15:36. Mine is exactly the same, old owner neglected it and I've been trying to get her road worthy before I actually get to enjoy it. But good job on vids and explaining things.
The vinegar works wonders I fill my tank full of vinegar and let it sit for a day or so, but first tossed some nuts and bolts in and shook it like the jailhouse rock. Poured out the vinegar and fill with water and baking soda, clean as new should have filmed it
Thanks for the Vid, I too am a fan of Caswell. Being in SoCal crazy to see the storm and thinking of the damage it does to cars. PS like the chain idea!!!
I start with soap and water and blast and flush the tank. Then vinegar soak filled to the brim. Then a couple different wire wheel on an extention. Finally evaporust with large washers and shake for a day. Drain and rinse again. Then alcohol and a blow dryer to eliminate water. End result is like new. Takes 1.5 days to 2 days. Electrolysis also works, but if you are not negligent you can save the paint with the first method.
You should try the vinegar along with about 15 , 3/8" coarse thread steel bolts , the bolts have enough weight and sharp edges to scrape anything loose on the surface , your screw method is similar but the weight of the bolts is what really gets the job done , dry it out with a heat gun and the result is like new steel , have your tank sealing coating ready to go , but dont wait to coat the inside or you will get the flash rust on the fresh surface.
I'm my last one everyone said try drywall screws and not to use a heat gun lol. I know there are 10,000,000 ways to skin a cat. This worked great. Maybe I'll make another video in the future of another method to go with my other ones
I have very heavily rusted tank and i use citric acid + hot water, wrap that tank in some blankets and let it sit couple days. After that it was like new but be careful dont use too much of citric acid.
II wonder what Bruce is up to now. He was painting tanks back in 1980. Hopefully he's still around and living his best life. I'm scared of vinegar because the one time I tried it the tank looked great... until after I did the rinse, then this thick rusty corrosion showed up. I did the whole baking soda step, but maybe I didn't use enough. You didn't seem to get much flash rusting. Evaporust works well, you just have to let it sit over night. And it's not as corrosive.
rad. i was wondering how to plug an oval on my tank to do this - been using silicone plugs on tanks with circular petcock holes - nice to see your solution 🙏
Probably gunna have to restrip my tank. Having a project maxim i used hardware store lock nuts and it worked great, but i dont think i spent enough time trying to clean it out. Dent doctor also scheming watching that hail come down 😂. Good video man! Always good seeing your content.
Chain is smooth and rounded, not the best choice. A jar full of bolts works best because of all the sharp edges and threads. They are also smaller and will get in crevices better. Make sure to use steel bolts only because sometimes the last couple of bolts are harder to get out and you use a magnet on a stick to fish them out.
You touch up the small areas of rust with Phosphoric Acid, which is the active ingredient of Jenolite. Get a gallon of 99.9% Phosphoric Acid, as it is relatively cheap. You can either use the acid neat for heavy rust or dilute it to 50% or 33% concentration with tap water. Brush it on with an acid brush (Nylon brushes tend to dissolve slowly, but will last for a few jobs). Let the acid dry out and it will convert the rust to a black ferrous phosphate layer, which can then be abraded of with a wire brush.
@@BrickHouseBuilds You can wire brush the inside of the filler neck and cap, which were still left rusty after the vinegar treatment. The rest of than can only be cleaned as you did it - with loose screws.
This reminds me of the time I used to live in California for 7 years, and it only hailed ONCE out of the whole time I lived there, then it flooded once right after. Lol
That worked awesome, the tank looks great! As for the hail, I think I would have tore the comforter off my bed and threw it over the hood and roof! Lol hopefully it didn’t ding her up on ya.
I'd rather spend the money on Evapo-Rust, fill the tank and set it somewhere for a couple of days followed by a rinse. It's a lot less labor but cost more to do in chemicals.
Evaporust is expensive and not the best use for this. It needs a mechanical stripping method to break the varnish away. Electrolysis for rust removal is far cheaper, works just as fast, and is just as safe
I have a 2008 Triumph Bonnie that sat for a few years so am now cleaning the tank. It’s in good shape, just need to get the varnish and little bit of rust out. After I use vinegar and baking soda/water to neutralize, should I seal the tank? If not what do you recommend to stop the flash rust and prevent any gunk/rust from building up again in the future? Thanks in advance!!! And great videos!
@meredithjohnson7145 if there are no holes and the metal is good, do not use a sealer. A sealer is more of a last resort. Keeping fuel in the tank and even adding a tiny bit of oil to the fuel can keep rust away. It's when they sit empty that they rust
Great job! I had a thought; the pressure build up from the baking soda and water could you do something like that to pop out dents from a tank? Or would that be too unstable/unpredictable? Take care, and Regards from Canada 🇨🇦
Well I've seen that too but this isn't really the scenario you would use that. Potentially with some carbs but a tank doesn't need that type of cleaning
Hello B.J. You made a cracking job of that! I wondered if the dark persistent marking under the filler cap could have been overspray from the previous painting? I have had similar markings previously myself. I love that paint job, I smell the 1970’s! Cool! Cheers Kevin.
You can use hydrochloric acid diluted as well. Just neutralize it when done. It will clean it even without the chain. How rust is removed in heavy industry. You can buy it at any big box store.
So i rinsed out the loose rust best I could, In a Harley tank it seems there is some metal filler that runs along the right angles where it was welded. I filled it with two gallons of vinegar, 300 stainless steel lock washers, 1,000 brass BBs. I then sealed the tank outlets, let it sit 24 hours, wrapped it in two moving blankets, put it in the clothes dryer and ran it on fluff ( no heat) for a half hour, then another half hour. You can use a small cement mixer or paint shaker too.
Never put water in your metal fuel tank. Putting water in the tank is instant Rust. And yes gasoline does eat up metal turns Rust. You think about inside of the tank is , Bair metal. When tank is new it has a Glossy look to it when look Down inside when that Glossy look start looking Dull take right then and start cleaning it. If it's oily Little scale rust use kerosene 2 or 3 times get the Varnish out of the tank use a small piece Of chain. If it's a old tank with Rust Do the same thing. Ones you've got the tank back shiny use some Lacquer thinner 2 or 3 times too get the oily residue out. Lacquer thinner will dry out fast then tank some Good old Marvin's Mystery oil take and pour like a half a cup too a cup full depending on tank size put it in Roll it around, shake it some. Then Let it Set for 20 too 30. Minutes shake and rolled around again take pour that out. And Then pour a little bit back in it. Then use the vinegar. When you get the vinegar out, pour you a bit more the Marvin Mystery oil. back in it shake it around and roll it some Marvin's mystery helps with the varnishing stuff in the gas. Get that stuff out and it also Coats and protects the metal.
I wonder if some brake cleaner would have helped break down that varnish...hmmm. That vinegar and baking soda may be a dent removal helper. Hmmm again. I have removed some dents with compressed air.
As an older rider I have to find a less athletic method . The shaking chain method works great for those with the power of youth. What works for me is to jack up the rear of any car, truck, tractor or other vehicle and bungee the tank to the wheel, start the engine, and while in bottom gear just let the tank roll over and over for a half hour at a time until the chain or whatever medium I’m using has done its job the let it roll with the vinegar in it until it has done its job. Even leaving the chain in along with the vinegar will work too.
The last tank I did had pin holes along the bottom along the pinch weld. Removed the paint in that area, used a blunt punch to create divots into the pinholes, the filled the divots with JB WELD ORIGINAL, it seals perfectly! Never have had issues with the jb weld ORIGINAL method. THE CLEAR 2 part epoxy not so much. I Don’t recommend it.
All the best 🤠.
The red cx tank I showed before that I stripped developed holes as well. Needed a liner
Be nice if you have a cement mixer... wrap the tank towels
@@edjay395 I want to build one for tanks but just a lot of projects going on. It will happen eventually
@@BrickHouseBuilds
Tank cleaned, no leaks and preserved the paint. That’s a big win.
Was a total success 🤘
many years ago I used some old brass keys for a BMW motorcycle tank and shook vigorously with vinegar - suddenly a key tip poked through the bottom of my tank! From that day forward, I only use vinegar and fairly light rounded chain, no sharp anything, - I often rinse and use Ospho to prevent flashing and then add two stroke mix as you did. I have never failed yet to bring back a tank from near rusty death -nice vid!
Oh man that would suck! I have had some very thin tanks that developed holes
Bought a ‘99 Ducati 900SS long ago. Previous owner poured tank liner in tank without removing *anything*, including the mesh prefilter and the fuel pump. The bike ran great until it warmed up. The guy he sold to took it to local Ducati dealership who said it needed an ECU! He sold bike to me without telling me any of this. Learned about bike after providing Duc shop the VIN. Sued him even after I signed “As-Is” statement. Why? Because he did not disclose condition. Long story longer … guy didn’t show up to court, I testified, default judgement to me and then, “It is clear to me that the seller did not represent the item accurately. Therefore, I am doubling judgment in plaintiff’s favor.” All this headache because someone installed tank liner solution incorrectly. So who is to blame?!? Italians, of course! 😂😂😂
Thanks for detailed how to. Birds knew the storm was coming. Mean golf ball hail beat up your nice blue truck. Dang
@BrickHouseBuilds a process I use for restorations.. soak with a strong caustic solution seems to soft the oxide bond but main focus to remove water resisting oils.. the acid I use is Oxalic.. it's used by dry cleaners & wood workers to remove metallic stains in clothes & wood g available from paint & woodwork suppliers & commercial cleaning suppliers.. it doesn't seem to harm them.. at all.. & I've not had any adverse effects handling the solution with bare hands other than it stings cuts.. Oxalic acid doesn't attack the inlaying bare steel either.. at least for a few days soaking dependent on strength I would think.. I've found an enhancing visual effect by scrubbing items with a stainless steel wire brush or stainless pot mit/scouring pad.. in the solution.. there seems to be a molecular exchange that deposits I think chromium to the base steel.. it brightens it quite noticeably with a minute or so right in front of your eyes.. AFTER.. the rust/oxide has been dissolved.. the solution goes green & remains effective for further jobs for several uses & a yellow partical sediment settles in the solution.. I drain off the usable green solution for further use & discard the yellow sediment.. until it starts turning brown at which point its lost all effect.. I sometimes finish with a phosphoric acid stainless wire brush scrub.. seems a little less susceptible to rerusting tools etc.. lookup phosphatising steel (gunsmithing).. cheers 🇳🇿🇳🇿 NZ 👌👍
I'd rather find the weak spot like you did than riding down the road with a tank full of gas that starts dripping
I had my rusted tank filled up completely with cleaning vinegar and left it for 24 hours. Worked really well. And did all the things you did of course.
Damn, that tank takes me back, my old GS1000 had a paint job just like it back in the 80s. Love it.
I converted a cheap concrete mixer to agitate bits of chain and soapy water in the tank, I loved watching it with a beer in hand 😊
Yeah a concrete mixer is on thr list for sure
I had to restore a tank from a vintage Vespa we shipped from Italy. I dumped in about two pounds of screws, nuts and bolts. Then I wrapped the tank in several moving blankets and put in the the clothes dryer with no heat. After a couple of hours it was polished clean.
The 1979 CB750 I restored had a gas tank full of rust. I used chains and solvent to clean out the heavy rust and flakes. Then I used Ospho to neutralize all the rust. Lastly cleaned it out with some gasoline to flush. It came out good. Ospho is amazing stuff. It turns iron oxide into iron phosphate which is inert. The rust was gone and never came back.
Did you re-line the tank afterwards, or just leave it bare? Apparently, if you can get non-ethanol gasoline and always keep your tank full, you don't need a liner. Wondering, because I have a couple of tanks to do.
i landed here from a F9 Dr650 video; first 10 seconds on your channel and found this piece of art...rebuilding a Suzuki marauder and the fuel tank is crusty AF. thanks for all
Heck yeah man! You should find lots of stuff on my page so enjoy!
Nice job. I always put about 50ml of blue smoke oil in a full tank before a long ride. Wouldn't foul the plugs but did put a soot coating in the mufflers. Stopped worrying about rotting out with rust.
You put some work into it, but the result speaks for itself 👍🏻🙂
Yes...baking soda is a critical step lol. Bike project i picked up last year the owner knew the tank was a little rusty so he threw vinegar in it while working on the bike and then it sat for a year. Needless to say worst rust ever. Took weeks of on and off cleaning it out. Even did your electrolysis method.
I still need to seal it up for a few pinholes that popped up. I got the POR15 kit but you and a few friends of mine have recommended the Caswell, so rethinking it. I will say the POR15 degreaser did VERY well on taking out the dirt and old varnish. From what I read its about the same as a heavy duty marine cleaner. Might be worth trying next time.
Excellent video as always!
Oh that would be the worst by leaving it in there!!
Great video and nicely demonstrated, what a massive difference in the tank, and what i really liked was that the products that cleaned it are what most people have in their home, it's the first time that i have seen a tank getting cleaned and it now makes it less daunting to try it myself. Really nice down to earth guy doing the video, thankyou.
Glad you enjoyed and feel it could be helpful!
Cool vid. I like evaporust better than vinegar but the chain is a great idea. I have several tanks to do. Thanks for posting.
This was really explained well BJ 👍🏻 I remember restoring my buddy’s 77 KZ1000 and that tank had so much rust inside 😳 I used pea gravel to knock around the innards with some kind of rust removing liquid I bought, it was a long time ago. Took me forever 😂 You have this down to a science. See you next week 👋🏻
A cunning plan Baldrick, ordering a storm so we watch until the end. Spoiler alert , we would have watched until the end anyway.🤣
🤣
My zg1000 tank is 7.5 gallons so I ended up hanging the rear end from its bolt-on bracket -- imagine a trophy fish hanging from the tail. Then I hoisted it up my carport rafter with a ratchet strap to about belt height. I had already partially filled the tank with my choice of cleaners, such as vinegar, citric acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, bolts, water rinses, etc. Then I picked up the other half of the tank and methodically pushed and rocked the tank to scour the inside of the tank with all the abrasives I could cram inside, like nuts, bolts, screws, and the acid tongue of my mother-in-law. It was much easier to hold up the tank and be 100% thorough this way. Hope that helps anyone. P.S. 90% Alcohol (pick your flavor) works well as a final rinse, followed by a hair dryer to elminate flash rusting.
Seriously helpeful video mate ....I would say when the tank pressured up due to the baking soda was a great free pressure test for leaks. Again ,superb vid......Thank you from the UK.
Haha definitely a good leak test! Glad you enjoyed
As a shaker, one method is to wrap the tank in thick foam, bubble wrap or even a duvet, then place in a home clothes dryer so the tank is jammed in snug.....put on tumble cycle, no heat. Let it go for 30-60 min with your abrasive of choice inside the tank. Oh, if you don't have a pre-nup only do this while wife is away ;-)
Am just now doing a CB650 Sport tank, filled it with evaporusts, it's re-usability is a plus.
Will give it a few hours and see how it looks.
I am doing my Kawasaki VN2000 fuel injected bike. I am going to try Evaporust first, then possibly the toilet bowl cleaner method. This looks really gentle to the paint, though, and I will need to check this out. Loved the chain, I have used a bucket of various sized garbage nuts and a carton of BB's before. Never thought of drywall screws!
I've had great results with vinegar and a pack of BBs. Evaporust works great without the flash rust but more expensive.
Yeah that's why I love electrolysis as it works every bit as good, as fast, very safe, and much cheaper
I cleaned up a tank using the same method. Worked great.
🤘🤘
Thank you. This is the 4th video I watched about cleaning a gas tank. Only 2 mention neutralizing the vinegar. Looks like I have to start over on my 1985 Yamaha. I will find some muscle for the shaking, though.
On my Suzuki T 350 2 stroke my tank was like yours I cleaned it with muriatic acid . Then I put RED Tank is a gum that sticks inside the tank. Another 50 years without any problems.😎
I feel for you. We had a bad hail storm back in '98. They were the size of baseballs. Busted every window out of my truck and totalled it out. I had two payments left. 😂
That suuuuucks!!
@@BrickHouseBuilds yeah but I ended up buying it back from the insurance company and driving the crap out of it. So it wasn't too bad. Didn't worry about scratches and dings after that 😂
Looks like you guys are going to get more of the same tomorrow. Might want to park the Maverick in the shop.
Simple wire brush wheel on a drill will clean up the filler neck 100%. Small wire wheel on Dremel flex shaft (porting flex shaft) will finish those leftover spots of rust. Run a spoon of two stroke oil in the fuel tank will keep it generally rust free while using it. But it will need lining.
No lining needed on this one fortunately
Perfect timing! Now moving on from the Nighthawk ~ (not started yet). So yea. The 01 600 Bandit is well ~ yuck! Petcock needs a rebuild. I think you have another electrolysis video but this is very user friendly. Thanks again! Perfect for me right now. Oh yea. Someone says "Ospho?" Not so much about the 'clothes dryer' method. Whoo wee. Thanks again, and again, and again.
Nice job my friend .we put vinegar on are chips in the UK.
That you do lol
Great video another tank saved
They use mayonnaise elsewhere (try it, it's not bad) but that stuff sucks for rust removal.
Love vinegar....my mother is Scottish 😁
Well done. The Drywall screws work great.
That they do
I cleaned out a rusty zx6rr fuel tank last year, I used vinegar and pea gravel, kept shaking it for about 12 hours, it turned out really clean.
That would be a really good surface finish
cheap ball bearings or hex nuts (cleaned of galvanizing in vinegar) also work great for cleaning up the inside of a tank. You can use them with the vinegar to make less steps. Tank looks great!
Fantastic result with the tank, in regards to the storm when you knew it was approaching why didn't you rush inside and grab whatever blankets & donna's you could to protect your vehicle from possible hail damage as I do being uninsured for hail here in Sydney Australia!
Maybe a thought for next time!
Because I didn't know it was going to hail until you see that clip where I rushed out to find it hailing. Normally If I know in advance I get my vehicles parked inside or covered up.
BJ - took your advice and did another round of vinegar and really make sure to neutralize well after. 48 hours later...beautiful result. Hopefully next time I'm in MO with this CB750 I won't get stuck on the side of the road with rust clogged filters again! Maybe make it to the shop on The Deuce.
🤘🤘
Thats a neat old 750. Ive had probably a dozen in my life. Good job on the tank.
🤘🤘
Nice job on the tank. Hope the hail wasn't too bad on the truck. Look forward to seeing the bike on the road. RIDE SAFE OUT THERE BJ!
T-shirt..shorts..birds are singing...Spring is finally here..let's ride..great video with excellent results..
I even wore shorts the other day so that was a big deal!
I’d done that, and after I cleaned it out I treated it with Kreem Fuel Tank Liner. I first got a gallon of mercuric acid from a swimming pool dealer. This was to remove the rust. You still get rust flashing when it dries out. Then you treat it with Kreem.
Yeah I'm not a fan of either of those methods personally. I've seen too many failed kreem and red kote liners. I avoid muriatic acid when possible
G'day mate! Greeting from Australia. NICE WORK, found your video extremely helpful. Thanks for your efforts at putting a video together. Safe travels.
About the baking soda and vinegar in a sealed container. We used to make rocket engines out vinegar and baking soda and baking powder, you would be surprised at the velocity and altitude we would get, Be careful with that combo.
Nice job on the tank BJ 👍🏼.
Nice storm, too. Ive found a couple of old army blankets spread out on the roof and hood prevent hail damage, unless the stones get stupidly big!
Yeah I just had no warning about hail otherwise I would have taken my normal precautions
Hi BJ pretty good result with the tank ,worked really well man I felt for the truck at the end hope it didn’t cause too much damage I’d build a carport after that lol save a bit of damage then again if a tornado struck would it have been worth it take care and enjoy your week great video as always mate 🔧🔧🔧👌👍🏍️🏍️❤️
Try Apple Cider Vinegar, its much stronger than white vinegar, doesnt harm the paint and is only a few bob more expensive. I also used a kilo of steel gunshot from a gunshop. It's smaller that tech screws and easily removed with a magnet. My result was perfectly rust free base metal and the gunshot was so small it got deep into the seam welds. Of course i had to use baking soda immediately just as you did to stop the flash rust.
It's now been 21 years since I did my ZL1000 tank and it's still like new today.
This is 30% concentrate vinegar. Stronger than those others
Very nice I plan on using the vinegar trick on CBR. See you have one in the background @15:36. Mine is exactly the same, old owner neglected it and I've been trying to get her road worthy before I actually get to enjoy it. But good job on vids and explaining things.
Thank ya!
Your method certainly worked, & also with it pressurising that much you know you have no leaks
That was definitely not intentional lol 😅
@@BrickHouseBuilds but handy to remember lol
Original tank saved 👌.
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The vinegar works wonders I fill my tank full of vinegar and let it sit for a day or so, but first tossed some nuts and bolts in and shook it like the jailhouse rock. Poured out the vinegar and fill with water and baking soda, clean as new should have filmed it
Thanks for the Vid, I too am a fan of Caswell. Being in SoCal crazy to see the storm and thinking of the damage it does to cars. PS like the chain idea!!!
I will be using Caswell on my wife's cmx 450 tank
I start with soap and water and blast and flush the tank. Then vinegar soak filled to the brim. Then a couple different wire wheel on an extention. Finally evaporust with large washers and shake for a day. Drain and rinse again. Then alcohol and a blow dryer to eliminate water. End result is like new. Takes 1.5 days to 2 days. Electrolysis also works, but if you are not negligent you can save the paint with the first method.
@@Poppinwheeeeellllllieeeeez I normally use electrolysis and have a good video on that method too
You should try the vinegar along with about 15 , 3/8" coarse thread steel bolts , the bolts have enough weight and sharp edges to scrape anything loose on the surface , your screw method is similar but the weight of the bolts is what really gets the job done , dry it out with a heat gun and the result is like new steel , have your tank sealing coating ready to go , but dont wait to coat the inside or you will get the flash rust on the fresh surface.
I'm my last one everyone said try drywall screws and not to use a heat gun lol. I know there are 10,000,000 ways to skin a cat. This worked great. Maybe I'll make another video in the future of another method to go with my other ones
I also had a issue with a chain in my tank. Where i come from we call it kidney stone. Anyway great video as always!
I have very heavily rusted tank and i use citric acid + hot water, wrap that tank in some blankets and let it sit couple days. After that it was like new but be careful dont use too much of citric acid.
That hail brought back a bad memory of my 2 month old '83 Firebird getting pelted while I watched from the window.
Thats brutal!
Very clear video, thank you
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II wonder what Bruce is up to now. He was painting tanks back in 1980. Hopefully he's still around and living his best life.
I'm scared of vinegar because the one time I tried it the tank looked great... until after I did the rinse, then this thick rusty corrosion showed up. I did the whole baking soda step, but maybe I didn't use enough. You didn't seem to get much flash rusting. Evaporust works well, you just have to let it sit over night. And it's not as corrosive.
Thats why I prefer electrolysis. Much more stable
vinegar+rocks (chain) +shake= great! when it is dry off put some oil and keep it of rust again
Thats what I did in this video yes
A chain!!! Genius, I tried before with nails etc but getting them out past the lip took ages! Thanks for the video
Glad you found it helpful!
that tank is sick
Surprised you didn’t go for electrolysis. Worked great on your CB750.
Just trying to show multiple methods for my audience. I need to test this stuff too
So the next video is about "How to remove dings created by a hail storm" :)
🤣🤣🤣 step 1 - take it to a professional
rad. i was wondering how to plug an oval on my tank to do this - been using silicone plugs on tanks with circular petcock holes - nice to see your solution 🙏
Yup just a simple plate with two holes and silicone!
That was some wicked weather. Good video! I have a KBS coatings tank sealer kit I'm about to use on an 89 GSXR1100.
Be sure to prep it to perfection
vinegar works great!
Exactly what E10 does to every fuel system if left for a while
Nasty stuff for sure
I've used a couple pounds of pea gravel and pickling vinegar with good results.
Yes I have a video on how to do that as well
Probably gunna have to restrip my tank. Having a project maxim i used hardware store lock nuts and it worked great, but i dont think i spent enough time trying to clean it out. Dent doctor also scheming watching that hail come down 😂. Good video man! Always good seeing your content.
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Vinegar, a brass chain with very small links, gets into all the tiny crevices better.
Great job there my friend
Good job on the internals! Now about that cap latch and seal...
Very good video BJ, we didn't get any hail up my way. I pray that you didn't have too much damage.
Just some dings but still waiting on a roof inspection
Chain is smooth and rounded, not the best choice.
A jar full of bolts works best because of all the sharp edges and threads. They are also smaller and will get in crevices better.
Make sure to use steel bolts only because sometimes the last couple of bolts are harder to get out and you use a magnet on a stick to fish them out.
Best I could find in the moment
You touch up the small areas of rust with Phosphoric Acid, which is the active ingredient of Jenolite.
Get a gallon of 99.9% Phosphoric Acid, as it is relatively cheap.
You can either use the acid neat for heavy rust or dilute it to 50% or 33% concentration with tap water.
Brush it on with an acid brush (Nylon brushes tend to dissolve slowly, but will last for a few jobs).
Let the acid dry out and it will convert the rust to a black ferrous phosphate layer, which can then be abraded of with a wire brush.
Can't wire brush the inside of the tank though
@@BrickHouseBuilds You can wire brush the inside of the filler neck and cap, which were still left rusty after the vinegar treatment. The rest of than can only be cleaned as you did it - with loose screws.
This reminds me of the time I used to live in California for 7 years, and it only hailed ONCE out of the whole time I lived there, then it flooded once right after. Lol
We get hail but this time there was no warning for it unfortunately
Throw some blankets over the roof and hood, helps a lot...😮
Didn't know we were getting hail until it hit. I'm not getting my noggin out there with golf balls coming down either!
I used small pebbles from sea and vinegar and works
I've actually made another video using fish tank gravel too
Add a cap full of 2 stroke oil to a full tank will help too.
Cool video. Poor truck. Another quality how to mister!
Thanks Paul!
I use alcohol to neutralize the vinegar. Works very well.
I wouldn't think that was possible lol
That worked awesome, the tank looks great! As for the hail, I think I would have tore the comforter off my bed and threw it over the hood and roof! Lol hopefully it didn’t ding her up on ya.
Yeah just had no warning!
I'd rather spend the money on Evapo-Rust, fill the tank and set it somewhere for a couple of days followed by a rinse. It's a lot less labor but cost more to do in chemicals.
Evaporust is expensive and not the best use for this. It needs a mechanical stripping method to break the varnish away. Electrolysis for rust removal is far cheaper, works just as fast, and is just as safe
Right when I'm de-rusting my tank... talk about good timing !
Im on it like that!
Omg the storm 😮 is your truck insured against this kind of damage ??
@@joachimboussoumah9994 it's insured luckily. I'm working on getting estimates and such
What is the last liquid you put into gas tank? After you put into the last time baking soda, that comes in a little can
Some 2 stroke mix
I have a 2008 Triumph Bonnie that sat for a few years so am now cleaning the tank. It’s in good shape, just need to get the varnish and little bit of rust out. After I use vinegar and baking soda/water to neutralize, should I seal the tank? If not what do you recommend to stop the flash rust and prevent any gunk/rust from building up again in the future? Thanks in advance!!! And great videos!
@meredithjohnson7145 if there are no holes and the metal is good, do not use a sealer. A sealer is more of a last resort. Keeping fuel in the tank and even adding a tiny bit of oil to the fuel can keep rust away. It's when they sit empty that they rust
Great job! I had a thought; the pressure build up from the baking soda and water could you do something like that to pop out dents from a tank? Or would that be too unstable/unpredictable? Take care, and Regards from Canada 🇨🇦
To me that's too unstable as you have no control.
Nice tank
Thank ya
I always used a bunch of nuts and bolts, chain is a better idea it’s easier to get back out.
Helpful video BJ!! Sorry about the Mav😭😭
I've seen videos on YT of people making a DIY "Ultrasonic cleaner" with an electric sander. Would that work with a project like this?
Well I've seen that too but this isn't really the scenario you would use that. Potentially with some carbs but a tank doesn't need that type of cleaning
Hello B.J. You made a cracking job of that! I wondered if the dark persistent marking under the filler cap could have been overspray from the previous painting? I have had similar markings previously myself. I love that paint job, I smell the 1970’s!
Cool! Cheers Kevin.
You can use hydrochloric acid diluted as well. Just neutralize it when done. It will clean it even without the chain. How rust is removed in heavy industry. You can buy it at any big box store.
Yup, I have some but I don't like how dangerous it is. The fumes alone rust things nearby
So i rinsed out the loose rust best I could, In a Harley tank it seems there is some metal filler that runs along the right angles where it was welded. I filled it with two gallons of vinegar, 300 stainless steel lock washers, 1,000 brass BBs. I then sealed the tank outlets, let it sit 24 hours, wrapped it in two moving blankets, put it in the clothes dryer and ran it on fluff ( no heat) for a half hour, then another half hour. You can use a small cement mixer or paint shaker too.
Never put water in your metal fuel tank. Putting water in the tank is instant Rust. And yes gasoline does eat up metal turns Rust. You think about inside of the tank is , Bair metal. When tank is new it has a Glossy look to it when look Down inside when that Glossy look start looking Dull take right then and start cleaning it. If it's oily Little scale rust use kerosene 2 or 3 times get the Varnish out of the tank use a small piece Of chain. If it's a old tank with Rust Do the same thing. Ones you've got the tank back shiny use some Lacquer thinner 2 or 3 times too get the oily residue out. Lacquer thinner will dry out fast then tank some Good old Marvin's Mystery oil take and pour like a half a cup too a cup full depending on tank size put it in Roll it around, shake it some. Then Let it Set for 20 too 30. Minutes shake and rolled around again take pour that out. And Then pour a little bit back in it. Then use the vinegar. When you get the vinegar out, pour you a bit more the Marvin Mystery oil. back in it shake it around and roll it some Marvin's mystery helps with the varnishing stuff in the gas. Get that stuff out and it also Coats and protects the metal.
Did you watch the video?
@@BrickHouseBuilds O my God what I say what did we do before the Internet. Trial-and-error common sense. Could be before you was born.
I wonder if some brake cleaner would have helped break down that varnish...hmmm. That vinegar and baking soda may be a dent removal helper. Hmmm again. I have removed some dents with compressed air.
Great video . Not advisable to use the chain in a tank with a sending unit inside unless you remove the unit .
Definitely.
I would've thrown a couple old quilts on the truck hood and roof. With my hard hat of course
Didn't know it was going to hail until it was already coming down
Great info..i will try it on my ninja 250r..
Wow that's amazing.
A bit of elbow grease goes a long way
Simple green cuts the old gas crud let sit 3 or4 days comes right off
@@charlesburmaster This was much faster than 3-4 days though
Vinegar
Then rinse using distilled water only with a mix of baking soda
Sure no rust will remain then full tank a gas on your tank