keychange Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 My TLR 200 had a badly rusted tank when I inherited it 12 months ago. Initially I tried the molasses treatment - 10 days submerged improved it but it didn't really control it so I fitted inline filters and became used to cleaning the idle jet. I have since tried other rust converters but once you rinse them out it is rusting again before the rinse water dries. However riding with a mate on his very sweet Bultaco M125 a few weeks ago and he was going through the rigours of draining his tank after a ride because of ethanol concerns and this made me a bit concerned about what may be happening on my Cota 247. So I decided to try and resolve both issues and I found an Aussie product KBS Gold Standard Bike Tank kit - completely ethanol proof for fibreglass and full rust treatment and even seals small cracks. The kit I purchased for $55 was intended for a 20 litre so I decided that should be enough for both of my 6 litre tanks and sure enough the 3 part kit - cleaner, rust converter and sealer was easily adequate for the two tanks ... in fact I cleaned my two spare 247 tanks while I was at it ( I have the original 247T and a full trials tank which came with the bike). What really impressed me was the invitation on the instructions to ring technical support before starting - which I did and really nice lady gave me some good tips eg: use the rust converter even on the fibreglass tank as it provides a better etch.... in fact I called again to check if I should do the rust conversion twice... she said not required.. but I did anyway. Don't get me wrong the rust conversion was the best I have used - it came up really clean and I only did it again because the first treatment was the start of wet cold few days and so I wanted to start again on a really clean surface. I completed the process today and the sealant is satisfying metallic look and it looks like it has covered both tanks very smoothly - the excess sealant just drains off. I can't test it as it cures for another 4 days but I am hopeful and will let you know over coming months how it holds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 I had a badly rusted tank on an old lawnmower recently, didn't want to spend money on it as it was a lawnmower. At the local shop an old sage, covered in oil, came out from the back shop, told me to get a handfull of gravel from my driveway, put it in the tank and shake it a lot. Went home and did this, tank was almost spotless inside, all the rust and scale had gone, rinsed it out and it works fine. Could be a good preperation for a finish inside a steel trials tank if you want to do it cheaply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keychange Posted August 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Yes I had already tried half a kilo of bolts - and yes they knocked the scale off but 2 weeks later the rust was back and blocking the filter/idle jet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 cant beat modern plastic tanks!!!it is worth ringing a chroming mob,surely there is someone out there who does it like the originals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for artie Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Caswell's is the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgshannon Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 Caswell's is the best Agree 100% for sure. Advised to use it by a long time restorer/painter of vintage tanks (metal and fiberglass). Used it on my Cota 247, and it worked wonderfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasgas249uk Posted August 28, 2011 Report Share Posted August 28, 2011 cant beat modern plastic tanks!!!it is worth ringing a chroming mob,surely there is someone out there who does it like the originals? Ive been having problems with bubbling paintwork on plastic(not fibreglass) tanks. Its highly annoying after so much effort goes into paintwork No matter what sealer i put on the outside the vapour from the petrol seeps through and bubbles the paintwork on the outside. I read the report on Caswells and it sounds good stuff , but ive not tried it ,so i dont know fropm first hand experience. Personally i have used epoxy fibreglass resin. This is not the usual polyester resin you buy in B and Q or autofactors etc with matting. Polyester resin breaks down under imersion in petrol. Epoxy resin isnt effected by petrol at all and sets rock hard in a few hours. It is mixed 50/50 . If you heat the mix in a metal tin , and heat the plastic tank slightly with a hair dryer at the same time, it all stays fluid enough to coat the tank thoroughly inside , but goes thick quickly.I used about 350ml to complete one tank. Now its hard you can see a 2mm thick coating inside and appears to have done the job brilliantly. It goes rock hard and clear I got mine from http://www.elichem.co.uk/c-7-products.aspx in Cranleigh. I visited them and i got 500ml of the hardener and 500ml of the resin free as a sample. I wouldnt even bother painting a plastic tank without using this stuff in the future. Theres just to much to loose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1oldbanjo Posted August 29, 2011 Report Share Posted August 29, 2011 I have since tried other rust converters but once you rinse them out it is rusting again before the rinse water dries. You can use Phosporic acid to clean the rust from a metal tank. (Do not use Muriatic acid as it will cause steel to become brittle). Submerse or slosh the phosporic acid around in the tank until the rust is dissolved. Then rinse the tank with warm water to remove the phosporic acid, then rinse the tank with Acetone to remove the water before it causes the tank to rust. Keep rinsing the tank with acetone until the acetone comes out clear. Be careful not to get the acetone on any paint.....it will screw it up, and don't use the acetone on fiberglass as it will disolve the resin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subanator Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) A few of us in Oz have successfully used a method of using Molasses. This is a sugar byproduct and the coating lasts for years. But I cannot vouch for with the use of ethanol based fuels. It can be purchased cheaply at rural feed lot stores, as its used for in calfing for cattle rearing. Here is a recent topic posted on HERE Edited August 30, 2011 by subanator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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