Holey Tank Man!

[Cdnlouie]

Filled up the other day and only got 15km to the tank.  I'd say we have a problem Houston.  Okay, so what are the recommendations for fuel tank repair?

It looks like we have a previous solder job, an inside Kreem job and maybe I'd better get back on ebay and get serious about bidding on a tank.

Not to worry, I am inclined to go with epoxy.  I did a recent epoxy job on a side cover just to experiment and it came out great. It sands reasonably well and can be shaped to paint.  I once did an Automotive A/C Condensor and it lasted 7 years and was still working when it went to the scrap yard.  Amazing stuff.  Anyone use it on a tank repair?

How about double bubble?

Still chewing on this one,

Louie

[Lucky]

Don't know if you have a Car Quest near you but they sell this putty epoxy in a tube that has the activator in the middle, (like a log)  you pinch off what you need and roll it around in your fingers till it gets hot then apply.   It's made just for stuff like this, i've used it on other fuel tanks before too.

this might be too late but certain fuel system cleaners such as Berrymans B-12 Fuel Injector cleaner will eat thru the Kreem coating.  It has no effect on POR-15 tank coating though..

If you've used this stuff, you should be aware that the Kreem might be getting into your carbs.  You can imagine what would happen if it hardens up in your carbs...  if so, dip your carbs ASAP.

--Lucky

[Rick G]

Hi Louie, POR 15 has a kit specificaly for removing kreem , and preping it for POR 15 installation. If you can't get it in Canada, I can refer you to a place in the states that will ship to you, mine cost me $17.95  (US) This stuff is everything Kreem isn't. you still will need to go with luckys suggestion to plug up the holes. By the way kreem will bond to surface rust, you just need to get the big chunks out.

[Cdnlouie]

Hey I got my tank back on after repairing one side with the Quicksteel (Cargo brand) 15 minute epoxy.  It seems to be as durable as the stuff Lucky recommended, but it is far easier to mix, it applies and levels out very smoothly for sanding.  I built up about 2mm over some pin holes in the bottom and coated the two low areas as a precautionary measure.  This worked really nice (although it helps having had some autobody finishing experience in the past).  It will be interesting to see if this repair holds out for a decent length of time.

I can't think of a better coverage method for the exterior or interior like epoxy.  It can be extended further than welding just the hole and without the deteriorating heating effect on the metal.  Epoxy on the inside (POR) and then on the out should keep a tank alive for a significant number of years.

I am going to leave the Kreem coating (not sure how to recognize Kreem or POR) alone as it is well flushed out now and even my filter is clean so I think that I am in pretty good shape.

Louie  :)

[Rick G]

Hi Louie (correction  POR 15 will bond to rust not Kreem)   POR 15 is silver and very hard, kreem is white and dries to a amber opaque  colour.

[Cdnlouie]

Thanks Rick for giving me that info on the differences between POR & Kreem. ?I am certain now that I have been Kreemed! ?I will certainly be careful about using anything that causes it to break down as well advised by Lucky et al.

When I first got the bike, the biggest problem I had was water trapped under the Kreem. ?I have all the water out now (after about 25 flushes and finally a tank full of methyl hydrate to finish off the last couple of flushes). ?I should have started with the methyl hydrate but thought about it later. ?My problem was getting the water out through very small cracks in the Kreem. ?Only the methyl hydrate was able to get in there and do the job. ?It is really in pretty good shape right now so I am going to leave well enough alone. ?Keep the water out and these tanks will last forever.

Thanks for the education on this stuff.

Louie

[Rick G]

Hi  Louie, your welcome!  one more thing, I add a couple of ounces of Seafoam  to every other tankfull. I think Jason and lucky will agree that regular use of a dewatering agent  and /or a carb cleaner will extend the life of the tank  and the interval between carb rebuilds, Lucky recommends Berrymans. I have heard good things about Justice bros. carb and injector cleaner ,too.

[dex3703]

Just reading the conversation, and wondering if coating the tank is really necessary? I have an 82 Vision and the tank is completely clean and shiny inside.

[Brian Moffet]

Just reading the conversation, and wondering if coating the tank is really necessary? I have an 82 Vision and the tank is completely clean and shiny inside.

Yeah, so is mine.  However, my bike has either been garaged (most of the time) or covered when it was not.  I also live in a really moderate climate, our average yearly range of temps runs from 36 to 85.  I think it's one of those things that is a good idea to watch.  It's pretty hard to tell if there is water in the tank, unlike airplanes there are no drainage ports to check for water in the fuel.

I keep an eye on the tank and the filter, and as someone mentioned, use a de-waterer occasionally.

Brian

[Cdnlouie]

Typically, what destroys the tank is long periods of non-use or storage with condensation forming inside the tank in the four season climates, and leaking gas caps that just suck water in from any precipitation (or careless washing).  Water just accumulates and stays there all during the storage period. ?Anyone who cares about their bike and keeps it stored with a full tank of fuel or in a dry environment will have no problems.

However, the chance of having good care is rather slim for most motorcycles and so in the interest of preserving a great motorcycle tank for ages to come the best insurance is the epoxy coatings. ?Yes, the dryer environments are definitely better at preserving your tank and it is not necessary to coat a good tank. ?However, these tanks are not going to be around forever so lets say it is like leaving behind an inheritance.

Anyone who uses a little water treatment now and then will never experience any problems with water and the resulting rust problem which necessitates the fuel filter add-on.

Draining the petcock and bowls at regular service intervals also eliminates or indicates the presence of a water problem, if you are a caring owner. ?Always collect the drainings to see if there is water in your tank.

Show lots of love to that tank,

Louie ? ;)

[dex3703]

Thanks all for the advice. I put the bike away a couple weeks ago and did the whole deal: stabilizer in full gas tank, spray oil in the intake and cylinders, plugged the intake and exhaust with oiled rags. It's outside but under a cover.

When spring comes around I will be sure to pay some attention to the tank, and do the draining thing.

[MattA]

Is this the best solution to rust in a fuel tank for coating:

http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/PermanentRestorationProducts/FUEL_TANK_SEALERS.html

If not, please tell me what would be the best solution.  Thanks.

---Matt

[Cdnlouie]

Yes, this is the best according to Lucky's recommendation and rather extensive experience.  If you need to preserve your tank from the rust blues you are better getting "POR"ed rather than "KREEM"ed.

You may want to ask someone who has done one or two for any tricks.  Lucky's site has some more info:

http://www.geocities.com/lucky_142/indexa.html

[Robert Fisher]

I have a questions to all of you Vision riders out there.  I recently was given a 1982 Vision from a nephew who is in the Marines and left it stored for a couple years outside not under cover with the gas tank empty.   Ouch!   I know.

  My question is;   how do I remove the coating on the inside of the tank because there is some ( not a lot)  of rust and chunks of coating ( it rattles when you shake it) under the coating?  

I am going through each part completely since my nephew dropped it off when I was not at home and is now enroute to Kwait.  

PS.   I have been searching the web for info on the Vision, and I hear so many wonderful statements about the Vision that I am excited to get it running.

Thanks,

Robert Fisher
Sacramento, CA,  USA

[Cdnlouie]

Welcome to the club!

First of all, is all the water out of the tank? ?Water can get trapped under the epoxy coating and continue its work of destruction on the tank bottom. ?Water can work its way back into the fuel as well.

I once flushed a tank with methyl hydrate in order to get the water out that was trapped below.

Second does the tank leak? ?If it does not leak you should flush it as much as possible to get the loose rust out (15-20 times may not be a bad number) ?Use some varsol or mineral spirits for safety and if you want to save some money strain it through some paper towel into a bucket (get some clamps to hold the paper towel).  Flush by draining through the petcock opening (make sure you remove the petcock), it works better.

The rattling sound can be rust below the epoxy coating usually in the low zones of the tank that is sealed off. ?It is not a major problem if the tank is still sealed with the epoxy.

The cost of the remover (which is available see Lucky's site) and POR sealer may warrant just picking up another tank. ?However, your tank can still work well but watch for leaks which may show up a bit down the road if the epoxy seal is broken.

Third, put an inline filter on your fuel line to collect anything that decides to work its way to your carbs. ?This can keep you going for a while if you don't leave your bike outdoors or hose the tank down a lot by washing (fuel caps leak).

Louie ? :-/

P.S. Your next stop will probably be the carburetor section here.