Rust inthe gas tank.....

[HERRBAYEMVAY]

Hey, all....

Has anyone out there had any experience using "Kreem" on the gas tank for internal rust? I got the bad news this week, after an ongoing problem of the bike acting like it was running out of gas and dying. The tech at my local BMW dearship told me I should use some Kreem on the tank for the rust. (They happen to sell it, too.) I looked at the directions and noticed that both BMW and H-D paint the inside of the gas tank and this changed the normal procedure of using the Part "A" (acid cleaner, I think) in the process. I didn't think it sounded too difficult to do, but want some input before I proceed. I can't afford to go out and buy another tank at this point, either. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks! :)

[PeoriaMac]

I can only tell you what I've read over the years...and that is that preparation is very very important. Getting the tank clean...using solvents and shaking nuts and bolts inside the tank to get all the corrosion, flakey paint, etc out is absolutly essential. I understand some radiator cleaning places may be of help.
There's also these folks:
http://www.gas-tank.com/bike.htm
or
http://www.ripper1.com/tech/rust.htm
or
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/Rust/
and:
http://www.bcrenu.com/Shot_Blasting.htm

I am curious. What exactly were you told, and by whom??


Mac in Peoria

[dlearl476]

I lifted this from another site. Check out number #37:


From: ridecbx (ridecbx@mchsi.com)
Date: Fri Apr 18 2003 - 17:51:36 PDT


>Light rust in
> tank,try flushing the tank to get the gunk out,then fill with white
> vinegar.Give it a day and empty the tank.Should be clean if not
> repeat.>
> Thanks,Ripper


Never heard of the vinegar as a rust disolver before, but only moment later
another email pops up confirming it, plus many other uses for vinegar. I'll
remember that one Ripper! Linda


51 HELPFUL HINTS FOR USE OF VINEGAR



1. Kill grass on walks and driveways.


2. Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved.


3. Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for
watering rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas.


4. Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas
where ants are known.


5. Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.


6. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.


7. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking,
sleeping, or scratching on.


8. Keep dogs from scratching his ears. Use a clean, soft cloth dipped in
diluted vinegar.


9. Keep chickens from pecking each other. Put a little in their drinking
water.


10. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar over night.


11. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a
tablespoon of vinegar.


12. Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons water before boiling eggs. Keeps
them from cracking.


13. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot the irritation with vinegar and
relieve itching.


14. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub white vinegar; you may have to reapply.


15. Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue
left by shampoo.


16. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.


17. Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm
water.


18. Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water.
Gargle, then swallow.


19. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to
the vaporizer.


20. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a
bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give
you an overall healthy feeling.


21. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let
stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.


22. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.


23. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength
vinegar.


24. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.


25. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy
water.


26. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe
away the grime.


27. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in
the lunchbox over night.


28. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and
vinegar.


29. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add 1/2
cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.


30. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and
feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through


31. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard
jars with vinegar when empty.


32. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once
a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.


33. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.


34. Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm
water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.


35. Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of
vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.


36. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of
water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.


37. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full strength
vinegar.


38. Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water
solution.


39. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the
iron's water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in
an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles
should come out when you empty the water.


40. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a
small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned
stains.


41. Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.


42. Keep colors from running. Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar
before washing.


43. Freshen up the washing machine. Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in
the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added). Will
dissolve soap residue.


44. Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.


45. Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over
grease spot.


46. Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea.
Then wash as usual.


47. Get smoke smell out of clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of
hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.


48. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar. Allow to soak in.
Wash off.


49. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.


50. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for
each quart of water.


51. NEW: Clean new no wax floors. You clean with straight vinegar and towel
dry off. The shine lasts for years. It has to be a new floor, one that you
have never put wax on before.

[The_Veg]

For a real load of information on this subject, go to www.boxerworks.com and do a site-search. Many threads over there about it, as the site is primarily an Airhead discussion forum.

[HERRBAYEMVAY]

Mac,

Here's what happened with the tank...

I bought the bike in June from a retired German butcher in Virginia, who was only the second owner of the bike. The bike ran well, but was in need of a face lift after 19 years. I had decided to have the tank and other painted parts re-painted, and had removed the fuel petcock assembly from the tank prior to sending the parts out. Back in July, I had the local dealership replace the fuel petcock, in-line fuel filter and fuel lines, so I would have brand new lines from the tank to the carbs (my bike has 110k miles on it, and the lines and petcock were OEM stuff). Everything seemed to work fine for about a month, then started showing symptoms of suddenly running out of gas, even though there would be plenty of fuel in the tank. (I should also mention that the gas cap has a screw in the top of the cap itself, supposedly to hold the tumbler in place and keep it from turning when the key was inserted, and doesn't work any longer. I had a couple of people suggest that this screw could be the reason why the bike sometimes hiccups and dies, from a vapor lock due to a screw being put in the top of the cap.

Anyway, I took the fuel petcock assembly and the fuel filter along with me to the dealership when I went to pick up a new air filter (it was really filthy) and a few screws, rubber spacers and bolts for the front fender to replace the old worn out stuff, and asked to speak to one of the techs on duty. One of them came over to talk to me and I showed him the petcock and fuel filter, and he examined them and said, "When were these put on your bike?" I told him it was only a little more than a month ago, and he replied, "Looks like you have rust in your tank." (The screen around the petcock tube assembly was pretty oxidized and red, and the fuel filter had some debris in the bottom of the filter.) I told him about having the tank tanken off to be painted, and he said I should have used the "Kreem" process to get the rust out of the tank before I sent the tank off for painting, so I wouldn't damage the new paint.

When I took the tank off the bike, I did use a flashlight and tried to peer inside the tank, and what I could see did not look rusted at all. The inside was painted orange, and looked pretty smooth to me, although you can't see all that much, looking inside.

The tech also told me that perhaps my carbs might have some debris in the floats that get pulled into the jets, resulting in the sudden "running out of gas" feeling that causes the bike to die. He said that after the bike comes to a stop, the debris could fall back out of the jets, and fuel flow is restored and I am able to restart the bike and continue riding. (As a side note, the problem only seems to have surfaced during short rides from my house to the office, which is about 4 miles away. I have ridden it on weekends over a couple of hundred miles on day trips without it conking out on me.)

Should I have the carbs cleaned out? It sometimes puts out a pretty good cloud of smoke with it first cranks up in the morning, if I have to pull the choke all the way out to start it. Once I cut the chock back to half way, the smoke disappears. It seems to run OK at idle, although the generator light comes on when the idle speed is under 1000 rpms. After I have ridden it for a little while and the idle is constant at over 1000, the light no longer comes on.

Sorry I have ramble on so long, but I thought I should tell you everything I know, in case it turns out to be important.

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Was your tank painted on the inside?
If so, this paint may be the problem since gasoline is desolving it and pieces of paint are plugging up the filter and jets.:dunno
Tanks generally are not painted on the inside and even overspray can result in problems. I have seen this on boats too and the results are the same:cry
If you clean out the tank and remove all debris, clean the carbs you should be fine.

[kbasa]

BMW tanks come from the factory with a coating on the inside.

[PeoriaMac]

OK, not to be skeptical, but the "red stuff" the mechanic saw could be some flakes of the coating...which is red/orange...and not rust. Since I've had that situation where a tight gas cap with poor venting has caused the "I'm out of gas" situation, I'm really not sure you're got a real rust problem.
I had occasional flakes/red stuff in my tank as well, which caused a variety of problems -- mostly getting a tiny piece of debris caught between the float needle and it's seat, leading to a leaky carb and a wet boot.
I installed two good-sized clear plastic cleanable filters from the local Harley shop, and removed the in-tank filters. Debris stays in the cleanable filters, I can see when they need cleaning, and the bike runs fine.

Mac in Peoria

PS sometimes the crap in the gas tank comes from the service
station where you got the gas....