This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

Posted on by admin

Table of contents

This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

counselor

workshop

This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

This is how it works: derust the tank
How do I get rid of the rust?

Rotten fuel containers don’t have to give way to a new part – specialists whip most rusty containers back into shape.

07.09.2009

Anyone who thinks that only vintage tanks are affected by rust is wrong. Often it is only a few years old motorcycles that suddenly start to stutter because rust particles peeling off from the inside of the tank interrupt the spray supply. A look through the filler neck with the help of a flashlight should therefore be part of the standard inspection every time you buy a used motorcycle. And if the visual inspection reveals rust at some point, it is best to take care of it right away.

Before a specialist company (see address box) can begin with the restoration, some work is necessary on their own. The tank must first be completely emptied. If the fuel tap is not at the lowest point, the remaining fuel should be sucked off with a pump.


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

Visual guidance: In order to really discover every nest of rust in the tank, no matter how hidden, the tank specialists use a whole battery of mostly self-made mirrors.

Then remove the tank cap and fuel tap and rinse the tank thoroughly with water and washing-up liquid to neutralize the gasoline vapors (only at washing areas with an oil separator!). The container must then be dried completely. For example, a hair dryer that is not set too hot is suitable for this. And after the restoration, owners should make sure that the fuel tank is as full as possible during long periods of inactivity. This ensures a smooth coating, prevents it from drying out and thus effectively prevents renewed rust.

Step 1


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

At the beginning of the restoration work there is an incoming inspection by a specialist to determine the extent of the corrosion.

step 2


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

Then the preparation for the caustic bath follows. For this purpose, all openings on the underside of the tank are closed with special sealing plates.

step 3


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

The tank is then filled with hot lye up to the top edge of the filler neck. Several layers of cloths keep the tank and lye warm for a long time. The lye is used for degreasing and normally remains in the fuel reservoir for around two to three hours. For tanks with a coating on the inside ex works, such as older BMW models, the exposure time for the lye is extended up to seven days (if the old coating cannot be completely removed with scrapers, the lye bath must be repeated, sometimes even several times ).

Step 4


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

After sufficient exposure time, the lye is drained off again, the tank rinsed out thoroughly and then completely dried with a hot air blower (time required about an hour).

Step 5


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

Tanks with an undamaged exterior are always covered with a padded protective cover in order to avoid damage during the subsequent blasting work.

Step 6

For the blasting work, which can take between three and six hours, the specialist companies have innumerable, sometimes bizarrely shaped, self-made blasting nozzles ready to be able to fight rust even in hard-to-reach corners. A mixture of chilled cast iron, the mineral corundum and blast furnace slag is used as the blasting agent. It is important to constantly monitor the blasting work so that there are really no rust nests left in corners, nooks and crannies or edges.

Step 7


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

The visual inspection is carried out like at the dentist with the help of a whole arsenal of mirrors and a halogen lamp. Then the container is freed from the blasting agent with a strong suction device, supported by shaking and tapping the tank folds with a rubber mallet. Then the lower openings are closed again with the sealing plates and the container is rinsed with acetone to remove the last granules and grease residues. This is followed by an intermediate rinse, a neutralization bath and a drying phase lasting several hours.

Step 8


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

After this procedure no rust can be seen inside the tank. In the depicted fuel tank of a Ducati 900 SS, the advanced corrosion has already led to the formation of holes. In such cases, additional work such as welding or soldering is required.

Step 9


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

If the hole is in a place that is visible from the outside, painting work is also required. Two to three liters of synthetic rubber-based sealing wax are sufficient to seal the tank. The completely sealed tank is now moved in all directions for about five minutes so that all parts of the inside are covered by a layer of lacquer.

Step 10


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

Excess material must be emptied immediately. A vacuum suction device is also used to prevent puddles from forming. Then the filler neck and the transition areas on the fuel tap are painted with a brush and the tank is immediately dried with a hot air blower for around 50 minutes.

Step 11


This is how it works: Remove rust from the tank

At the end of the work, the tank is placed in the drying room, where it can harden for three days. The result can now be seen: rust will no longer stand a chance here anytime soon.

Specialist address box

  • Ammon technique,
    Telephone 09721/41455,
    www.ammon-technik.de
  • Theo Daschlein,
    Telephone 09822/7556,
    www.daeschlein.de
  • Kuhlerbau Spannagel,
    Telephone 0621/728000,
    www.kbs-spannagel.de
  • Plastec plastic welding technology,
    Telephone 0211/7881414,
    www.tankreparatur.de
  • Motorbike Stemmler,
    Telephone 02191/53067,
    www.motorrad-stemler.de
  • Tank specialist, Roland Behrend,
    Telephone 05932/7355288,
    www.tank-spezialist.de
  • Company white,
    Phone 069/42602760,
    www.beule-im-tank.de

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *