gas tank scum

[buckridge]

hello all, i found a good deal on craigs list , its a low mile 72 honda sl125 for 100.00 and its all there and in great shape . it has been sitting for in a outdoor shed for at least twelve years. i jumped on this deal as it was my dream bike when i was 14 ,my problem is the gas tank has scum in the tank from dehydrated gasoline that has evaporated over the years. my question is what is an easy way to remove the scum from inside the gas tank without damage to the mint condition paint on the exterior of the tank. is there a special fluid i can put in the tank that will dislodge the scum without damage to the petcock rubber seals or the paint? i would like to do this as easy as possable, without stripping the tank down . thank you . best to you all buckridge

 

[4gasem]

KREEM... It works pretty well IMO. IMO I'd put some small (light) nuts in it with some kerosene and shake it about as much as possible to get the big stuff off and then use the Kreem to coat it.

http://www.carparts.com/KREEM-LIQUID-FUEL-TANK-LINER-KIT/GP_2000795_N_111+10718+600022210_10618.car

Chris

 

[kdinkelman]

Well, if the inside is rusted at all, I would recommend POR15 over KREEM any day of the week (after having used both). It came as a 3-pack, cleaner/degreaser, etch and coat.

It didn't do any damage to the paint, but the vmax tank is built a little differently. You would have to remove the petcock and put a temporary gasket/plug in its place for either of those two solutions.

The POR15 is a very hard coating, unlike the KREEM's rubbery-like coating, which never seemed durable to me.

 

[buckridge]

thanks for the advice , but there is no rust in the tank so i dont need to recondition the interior with epoxy or cream, i just want to get the scum out. is there any thing that will melt the old gas residue inside the tank without harming the painted exterior? thanx for the replies best to you all buckridge

 

[RaWarrior]

Anything strong enough to eat away the scum will also likely damage the rubber seals in the valve and cap, so I think you'll probably have to strip it down. Can't imagine that's a big deal on a 125.

While certainly not it's intended purpose, a product called "On & Off" works great as a crap dissolver. It's intended to clean marine growth off boat hulls, and is in essence highly concentrated oxalic acid. It'll take the hair off a dog. You can get it at boat stores or marinas.

It's really nasty stuff, but even the most stubborn carb bowl crap melts away like nothing, stuff even the sonic tank didn't touch. I'm sure that would remove all the residue, but be EXTREMELY careful when using it. Spilling it on the paint would not be good, and it eats through rubber like pizza at a weight watchers. Wear some sort of respirator when you use it, even the vapors will make you gag and hack up a lung or two. Be sure to rinse the tank thoroughly with water afterward, you don't want any of that stuff lingering around.

I've never used the stuff on a tank(just stripped carb bodies), so try at your own risk.

 

[KJShover]

KREEM... It works pretty well IMO. IMO I'd put some small (light) nuts in it with some kerosene and shake it about as much as possible to get the big stuff off and then use the Kreem to coat it.

http://www.carparts.com/KREEM-LIQUID-FUEL-TANK-LINER-KIT/GP_2000795_N_111+10718+600022210_10618.car

Chris

+1, I've used it a few times. I just put eather a handfull of bolts or a piece of small chain in the tank with some solvent and shake it up a few times, let it sit, then shake some more.

 

[buckridge]

thank you all for the good information, i think i will try the on and off product and see how it will work . i will give a heads up on the matter once i have tried it. best to you all . buckridge

 

[4gasem]

acetone works pretty well with the nuts but it WILL dry out the rubbers. You'll want to replace them after this many years anyway IMO.

Chris

 

[1967vmax]

I bought my wife a 95 virago 535 that has 2 gas tanks and both had rust and scum. the top tank was a bitch i couldnt get anything past the gas cap end . the bottom tank was easy i used some chain links broke most of it up, then i took it to a local marine shop steam cleaned and coated with some blue shit i dont know the name. I know if you get it on paint it EATS it. The top tank i use my air compressor and went through the hole on the bottom side small nuts tied to a string threaded through a piece of 2' neoprene hose and the hose wiping around really worked well enough that i didnt get it coated, change your fuel filter several times after you get it done. JIM