gas tank electrolysis rust removal

[moperformance]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-From-A-Motorcycle-Gas-Ta/

This is the route I'm going to try on my 85 vmax before coating the inside. I'll document and post the results.

 

[naughtyG]

I did try that with an old Honda CM200T tank, and while it did do something, it didn't really remove all the rust as I had hoped. I think it needs *many* repeats to get there.

IMHO it's better/easier/faster to clean it out with solvent + bolts etc, then treat and coat with a good product like POR15.

 

[Diablotin]

Phosphoric acid is as efficient if not better.
Electrolysis was in my options but found the acid setup less messy.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ZackDaniels]

I did try that with an old Honda CM200T tank, and while it did do something, it didn't really remove all the rust as I had hoped. I think it needs *many* repeats to get there.

IMHO it's better/easier/faster to clean it out with solvent + bolts etc, then treat and coat with a good product like POR15.

It's all about what metal you use to draw the rust off. It has to be very clean and as much surface area as possible to collect. Once it's full then the process stops being effective, and it must be cleaned/put back in to resume working.

So depending on amount of rust + metal you use to draw it off it can take a long time/be a general pain in the ass. For low/med rust and a good piece to draw it works great, and also gets bonus points for being a cool science project lol.

Here's how it goes for an 83 Honda gas tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyG0mu2T4u0&feature=share&list=LLL6Hq2WZ6F14oxwIUKmsSHQ

Works great - I would still suggest a sealer when it's done, but gas itself has anti-rusting properties so it shouldn't be too bad provided you keep a full tank for any storage.

 

[AMechEng]

I've done it for small parts using an old lead acid battery charger and it does work well. I think everyone else covered all the bases.

 

[moperformance]

Before starting the tank it was washed out with 1/2 gal of boiling water, a hand full of concrete nails and comet cleanser. shaking for about 30 minutes then rinsing until clean. After finally finding Arm and Hammer Super washing soda at Ace Hardware I was able to get everything together. I placed the tank inside of a 30 gal container, The mixture was one table spoon to each gallon. I had a clean length of 1/2' rebar to use as a electrode. A chunk of solid rubber for a stopper. My battery charger was set on 20Amps/12vdc.
I cut the bottom out of a heavy duty plastic bag and wrapped a rubberband around it on the neck of the tank to keep the area inside of the top of the tank submersed as the gas bubbled out. the rebar pictured is after 24 hours. When the transfer stops the rust is gone.
I rinsed the tank again with hot water time and time again until clean. After It had been dryed with compressed air and a heat gun I used the two part epoxy gas tank sealer from Caswell Platting. This stuff dried crystal clear and slick as glass.
If I hadn't seen the results myself first hand. I never would have thought this would work at all. Much less how much rust was pulled from the inside of the gas tank! Flippin amazing:eusa_dance:

 

[davesax36]

I gotta try this on a couple tanks I have here. Too cool not to at least give it a shot.

 

[moperformance]

http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/Miscellaneous/Rust_Removal.htm
here's a link with a pretty good back ground of the process.

 

[m-cman]

Had a friend do this several years ago with a 70's Honda 350 tank. Went inside for a while. When came out, all the fluids were running down his concrete driveway. The stains are still there and are apparently permanent! Seems the tank was so rusty that the solution ate through the tank and drained out. Obviously the tank was trash. He had to find another tank to finish his restoration.

 

[Hopefuldave]

McMan, I would guess his tank was already way beyond repair..._
I used electrolysis on parts of my lathe before painting, very effective *if* you can get a good line of sight from rust to electrode and enough current - I use a big plastic tub lined with scrap sheet steel and a couple of plastic baskets for the parts, with an old start+charge unit that does 30A. It will remove paint and filler, so be warned!
Inside a tank would be tricky, ideal setup would be a holey plastic pipe (to prevent short circuits) packed with sheet scrap, so you could feed it through the filler - tho I've used carbon rods which work well, they don't get covered in rusty sludge

 

[Diablotin]

I used acid phosphoric with succes. Less toxic than muriatic and it coats slighly the tank.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2