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fz1rick

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2024
Messages
9
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Location
Dyersburg TN
New member, lifetime rider, purchasing an '05 Vmax today that has been left sitting for an extended period. I will bring it back to life, and may have questions along the way. I've been at this a long time, but each bike has it's own set of quirks. I'm almost positive I'll be reaching out to @dannymax because I've read positive things about his work.

I look forward to the journey.
 
New member, lifetime rider, purchasing an '05 Vmax today that has been left sitting for an extended period. I will bring it back to life, and may have questions along the way. I've been at this a long time, but each bike has it's own set of quirks. I'm almost positive I'll be reaching out to @dannymax because I've read positive things about his work.

I look forward to the journey.
Congrats! I usually have lot's of used parts on hand to.
 
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/vmx12-factory-service-manual.52788/#post-530014

https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/new-vmax-owner-faqs-new-members-please-read.21240/

Reading and understanding these two will help you get that 20th Anniversary model underway. I'm working on one of the same vintage. It starts and runs, the brakes are gone-through, more work is needed.

View attachment 95209

What number is on your VMax motor medallion at the top of the faux gas tank cover?
She is number 1229, and I can tell she is going to clean up really well. Such a shame it has set and the tank has rusted/sludged up.1000006586.jpg1000006587.jpg1000006588.jpg
 
Good pics, we like pictures.

Lots of ways to clean the gas tank.

Electrolysis
KREEM
Vinegar 'cleaning vinegar' at 6% or greater concentration. Home Depot has it up to 30%, but I do not recommend anything close to that. Dilute it to below 10% and monitor how it's working. You can dump the vinegar out and check inside to see how the rust is disappearing. A warning! Do Not leave the electric fuel sender in the bottom of the gas tank! Remove it and use a small piece of strap steel to seal it off. Use the sender unit to get your hole spacing. Drill the holes. Either use a skim coat of RTV compound or other sealant on the flat steel plate, and put it on. I use a plastic bin slightly larger than the gas tank to contain any vinegar if you have a leaking tank. Wit the 6% cleaning vinegar, it has taken me about 3 days to get the rust out to show a shiny floor of the tank where it was rusted.
Pressure washer

Whatever you do to get the tank clean, you need to dry it thoroughly, immediately because the now-bare tank will flash-rust in less-than a half-hour. I use a hair dryer after using an air hose to remove as-much water as I can. If the tank is to be replaced and filled, it still should get some oil in it to help it stay rust-free. If it's going to a shelf awaiting more work, I use used motor oil to coat the inside of the tank, and turn it around and about maybe once a week.

There are a lot of threads on here on how to treat a gas tank. Follow the directions for the product you choose, and be careful if you do the electrolysis. You don't want to start a fire.
 
Good pics, we like pictures.

Lots of ways to clean the gas tank.

Electrolysis
KREEM
Vinegar 'cleaning vinegar' at 6% or greater concentration. Home Depot has it up to 30%, but I do not recommend anything close to that. Dilute it to below 10% and monitor how it's working. You can dump the vinegar out and check inside to see how the rust is disappearing. A warning! Do Not leave the electric fuel sender in the bottom of the gas tank! Remove it and use a small piece of strap steel to seal it off. Use the sender unit to get your hole spacing. Drill the holes. Either use a skim coat of RTV compound or other sealant on the flat steel plate, and put it on. I use a plastic bin slightly larger than the gas tank to contain any vinegar if you have a leaking tank. Wit the 6% cleaning vinegar, it has taken me about 3 days to get the rust out to show a shiny floor of the tank where it was rusted.
Pressure washer

Whatever you do to get the tank clean, you need to dry it thoroughly, immediately because the now-bare tank will flash-rust in less-than a half-hour. I use a hair dryer after using an air hose to remove as-much water as I can. If the tank is to be replaced and filled, it still should get some oil in it to help it stay rust-free. If it's going to a shelf awaiting more work, I use used motor oil to coat the inside of the tank, and turn it around and about maybe once a week.

There are a lot of threads on here on how to treat a gas tank. Follow the directions for the product you choose, and be careful if you do the electrolysis. You don't want to start a fire.

That's some great information! Thank you 👍
 
Between youtube and the threads stored/available here, you can research which method is the one you wish to attempt. They all work. Their time to work is different. Some require more effort. If you have a safe place to do it, I think the electrolysis method is probably the most 'dramatic,' because as the electricity in the electrolyte does its iron transfer 'thing,' you get bubbles and over a relatively short period, the anodes collect the iron and the gas tank noticeably becomes less-rusty. However, I wouldn't do it inside your garage, 'just in-case.' Think of having to explain to your insurance adjuster what you were doing.

About the electrolyte method, you need an old-fashioned battery charger, as the new ones need a 'load' on them to begin the charge/electrolyte action. I've read where hooking up a 9 VDC battery can start the newer chargers as they present the load that the newer battery chargers need to begin. From the 9 VDC battery connect a wire to each terminal and place the other ends into the electrolytic solution. Then hoook-up the battery charger and start it. These are all anecdotal ways to use electrolysis, use at your own discretion. If you have any doubts about electrolysis, do not attempt to use it. However, working with a battery charger and an electrolytic solution, and the anode/cathode, does present a possibility of something wrong happening, possibly with calamitous results.

That's why I believe the cleaning vinegar method is safer. It does a good job, and you can do it in the gas tank without having to immerse the tank into the vinegar solution. The vinegar can be filtered and re-used. You will know when it's time to dispose of it.

A reminder to remove the gas tank fuel sender switch, if you use cleaning vinegar. What happens if you don't remove it:

1724438362354.png

The gas tank fuel sender switch blank-off plate, made from strap steel.

1724438533468.png

Here's info from member Randy67500 about Metal Rescue, see for yourself how it worked:

1724438951399.png1724438986895.png

This is the thread this is found in:
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/fuel-tank-cleaning.50516/#post-507181

Plenty of good suggestions, including one from CaptainKyle, fill your gas tank after a ride, leaving no room for condensation to begin rusting in the gas tank.

This above process appears similar to using cleaning vinegar. The advantage to the cleaning vinegar is that you can strain it of any particulate material, and save the vinegar for another use. It's also cheaper than the specialty products, and is easily disposed-of when its cleaning power is weak, after multiple uses.

I have a hobby of collecting pedal cars. Here's a 'sad-face' pedal car which I de-rusted with 6% cleaning vinegar, over a couple of days.

1724439545084.png1724439587543.png

One of our faux gas tank tins, before, then during:

1724439723995.png1724439750569.png

and after:

1724439809155.png

Given its price, effectiveness, safety, reusability, and ease of disposal, you can understand why I champion the cleaning vinegar. My concentration was 6% and I did the pedal car front before I did the faux tank cover, so you can see that it still works. Straining out the small bits of steel help the reclaimed vinegar to retain its usability. I used cheesecloth and a wide funnel into the 1 gallon vinegar plastic container to store it.

The process at-work. I use bricks to take-up space inside the plastic container so you can use less cleaning vinegar. From the effervescent action and the change in color from clear to dirty-brown, you can see it working. Be sure to thoroughly dry your pieces after rinsing the part in fresh water, and then prime it or use some sort of oil on it. Flash rust happens in a matter of minutes, so be sure to allocate sufficient time for the rinse/primer or other anti-rust coating.

1724440125378.png

These pics in this post are all from the search function. I used vinegar gas tank as search words, rust removal would be another good one.
 
Last edited:
Between youtube and the threads stored/available here, you can research which method is the one you wish to attempt. They all work. Their time to work is different. Some require more effort. If you have a safe place to do it, I think the electrolysis method is probably the most 'dramatic,' because as the electricity in the electrolyte does its iron transfer 'thing,' you get bubbles and over a relatively short period, the anodes collect the iron and the gas tank noticeably becomes less-rusty. However, I wouldn't do it inside your garage, 'just in-case.' Think of having to explain to your insurance adjuster what you were doing.

About the electrolyte method, you need an old-fashioned battery charger, as the new ones need a 'load' on them to begin the charge/electrolyte action. I've read where hooking up a 9 VDC battery can start the newer chargers as they present the load that the newer battery chargers need to begin. From the 9 VDC battery connect a wire to each terminal and place the other ends into the electrolytic solution. Then hoook-up the battery charger and start it. These are all anecdotal ways to use electrolysis, use at your own discretion. If you have any doubts about electrolysis, do not attempt to use it. However, working with a battery charger and an electrolytic solution, and the anode/cathode, does present a possibility of something wrong happening, possibly with calamitous results.

That's why I believe the cleaning vinegar method is safer. It does a good job, and you can do it in the gas tank without having to immerse the tank into the vinegar solution. The vinegar can be filtered and re-used. You will know when it's time to dispose of it.

A reminder to remove the gas tank fuel sender switch, if you use cleaning vinegar. What happens if you don't remove it:

View attachment 95214

The gas tank fuel sender switch blank-off plate, made from strap steel.

View attachment 95215

Here's info from member Randy67500 about Metal Rescue, see for yourself how it worked:

View attachment 95216View attachment 95217

This is the thread this is found in:
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/fuel-tank-cleaning.50516/#post-507181

Plenty of good suggestions, including one from CaptainKyle, fill your gas tank after a ride, leaving no room for condensation to begin rusting in the gas tank.

This above process appears similar to using cleaning vinegar. The advantage to the cleaning vinegar is that you can strain it of any particulate material, and save the vinegar for another use. It's also cheaper than the specialty products, and is easily disposed-of when its cleaning power is weak, after multiple uses.

I have a hobby of collecting pedal cars. Here's a 'sad-face' pedal car which I de-rusted with 6% cleaning vinegar, over a couple of days.

View attachment 95218View attachment 95219

One of our faux gas tank tins, before, then during:

View attachment 95220View attachment 95221

and after:

View attachment 95222

Given its price, effectiveness, safety, reusability, and ease of disposal, you can understand why I champion the cleaning vinegar. My concentration was 6% and I did the pedal car front before I did the faux tank cover, so you can see that it still works. Straining out the small bits of steel help the reclaimed vinegar to retain its usability. I used cheesecloth and a wide funnel into the 1 gallon vinegar plastic container to store it.

The process at-work. I use bricks to take-up space inside the plastic container so you can use less cleaning vinegar. From the effervescent action and the change in color from clear to dirty-brown, you can see it working. Be sure to thoroughly dry your pieces after rinsing the part in fresh water, and then prime it or use some sort of oil on it. Flash rust happens in a matter of minutes, so be sure to allocate sufficient time for the rinse/primer or other anti-rust coating.

View attachment 95223

These pics in this post are all from the search function. I used vinegar gas tank as search words, rust removal would be another good one.

Super informative! Thank you 👍
 
Just a couple of pics, I washed the ol' beast and dried it off. No detailing at all, stunned at the condition of this bike. It's near mint! I knew it would clean up pretty good but wasn't expecting these results. Fully detailed this thing is going to be an eye catcher. I just wanted all the grime off of it before I tear it down. (This winter)
1000006655.jpg
1000006660.jpg1000006659.jpg
 
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