Tank Sealant

Itxi · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Karma :

Can anyone recommend a good tank sealant? I've heard of petseal and por-15 but when I searched around I heard people say that they both start to flake away after about a year.

I used electrolysis (https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1995967/ Thanks Robby, it was a big help) to clear the tank of rust and there aren't any holes in it, I just want to stop it rusting again.

deeds · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Feb 2010 Karma :

I would use one of the better known ones like you mentioned,
using the cheapest I could find required a new tank and set of carbs after turning to molasses.

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

If it's rusting you need to keep fuel in it, any tank will rust if left empty and tank sealers are best avoided, they can be attacked by the ethanol content of modern fuels, and more so with future fuels.

Give it another session of electrolysis, or treat it with phosphoric acid (better) to get rid of the rust, then don't leave it standing empty.

nowhere.elysium · The Pork Lord Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :

+1 For the phosphoric. Check my GS rebuild thread for details.
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Itxi · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Karma :

I won't leave it empty, the bike itself was in parts for years though. Sounds stupid but I didn't know that the tank would have rusted when I put it together. Rolling Eyes

I'll look up about the acid. Though apparently por-15 is 100% resistant to ethanol, so would that be a good one to use?

Also a quick question about the electrolysis, it's just completed the second round but each time there's a hell of a lot of rust and the coathanger literally falls apart before I can get it out off the tank. The water is a solid brown colour and there's normally quite a bit of sludge in the bottom of the tank. I'm almost worried that the electrolysis is causing the tank to rust, can this happen?

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

The Por 15 kits are a three solution treatment.

First is a commercial anti-bacterial / caustic cleaner, & I can tell you it SHIFTS SOME SHIT, and I was using it in weaker solution, in stages, than reccomended dose!

Second is an acid 'etch', to bring metal back to metal and activate the surface for the actual sealant/coating

Third treatment is the actual sealer / coating.

THIS is what you need to treat an 'old' tank.

They sell the sealer solution on it's own; if you want to 'pre-treat' a brand new tank, and as far as I can tell, people that report problems have baulked at the price of a 'kit', bought the sealer on its own, and used it direct on an old and rusty tank, often one so far gone it wouldn't seal anyway! THEY have problems with it.

Folk that use the full kit, follow the instructions diligently, and aren't expecting miricles, tend to get much better results and 'rave' about the stuff.

Its definitely over-priced, certainly in the kits, but? £50 is cheaper than a new tank by a heck of a long stretch.

Cant say for SURE how enduring it is; I have done two tanks with it; one a mates bike, and the other has been nicked Crying or Very sad

But, would use it again.
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Itxi · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Karma :

Thanks for the advice everyone Karma

So do you think that if I continued with electrolysis, then used phosphoric acid I would get away with just buying the sealer?

I get what you're saying about using the full kit, but provided I do a good job of cleaning it and getting it back to bare metal then that's just the same as using their cleaning products isn't it?