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rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:57 am
by Suede Ed
I have filled the tank with water and gravel then wrapped it in a towel and placed in in a spin dryer (never told her indoors) for about ten mins. Still quite sh*tty inside, d'yer reckon i should
A. Wash it out with fuel (fit an in-line filter) and go for it
B. Buy a Stainless one from scootrs (expensive)
C. Buy a NOS tank, ( not cheap)
D. Seal it (messy,expensive)
Its a bog standard indian Gp 150

Cheers blokes

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:38 am
by dapper
Ten minutes is no where near long enough. And if its just spinning at a constant speed, the gravel will do nothing but stick to the inside of the tank through centrifugal force. The way I did mine, was to bungy strap a bit of 4 x 2 across the mouth of a mate's old cement mixer. Then bungy strap the tank to the piece of wood. Tank had about a third full of spar (roof chippings) and left it on for an hour or so. The slow speed of the mixer, means the spar is being tossed around inside the tank. Job done.

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:33 pm
by Soulpunk
a very good method:

1. put short SPAX screws (2 hands of) in tank.

2. put 0,5 litres water in it + some dish-cleaner

3. seal tank

4. put in blankets and secure with wire or rope

5. put in tumble dryer

6. spin (very slowly)

7. after 15 minutes put out, empty tank.

8. get 0,2 litres of phosphoric-acid (20%) from pharmacy

9. put 0,1l-0,2l of acid in tank (use gloves and glasses)

10. swing sealed tank around that acid can cover whole inner surface of tank

11. repeat swinging the tank every 5 minutes

12. after 1 hour tank is ready

13. unseal, empty acid and wash out with water

14. wash out with pure methylated spirits to get water out

15. dry tank in warm place

16. put a splash of 2-stroke oil in tank and swing aound that whole tank inner surface is covered
to prevent rusting until tank is in scooter again.


Phosphoric acid is much appreciated, it leaves behind a smooth coating of iron phosphate over the iron, which does not rust easily.

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:18 pm
by guygrrr
http://lambretta.org/message/viewtopic. ... ectrolysis
it works, and it's fun in a mad scientist sort of way.

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:10 pm
by sideout
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp? ... pair%20Kit
I've used this kit successfully in the past, and would again. Unfortunately, it seems to be out of stock currently. :roll:
You still need to do the handfuls of nails, screws, broken drills etc., and washing up liquid and water + hours of shaking it about... :bouncing:

Personally, I've only had trouble from using in-line fuel filters and wouldn't recommend them. :(

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:47 pm
by oldbiker
Put a length of chain in it and rattle it around, if you want to desolve the last remnents of rust, fill it with PICKLING vinegar (5% Acitic acid ) not the ordinary stuff for you chips leave it in for a couple of days,

Coke works well (phosphoric acid).

I have heard someone say put a load of nails, screws etc in the tank, wrap it in bubble wrap and put it in a cement mixer :o but I`ve never seen it done.

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 9:04 am
by johnny diamond
agree with sideout, had brill results with por 15, the marine clean part realy eats the rust away to leave a sparkling tank, you can get it from a company called holden also.

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:38 am
by JOHNNY
i must agree with sideout i also used a product from frost called por strip as i had petseal in mine which had started to flake away and needed that out aswell its amazing stuff 5 mins in the tank and bingo sparkling new tank . I then used the tank kit

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 5:43 pm
by Booby
Buy a new one :geek:

Re: rusty petrol tank

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:56 pm
by sydduckett
dapper wrote:Ten minutes is no where near long enough. And if its just spinning at a constant speed, the gravel will do nothing but stick to the inside of the tank through centrifugal force. The way I did mine, was to bungy strap a bit of 4 x 2 across the mouth of a mate's old cement mixer. Then bungy strap the tank to the piece of wood. Tank had about a third full of spar (roof chippings) and left it on for an hour or so. The slow speed of the mixer, means the spar is being tossed around inside the tank. Job done.
You my freind have to much time on your hands...quality.... :D