Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

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spanky
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Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by spanky » Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:31 pm

Evening all,
I've aquired another rvf but it's only fit for breaking*. If I poke my fingers inside the petrol tank, there is red paint on the inside that has turned grainy and mushy - you can wipe it off with your fingers.

I'm not sure what the tank should have on the inside but it's definitley not this paint... What's the best way to clean it out? I was thinking maybe a jet wash squirted inside but is there a more scientific solution?

James.

*Normally I get annoyed by people buying nc's to break them since there's few enough already but this one was a special case..trust me.

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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by Neosophist » Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:10 am

there usually unpainted steel.

To get rust out I usually stick a bicycle chain in the tank and swish it around to break up / off the rust.

You can probably get some chemical treatments too.
xivlia wrote:i dont go fast on this bike so really do not need a rear brake.. /
vic-vtrvfr wrote:Ask xivlia for help, he's tackled just about every problem u could think of...

vr46
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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by vr46 » Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:31 am

I also have a tank which has plenty of overspray inside... it's layered and peeling off in places :|

Keep the ideas coming ;)

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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by Dynamohum » Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:59 am

fish tank gravel and deagreaser :idea: this was an article in practical sportsbikes magazine a month or so back . btw if your breaking nc30/35s for spares please dont sell the swinging arms to fuds who put them on home built rat bikes/choppers etc makes me heart bleed to see one fitted to a turkey mobile :lol:

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mattUKNC
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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by mattUKNC » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:14 am

davethetrucker wrote:fish tank gravel and deagreaser :idea: this was an article in practical sportsbikes magazine a month or so back . btw if your breaking nc30/35s for spares please dont sell the swinging arms to fuds who put them on home built rat bikes/choppers etc makes me heart bleed to see one fitted to a turkey mobile :lol:
I saved one of those advertised as a 'great for streetfighter build' and that'll be going on my nc very soon.
I too need to clean out a tank and these ideas are very helpful. :up:
Image

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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by Neosophist » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:57 am

an old pushbike chain is a lot easier than gravel *used both*... lot quicker to fish a chain out than thousands of tiny pieces of gravel.

Get one of those stuck in a seam somewhere and disloge it later and can be running out of fuel if it gets past the tank filter
xivlia wrote:i dont go fast on this bike so really do not need a rear brake.. /
vic-vtrvfr wrote:Ask xivlia for help, he's tackled just about every problem u could think of...

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uber pikey
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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by uber pikey » Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:47 pm

leave about a litre of fuel in there and drop a match in!






















This is not recommended and was meant as a joke, please do not drop a match in the tank.
I saw it so I took it!

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ibby4585
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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by ibby4585 » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:02 pm

I used Jizer and a bag of stainless nuts and bolts plugged both ends and shook it for half an hour 2 mins at a time. Then used petseal to line it.

It looks mint now

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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by spanky » Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:40 pm

So it's Jizer/Gunk plus something to rattle around then. I've heard mixed things about Petseal, but I've also heard that tanks can rust very quickly once you start monkeying with the inner surface. Once I've got it clean I'll give it a week and see if it stays shiny.

And as far as the swingarm goes, if someone wants to take it off my hands and attach it to half a GT550 or the front end of a beetle then then who am I to argue. In fact I spot a 400gb money making opportunity - pay up or the swingarm gets it....

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Re: Best way to clean inside of petrol tank?

Post by brmoore » Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:27 pm

spanky wrote:In fact I spot a 400gb money making opportunity - pay up or the swingarm gets it....
:shock:

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