Tank coatings

RC4MAN

RC4MAN

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Not a newbie here but haven't been here as long as many of you so this has probably been covered to death somewhere and someone can point me in the right direction or provide input here.

Have a friend, escaped Romania under Ceaușescu and came to the US 36 years ago, worked hard, started his own business and was successful and now in retirement has returned to his homeland to live the life of Reilly.

He had 3 Honda motorcycles, 2 VTX 1800 and a Valkyrie Rune that he had transported back for his entertainment and after 3 months of sea transport in a container when they arrived the inside of the tanks are corroded. He says it looks like salt and the bikes won't run.

He's asked me to find replacement tanks for the above list and I personally think a better idea is to clean and coat the tanks. The VTX's I'm not too worried about but finding a replacement tank for a Rune I'm not so sure.

I Googled tank coatings and all kinds of things pop up but what do people actually have experience with that they know works.

Thanks
 
I've done 4 tanks with Caswell, no fails. Pay close attention to the temperature guidelines in the instructions. Maybe I'm a bit AR, but I don't trust any liner to adhere unless the tank has been thoroughly cleaned and degreased. I remove petcocks and blow out loose stuff with water first, then put blocking plates over the petcock holes and fill the tank with a nasty 50-50 mix of acetone and denatured alcohol and let it sit over night. Then another water flush, a rinse with denatured alky to pick up remaining water.
 
Two-Part or 2K means two components must be mixed together prior to application i.e. generally a pigmented component plus a hardener/curing agent. However, there are other systems that come as a single component system and the curing agent is moisture absorbed from the air. As to which system is the best is not clear. The only way to answer this is to either try the products, or rely on word of mouth from friends and forums. If using forums then make sure the feedback is recent and coming from a reliable forum member.
 
Below is the result of using Redkote. I had to acetone the failing liner out of the tank. Mind you, this is on a $1,000 candy paint job so using acetone anywhere around the paint was a dicey proposition. Redkote is not two-part...
IMG_1287.JPG
 
I am not recommending this coating, just saw it on Hot Rod Network of a restoration of an early C-10. They had a video showing the process and results. I googled KSB wondering if they made a kit for bikes. They do and showed a video of a guy doing 2 m/c tanks, so I thought maybe others might weigh in.
You did...and educated me about your favorites and why. I have a standard tank with the coating breaking loose now, but haven't done anything with it and really don't have any desire to. I want to thank you forum members for helping everyone wanting to coat/recoat a gas tank. :thumbsup:
 
plz check out gas tank linings in cali..talked to guys that have used perfect results perfect process..you just send them your tank
 
According to the UK Gov website Ethanol has about 33% the calorific value of petrol. Adding that extra 5% reduces your mileage by about 3.5%.

E15 will give you a 10% lower mileage compared to straight Petrol.
 
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My impression is tank lining is popular some places, not others. I've had good luck with cleaning with vinegar (look it up), and just keeping gas in it. to inhibit rust coming back
 

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