motorcycle gas tank cleaning out....

[jsuani]

I have no need to use any type of coating product in my tank. I just want to clean out the surface of some old and gummed up gas. I have turned the tank over repeatedly but just cannot get it all out. I was thinking flushing it with good gas but with gas being traded for platinum now adays. I wanted to know what will clean my tank that I can pour in a swish it around to get out the old trash and minor surface stains. No Rust in tank at all. [-X I have flexscoped it and have found no rust anywhere. Please help. Will carberator cleaner do the same in my tank? All ideas are helpful but peeing in my tank is not an opiton. :? Some idiot to me that one. Don't ask I pegged him from jump on that info.

 

[mark]

Go over to the "Tips and Tricks" section of this forum and look at the thread entitled "fuel tank with rust inside". Lots of interesting ideas there.

 

[retrex]

Re: motorcycle gas tank cleaning out....

I have no need to use any type of coating product in my tank. I just want to clean out the surface of some old and gummed up gas. I have turned the tank over repeatedly but just cannot get it all out. I was thinking flushing it with good gas but with gas being traded for platinum now adays. I wanted to know what will clean my tank that I can pour in a swish it around to get out the old trash and minor surface stains. No Rust in tank at all. [-X I have flexscoped it and have found no rust anywhere. Please help. Will carberator cleaner do the same in my tank? All ideas are helpful but peeing in my tank is not an opiton. :? Some idiot to me that one. Don't ask I pegged him from jump on that info.

Search on keyword Xylene, as for gettng it all out if you have a fuel level sender unit you can remove this and stuff rags in the opening to get it all out. Don't use a wet/dry vac to suck it out!!! The following was for anybody who did a lot of drugs when they were younger. Not intended for you. Be aware that once you clean it out it may start to rust almost instantly. Also if you take the sender out take a penlight and look around the inside of your tank from that angle. You may be surpised to see that the top, or roof, of the tank may be rusty. You may then reevaluate the sealing option. Good luck

 

[DaveDanger]

If you're trying to keep the tank on the bike to clean it, try running an appropriate mixture of any good brand of fuel system cleaner through the next handful of tank fills. Most cans of fuel cleaner are intended for a 15 to 20 gallon tank in a car or truck, so sit down with your calculator and determine what is a proper level to add to your 4 or 5 gallon tank. Then do it every time you fill up till it's gone. Ought to do a pretty good job of dissolving gunk and varnish. I'd maybe even tend to mix it a tiny bit strong to make sure it works. If however, you're interested in a tank removal and instant clean, there's a product called Methyl Ethyl Ketone or M.E.K. for short.. available from any commercial paint store. Use it carefully as it will strip paint, make you higher'n a kite, and cause cancer... not necessarily in that order. It is simply a very strong solvent. It will guaranteed dissolve fuel varnish and any suspect materials inside a tank. It will NOT do anything for rust. It will dissolve pretty much any kind of rubber seals if left in contact for very long, so I'd air dry the tank interior with positive airflow as soon as the stuff is poured out. Immediately get fuel back into the tank to keep the surface from beginning to rust. That's a given. There's a handful of other solvents in the same class.. Xylene, Toluene, Acetone, even some alcohols... that will all do pretty much the same thing. The M.E.K. is by far the strongest.

 

[arveejay]

Take the tank to the power car wash and shoot the water into all the holes, does a pretty good job.

 

[NotSoFast]

Is it worth risking your paint job to get rid of some varnish that probably poses no threat to your carbs? If there's varnish in your tank then you likely have varnish in your carbs as well, probably more if they haven't been cleaned recently. Also, maybe one of the reasons you don't have rust is because of the varnish.

Just something to consider.

 

[jsuani]

Thanks for the comments...this is what worked though.

Thanks for the comments...this is what worked though.

This is what I did and it worked. I didn't need to use any major products that was advertised or given to me. I went out on a tip that I saw on another thread about cleaning out carbs and a little more research on dragbike.com on carb. cleaning and lining tank with that junk. Dont get me wrong but the best way to do it is to remove the bead of the tank and sand blast the rust if you just cannot find another tank. If it is ever that bad for me I would buy another tank. never will I use any kreeem kit no matter how good or bad experiences anyone has had with them. I removed the tank from the bike and then the fuel cap from the tank. I placed the tank on the ground and then placed about three bottles of rubbing alcohol in it. I let it sit for several hours with the cap still off. I then picked it up after another cleaning of the carbs with some carb. cleaner and properly removing everthing and doing it right. Not that I take any short cuts but this had to be a good idea without putting a high pressure hose or and kreem kit in it. I took the tank and shook it as much as I could with the cap reinstalled. I then opened the fuel cap after my arms stopped burning from muscle fatigue. I drained the tank and let it air out for about a day. I then just took a look in the tank to see how much old gas stains and trash was removed. Remember I had so rust in sight before I started this task. I had found nothing but a clean tank. I later did some research and found out that the same rubbing alcohol under its scientific name is the same product used in the first stages of the kreem kit. How do I know that I have been a motorcycle mechanic for about two years. Yes even we ask questions and need to find short cuts to properly help out clients. So there you have it when you get old gas in a tank just got to the family dollar general store and pick up about three or four bottles of clear rubbing alcohol. IT WORKS. Bike is now being torn down to become a restoration project now that I know it is worth investing in it. I thank everyone for helping me out with their tips and experiences I hope you try this and have fun riding safely.