Is there a reliable way to save my rusty tank? I'm seeing people talk about using a handful of bb's and agitation to strip away the old liner, are there any other methods worth trying? What about the rust itself, is there a good way to remove all the rust or should I just trash the tank?

Thanks.

 

We have a local radiator shop that can coat the inside of the tank. I don't know how long it lasts or if it can be done to a motorcycle tank without ruining the paint.

 

^ +1 on "red lead" at rad shop.
Sealed pinhole leaks in `36 VL tanks for me
Yes, you better wrap the exterior securely with towels or it`ll come back scratched

 

I like the BB way. Dump bb’s and vinegar and shake it baby. The trik is to fill it up once it’s done with fresh gas or kerosene so 5he rust won’t set back in.

 

It is a simple process to remove rust from the inside of a fuel tank, POR 15 sells a chemical that will do the job.

If the tank has a liner that is failing, that must be removed first, and it can be a PITA, it has been a while since I cleaned the liner from the tanks on my 89 Softail, and I don`t think POR 15 sells the chemical anymore, I don`t know what people are using to remove the liner.

Once you get all the liner and rust out, just make sure the tank is full if it is going to sit for a long period.

I would not re line a tank once it is clean.

 

I hate those coatings.

 

It'll take more than a "handful" of BBs. I guess you could do it with a handfull if you have a couple of days. I think 3 to 5 pounds of BBs would be a good place to start. I use crushed rocks. (They won't rust;-) Disclaimer: I've never owned a tank with a liner so I can't say how well or fast it will remove a liner but you can sandblast or abrasive water blast pretty much anything that has to be removed.

 

BB's have no mass to be able to do much of anything not to mention and absolute bitch to ensure you get them all out again. I'd recomend using a couple dozen nuts and bolts along with vinegar, evapo-rust, clr etc. Make sure you count whatever you put in to aggigate to make sure you get them back out again.

 

Lots of do it yourself methods from white vinegar to more corrosive chemicals, many listed above.

If you are not handy, the radiator shop is the easiest method. It can be done any of the noted ways without ruining your paint, good luck.

 

One inch drywall screws work good, they're all pointy and sharp. Use enough of them so they have some mass and remove them with flexible shaft magnet pick up tool.