HarleyTechTalk

  A friend of mine referred me to a friend of his to work on his bike. Went and looked it over, 75 FXE appears to be all there and he said it was running but not real good when he parked 10 years ago. I have been checking it out and it needs a lot of little stuff, brakes, tires, carb rebuilt, and some electrical. The gas tank was sealed with something a lot of years ago and was peeling inside tank. I got most it out but still a lot left. What can I use to get rest of that stuff out of tank? I did the 1/4" nuts and shake tank.

I worked on a co-workers 1974 Honda CL360 last winter. Inside the tank was pretty rusted. I used several gallons of vinegar to dissolve the rust and get it out of  there. The key was  having patience and letting it soak in the tank for several days at a time, while occasionally shaking it up. Flush & repeat. I Had to do it numerous times, but it worked.  I don't know if it will work in your case but it's worth a try.

I've used varsol in the past with good results.

A few years ago, I had to do the same thing to a 77' XLCH Tank that had been sealed with "Kreem".
I used Acetone.  Quite a bit of it.  I totally filled the Tank with it, and let it sit for 2-3 days.  Drained it all out, and it had loosened up the Sealer pretty good.  Cleaned out what I could.  Put more Acetone back in with small screws and nuts, and did the shake, shake, shake thing.  I had to do that routine a couple of times.  Blasted the Tank with some Air and repeated as necessary.  Needed to fish around inside the Tank with a Rag on the end of a piece of strong Wire to clean things out a time or two.  After that I washed out the Tank with Dawn and HOT Water.
The Tank survived and is fine.
Hope that this may help You out.

Quote from: lilchief on November 15, 2022, 04:35:00 PMI worked on a co-workers 1974 Honda CL360 last winter. Inside the tank was pretty rusted. I used several gallons of vinegar to dissolve the rust and get it out of  there. The key was  having patience and letting it soak in the tank for several days at a time, while occasionally shaking it up. Flush & repeat. I Had to do it numerous times, but it worked.  I don't know if it will work in your case but it's worth a try.

TIP: Try using 30% vinegar from a hardware store. Regular vinegar is only 5%. Find it in the weed control section.

   cling

Quote from: 02roadcling on November 16, 2022, 09:42:40 AM

Quote from: lilchief on November 15, 2022, 04:35:00 PMI worked on a co-workers 1974 Honda CL360 last winter. Inside the tank was pretty rusted. I used several gallons of vinegar to dissolve the rust and get it out of  there. The key was  having patience and letting it soak in the tank for several days at a time, while occasionally shaking it up. Flush & repeat. I Had to do it numerous times, but it worked.  I don't know if it will work in your case but it's worth a try.

TIP: Try using 30% vinegar from a hardware store. Regular vinegar is only 5%. Find it in the weed control section.

   cling

At that concentration they may call it acetic acid. Wear safety glasses as it is really nasty if you get it in your eyes.

Quote from: bump on November 15, 2022, 12:11:17 PMA friend of mine referred me to a friend of his to work on his bike. Went and looked it over, 75 FXE appears to be all there and he said it was running but not real good when he parked 10 years ago. I have been checking it out and it needs a lot of little stuff, brakes, tires, carb rebuilt, and some electrical. The gas tank was sealed with something a lot of years ago and was peeling inside tank. I got most it out but still a lot left. What can I use to get rest of that stuff out of tank? I did the 1/4" nuts and shake tank.

just watched a show, and they used vinegar and marbles to clean a tank that had been sitting 47 years

just watched a show, and they used vinegar and marbles to clean a tank that had been sitting 47 years
[/quote]


AND several gallons of CLR with the vinegar.

I am looking for something to take the KREEM stuff out of tank. I picked and scrapped most of it out but some is still in the seems and the far end of tank. White vinegar works on the rust but not the sealer. I got some acetone but not sure if it will affect the paint.

Acetone will have an effect on Your paint, if left on the Paint.  It is important to get that stuff off the paint/finish ASAP.  Wiping it off immediately using Warm Water worked for Me.  I had no problems.
Friends of Mine that are huge Street Rod Guys have used Acetone to remove Road Tar and Line Paint, and other stuff off of their "Big Dollar" Paint Jobs with no bad results as long as You removed it ASAP from the Finish.
I'm not trying to talk You into anything here.  I hope that You find something to solve Your problem.

  This bike is in good enough shape to save. I don't want to mess up the paint.
It is a 75 FXE shovelhead and the owner has had it for years.

Thanks

bump...if You haven't seen this already, check it out.  This Guy's method may work for You.
He's not using Acetone.
The Forceps and other "Medical" Tools He's using work great.  At a local "Flea Market" I bought a few old Dr's, and Dentists Tools for 50 cents each.  Money well spent.  Long handled Straight and Duckbill Needle Nose Pliers worked for Me also.  But the Air seemed to be the Persuader.  I also used a Stripper Disc on a Goose Neck Extension on My Drill.
Good Luck!

For tanks my standard practice is to take to a radiator shop to clean out inside, pressure test, and then apply Red-Kote.

-JW

Quote from: JW113 on November 17, 2022, 10:05:12 AMFor tanks my standard practice is to take to a radiator shop to clean out inside, pressure test, and then apply Red-Kote.

-JW

Is the paint damaged with this method?

Quote from: JW113 on November 17, 2022, 10:05:12 AMFor tanks my standard practice is to take to a radiator shop to clean out inside, pressure test, and then apply Red-Kote.

-JW

I owned a radiator shop years ago. RED KOTE was all I used.  I wouldn't do any tanks with good paint.

Quote from: motorhogman on November 17, 2022, 12:13:38 PM

Quote from: JW113 on November 17, 2022, 10:05:12 AMFor tanks my standard practice is to take to a radiator shop to clean out inside, pressure test, and then apply Red-Kote.

-JW

I owned a radiator shop years ago. RED KOTE was all I used.  I wouldn't do any tanks with good paint.

im told that kreem is crap ?

Quote from: Hossamania on November 17, 2022, 10:13:43 AMIs the paint damaged with this method?

For sure you want to do this every time BEFORE you paint the tanks, but the shop I use does it all the time to painted tanks that develop a leak and they say no issues with paint damage. I had the tank sealer (Caswell) come loose in my Indian and I had them cleaned and Red-Koted by the same radiator shop. No paint damage that I can see. I guess it's all a matter of who is doing the work?

-JW

QuoteI guess it's all a matter of who is doing the work?

ain't that the truth   

Quote from: JW113 on November 17, 2022, 10:05:12 AMFor tanks my standard practice is to take to a radiator shop to clean out inside, pressure test, and then apply Red-Kote.

-JW

Is RedKote the same as Glyptol ?

No

MEK- methyl ethyl ketone will for sure get the liner off but also any other paint it gets on as it's the main ingredient in many paint strippers.

You may be able to pick it up at a paint store I doubt any of the big box places would be carrying it.

If your in California they'll probably lock you up for even enquiring about the stuff.

Mike

I put about 1qt of acetone and let it sit over night, got more out. Alot of Kreem at rear of tank. Filled it with about 2 handfulls of 1/4" nuts and about a pint of kerosene. Shook that puppy til arms gave out. I might have found an easier way. Ran it about 2 hrs. Dumped everything out of tank and rinsed it out. Looks like new inside.


You cannot see attachments on this board.

     Laziness ... the mother of invention.     

Quote from: kd on November 19, 2022, 02:13:08 PM   Laziness ... the mother of invention.     

I have invented a lot of stuff!

Quote from: Hossamania on November 19, 2022, 02:13:41 PM

Quote from: kd on November 19, 2022, 02:13:08 PM  Laziness ... the mother of invention.     

I have invented a lot of stuff!

   to you also.  I live in the same world as you.