Tank

[wboeck]

I just got my tank from the German Ebay site. It cost 99 euro and 42 for shipping and took about 3 weeks. I tried purchasing one for $199 from a scrap yard in NC that had me on hold for 2 months and never delivered so I was about to give up looking. I was real happy to find this one. The tank appears to be in great condition without any signs of outside rust.  However, there is some rust in the inside under the cap. I am tempted to get POR-15 but was wondering if it is worth the effort? Since the tanks paint is in pretty good condition and it somewhat matches my existing one besides the Yamaha sticker and the white strip, I am considering to not even get it repainted.

Please let me know what everyone thinks about cleaning and coating the inside with POR-15. The POR-15 literature says to keep a tank filled and use fuel stabilizer and it will not rust so their liner is not required. Maybe I should just do this?

The next step is getting carb rebuild kits which appears to cost more than the tank. Yikes! Go figure?

Below are some links to photos of the new and old tank

new tank
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank3.JPG  (internal surface rust)
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank5.JPG
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank8.JPG
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank4.JPG

old tank
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank.JPG
http://members.cox.net/icstars/tank2.JPG

Thanks,
Wayne

[YellowJacket!]

Hi wayne,
Protect your investment and get the POR15.
I too purchased a tank from a German ebay seller.  I was lucky enough to get a NOS, never used new tank.  It had the OEM seals on it and was airtight so there was no rust inside.
I posted a comprehensive thread about a year ago all about my stripping it down, painting and POR'ing.
It was a difficult decision to do but the silver tank didn't match my bike.  I put  a lot of work into it and the POR assures me that my efforts will last a long time.

David

[YellowJacket!]

Forgot to mention that the POR15 kit has all the stuff you need to clean the tank AND seal it.

David

[wboeck]

The silver tank is what I needed. I will check your thread on applying POR15. I read your experience about getting a tank from the German ebay that is what prompted me to look there. I will get the POR15. It just seems to be a lot of work.

Thanks,
Wayne

[wboeck]

David,
what kit is recommended for this tank? POR15 appears to have multiple options. They have a "UTILITY & CYCLE FUEL TANK REPAIR KIT". It has the Marine Cleaner, Metal Ready and Tank Sealer plus brushes and cloths. It appears to be the right choice?
http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?grp=CTRK&dept=11

thanks,
Wayne

[Night Vision]

if 'ya don't it will end up like your old tank.... water settles into the corners and they rot

since this tank is in good shape... you could save some money by just getting the 8oz. sealer and using household or hardware store chemicals...

http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?grp=TS&dept=12

Janitor in a Drum or Dawn dish soap will clean it out nicely, and some Muriatic acid will get any varnish and rust, plus it will etch the metal to receive the Por

[Tiger]

 :) Nice find... 8)...and I have the 4 side plastics to match (the diamond battery cover is cracked!!)...Wanna swap!!!

I don't have my tank on "The Mistress" treated with anything. She has gas additives added during the season and the tank is emptied and refilled using fuel stabiliser and fresh gas during the winter.

              8)......TIGER....... 8)

[wboeck]

Tiger,
what do you want to swap?

Wayne

[Tiger]

Tiger,
what do you want to swap?

Wayne

I have the two plastic covers that go either side, under the seat, the large right side cover (TCI/coolant bottle) and the left side battery cover (top) all in the Star Silver with the white stripe through them, the same as your new tank. However, the battery cover has a large crack and needs repair.
If your interested, I would like to swap them for a North American Star Silver set, (without the white stripe), the same as the tank I got a few weeks ago...

                        8).......TIGER....... 8)

[inanecathode]

Man i've been out of the bike loop for a bit, i clicked on this thinking "tank? model tank? rc tank? abrams tank??"

[wboeck]

Tiger,
do you have photo of the crack and the panels? I will need to show a buddy of mine to see if he could fix it.

thanks,
Wayne

[Tiger]

Tiger,
do you have photo of the crack and the panels? I will need to show a buddy of mine to see if he could fix it.

thanks,
Wayne

No problem but it will have to be at the weekend...

                   8).......TIGER....... 8)

[wboeck]

That is fine. I am not in too big of a hurry. It took a over three months in searching for the tank.

[Coil Coyle]

At the local Oregon Vintage Motorcyle meetings the members are all warning that the POR 15 in member tanks has begun softening since Ethanol has been added to the gasoline up here in Oregon.

Have any of you guys got ethanol gas in your POR'd tanks yet?

Guys are advocating a couple of different epoxy coatings. I've got no experience with any of the coatings so I'm just passing this on.

$0.02
;)
Coil

[inanecathode]

At the local Oregon Vintage Motorcyle meetings the members are all warning that the POR 15 in member tanks has begun softening since Ethanol has been added to the gasoline up here in Oregon.

Have any of you guys got ethanol gas in your POR'd tanks yet?

Guys are advocating a couple of different epoxy coatings. I've got no experience with any of the coatings so I'm just passing this on.

$0.02
;)
Coil

We've had ethanol in our gas in colorado since the earth was cooling it seems, and everyone i know of here has por in their tanks. It hasnt been a problem for anyone i've heard of, personally all my por'd stuff is as right as rain, no softening to speak of.

[h2olawyer]

10% ethanol for years in my (POR-type) lined tank.  No problems at all. (knocking furiously on wood)

My 83 tank will get the Caswell treatment, though.  It is currently non-rusted & unlined (thanks Leather!).

H₂O

[Rick G]

AZ. has ethanol too, I've experienced  no problem . MN has ethanol too , and I hear of  no problems there either!   You will have to take what those doofuses in OR, have to say with a grain of salt , there brains are water logged and covered in moss :D

[YellowJacket!]

They were probably "sponsored" by the makers of Kreem.  ;D

David

[Coil Coyle]

Copy that!

All I could tell them was that the guys in California were using it with MTBE and I had never heard of a Vision having a problem with POR.

It's probably a case where they blame their AMAL carb problems on the tank coating, you know how those Brit bike guys are.

Thanks,
;)
Coil

[wboeck]

I just got my POR-15 motorcycle kit. It will be a chore. Anyone have any recommendations when performing this? Like how to keep things clean and how to seal the holes on the tanks?

thanks,
Wayne