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Rusty fuel tank help


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#1 Nugget

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 12:18 PM

I have two tanks both very rusty inside but the walls are still solid.
Its 400 for a professional clean +150 to coat if needed.
450-550 for a secondhand tank here in  Perth.
 
All are out of my price range for now.
 
Could you guys recommend a cost effective way I can clean the tank/s myself?

#2 purrlx

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 01:06 PM

KBS do a fuel tank cleaner sealing product.



#3 yel327

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 02:02 PM

I used a KBS kit on the tank for my HK GTS after I had an MRA ring added to it. It looked clean, but you should have seen the crap that came out of it with the KBS cleaner, I reckon there was at least half a kilo of scale and whatever else was in there. Inside it’s like hard as a rock now, like the surface of a toffee apple. I put the tin with the drain out of the tank whilst it’s curing around the back of the shed. A damn possum knocked it over before it had set and it ran out onto the concrete. I think I’m going to need a 9” grinder to remove the stuff and the tin stuck into it. Haven’t found any possums stuck to a tree yet.

#4 yel327

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 02:04 PM

Watch these videos. 3 parts to it.

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=hjhRg1CpMQI

#5 Zook

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 06:49 PM

FFS. Fill it with a 1:1 molasses:water mix. Leave two weeks or so. Iron oxide reverts to iron and some other chemical stuff happens. The result is clean steel inside your tank.

#6 Ice

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 08:21 PM

FFS. Fill it with a 1:1 molasses:water mix. Leave two weeks or so. Iron oxide reverts to iron and some other chemical stuff happens. The result is clean steel inside your tank.

Correct but still have to coat the steel inside the tank  so it doesn’t rust straight away 



#7 Zook

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 08:34 PM

Yeah that's true Gene but it would only be flash or surface rust so isn't as bad as what's there and if it gets dried by sloshing some metho around inside after emptying then so much the better.

#8 Nugget

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 08:47 PM

The tank rust is really nasty, I read up on the KBS system. Maybe I need to use an acid prior and move straight onto the KBS to fix the inevitable surface rust flashing?

#9 Zook

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 08:54 PM

No, you don't. Molasses in place of acid cos it's safer, rattle a bunch of of nuts and bolts around. Molasses. Metho. Some surface finish.

#10 Ice

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 10:06 PM

5 litres molasses =$15 works a treat as above 



#11 dattoman

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 10:50 PM

KBS do a scale/clean you use before you seal the tank... use that



#12 LXCHEV

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 11:40 PM

All options mentioned so far are good. I’m mid-way through restoring a VR V8 fuel tank - the rust inside mine was horrific, I nearly binned it. Inches deep in scale.

I’ll be using the KBS 3 step kit on mine, but as a pre-step, I used white vinegar first and it did an amazing job of removing the rust. Then a bi-carb soda/water mix to neutralise it.

#13 yel327

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 06:57 AM

Here’s the inside of mine after the KBS kit

Attached File  05A9F72C-BD61-4FCA-9484-415A3D28639B.jpeg   286.37K   5 downloads
Attached File  A6B3740F-047B-4931-A7B8-A97112B98CE3.jpeg   164.17K   4 downloads

#14 LXCHEV

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 10:10 AM

That looks really good!



#15 warrenm

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 10:56 AM

I've just done a HJ ute tank with KBS,also done the LJ tank 10 or 12 years ago.

#16 Nugget

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 05:07 PM

Went to the rural supply for molasses( that's the right one?) 6 litres OK?
I've diluted it with 6 litres of warm water. Figure I'll keep turning it several times a day.

I'll order the KBS kit to line it i have 2 tanks so maybe I'll do something different on the other for comparison.

#17 Ice

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 05:43 PM

Fill the tank up to the neck no need to turn it over just let the molasses do its thing 

if it was me i would leave it 3 to 4 weeks at least it will be clean then 



#18 Nugget

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 05:45 PM

OK, back to the shop in the morning


Edited by Nugget, 11 June 2021 - 05:48 PM.


#19 Ice

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 06:21 PM

6 litres is plenty for a tank and top up with water you don’t need buy any more 

its stronger than you think 

i only do 5 litres of water and 1litre molasses with my mix and it peels shit off 

It wont happen over night but it will happen 



#20 yel327

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Posted 11 June 2021 - 07:06 PM

Or use the KBS clean, rust blast and then coat. Takes 2 days, although in this weather maybe 3.

#21 Zook

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Posted 12 June 2021 - 07:39 PM

Good choice mate, you won't be disappointed. You can paint inside afterwards, if you want it to look pretty.

#22 derrin71

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Posted 14 June 2021 - 05:57 PM

My old tank had a couple of pinholes and the full KBS kit sorted that as well.



#23 Zook

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Posted 14 June 2021 - 07:23 PM

I prefer to lead fill, or braze, pin holes. But I suppose using paint is ok too.

#24 Nugget

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Posted 24 July 2021 - 04:12 PM

Been through the molasses process. The tank came up good as new.

 

I notice the filler neck is quite crooked. Looks like it was installed/repaired that way.
Are these just soldered in? I'm thinking a hand torch and some solder?


Edited by Nugget, 24 July 2021 - 04:12 PM.


#25 Zook

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Posted 24 July 2021 - 06:30 PM

Good to hear the molasses worked, it is hands down the best method for that kind of thing. I've just put some more bits in my tank tonight too.




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