Rusty Gas tank

[DFWRSTD]

I'm looking for help. I just purchased an 82 Kawasaki KZ 550 LTD for my wife. It's her starter bike. Bike has 6900 origional miles but has been stored for over 20 years. It starts but needs a carb cleaning among other things. I've removed the carbs but I'm not sure what to do with the tank. It has some rust but not bad. How do I go about cleaning it?

Thanks for any help, David

[straycatt]

"Some" rust is relative.

 

For light rust, I've had pretty good luck with BB's.

Remove the tank, dump out the gas, remove the petcock and poor in a box of BB's. (the small milk carton style box)

 

Then set around for a few days and shake the brains out of it.....wash, rinse, repeat.

 

Ta-dah!!!

[MiCarl]

Phosphoric acid will remove the rust. Home Depot sells it in a gallon jug. You should dilute it 3 parts water to 1 part acid.

 

You should first remove any loose rust by putting some water and dish soap in there with a handful of small nuts and shake vigorously. Count the nuts so you know how many should come back out.

 

I always remove the fuel cock and plug the hole. The acid probably wouldn't hurt it but the nuts banging around could damage the screen.

 

Unless you line it it'll eventually rust again. You can slow the process down by making sure you always store it with a full tank.

[eusa1]

i had an 82 550 ltd, wow what a great bike!

 

be sure that you keep an eye on your battery level and charging system, as this bike will run like crap on a low or bad battery, or even a dirty connection. and drive you nuts trying to figure it out.

i had mine for 116000 miles and when i sold it was running and looking like new.

mike.

 

also lived on Arington circle dr. in Arlington Tx. in 1986 when i still owned that (blue) bike

[Guest seuadr]

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm

 

electrolysis works great!

 

.

 

whatever you use to remove it, i recommend that you coat it with por-15 or kreem tank liner.

[Snaggletooth]

Used this product last year. Won't use any other product again. This stuff is the answer. Easy to use, tank interior does not have to be prefect to bond and hard a nails when it cures. Inside of tank looks and feels like a Thermos bottle.

 

Way superior to the latex treaments.

 

http://www.caswellplating.com/aids/epoxygas.htm

 

Washed out with high pressure at car wash, nuts, and BB rattle treatment and then a rinse with alcohol or thinner. I stuck a blow dryer in the fill hole to dry inside. Then the epoxy. If the tank had any thin spots from the rust the epoxy will build it up.

 

In the pic you can see shine of the epoxy. Still got rust that would not break loose but the epoxy actually bonds to it better than a bare clean suface. After a year there has been NO rust particles in the filter at all.

 

Mike

Edited April 13, 2010 by Snaggletooth

[frogmaster]

No need to reinvent the wheel look here : http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=524

[Cougar]

It has now been 4 years since I did that above etching of my tank

and the Kreem has held up real well so far.