How to Clean a Rusty Gas Tank

Removing rust for an old metal motorcycle gas tank. The cheapest method to clean a rusted gas tank.
Gas Tank: 1989 KLR 250
𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀
¼” Fuel Filter: geni.us/7N7Kx
¼” 90 Fuel Filter: geni.us/ET3M2
Tank Sealer: geni.us/owAgPB
BBs: geni.us/Iy3QHuB
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[@PROSDIY]

𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 ¼” Fuel Filter: geni.us/7N7Kx ¼” 90 Fuel Filter: geni.us/ET3M2 Tank Sealer: geni.us/owAgPB BBs: geni.us/Iy3QHuB Disclosure: Pros DIY is an Amazon Associate. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

[@marcellogosgnach3079]

Great video man! My son and I are working on a 1982 honda xr 80. Having a hard time getting it to start consistently. The tank has quite a bit of rust in it. Now we know what our next step is. Thanks for the Info.🙂

[@eddieace345]

Awesome guide. I just purchased a 1965 Beetle Convertible that has some rust in the tank. I was thinking of buying a new repop but I’ll try this method first

[@johnnyturbo8460]

I'll be doing this today.. THANKS, GREAT VIDEO. Just bought the Vinegar

[@puccini67]

Thanks for the video, I had the same problem, I used electrolysis first then I used vinegar as a secondary stage, it worked out very well, cheers from Melbourne Australia.

[@justinsuttles9956]

It's funny, I googled how to clean a rusty fuel tank and this video popped up first. The funny part is I just picked up an 89 klr 250 that looks identical to yours and that's what I need to get the rust out of. Great video and I'll definitely be trying this. The bike was in a barn for 15 years before I got to it.

[@skydiver6711]

Thanks, I found rust in my gas tank in my 1981 Honda ct 110 and I need to get it cleaned. This helped a lot.

[@MattyyDaddyy]

Thanks for the quick, and nicely explained video on how to do the process! Got a '93 Kawasaki Vulcan 750 that I have to do some work to before I can even attempt to start it.

[@danielhenry2959]

I've got 1988 Honda trx 250x with surface rust! Never new vinegar would do the trick...thanx bro

[@volkmarmaleika1623]

Great job THANKS

[@scottcates]

Nice work. Thank you.

[@darinbarfield8738]

Nice old bike, looks in very good condition. I’ve got an old 86 Yamaha KT600 that I need to push out from under the shed one weekend & spend a day cleaning & fire her up, Haven’t cranked it in a few years, so I know it’s gonna take some time, to clean the carb & other maintenance just to get it to fire up. Used to ride it all the time, but get busy on other projects & kids… so almost every weekend & moment is occupied. Plus so many other machines I’m trying to fix or keep running, looking at this video for ideas to clean rust from gas tank of a 1975 MAssey Ferguson tractor that keeps clogging the filters & rust clogging the lines, I know I must clean it out or replace.

[@thomasschufeldt2611]

Appreciate the help. We have a tank that has a custom paint job and trying to save it.

[@moneymakerakakillful]

thank you great video

[@emilmadsen8972]

I found a good surefire way is to use gas and steel wool. When I discovered rust in my tank I started to become hesitant to put anything that's not fuel in a fuel system that's already not doing great to begin with.

[@robinkelley8124]

great video

[@stevenrandall9601]

Thanks for the video, very helpful. I'm cleaning my 67 honda CA160 tank. It is in good shape and I don't want to seal it. It seems like everybody feels like they have to seal their tanks.

[@PROSDIY]

You're welcome! Good luck on your project!

[@vcprossignsandgraphics4672]

My man! Regards Patrick!!

[@PROSDIY]

Hey VCpros! Thanks for stopping by. I hope all is well and business is good! Might have to stop by post-covid to see you guys.

[@gm780]

Great video got a question for any of you. Have any of you ever used molasses a mixture of one to 10 parts water a fantastic rust destroyer. For the record I've never used it inside of gas tank but I have used it on a lot of badly rusted parts molasses again mix one part in molasses to 10 water parts let it soak for a reasonable amount of time, you will be surprised. It even works on Chrome without bothering the Chrome.

[@madmanmechanic8847]

That is cool hard to believe vinegar cleaned the tank that well ? How long did you shake it with the pellets nice bike !

[@alfredborja317]

Nice!

[@BonhamTheBarber]

Bro perfect thank you 😊

[@mistofuzzy]

There’s an air gap at the top of the tank. Vinegar won’t touch the patch of metal just by filling up the tank. You have to turn upside down to get to it. Laid a thick blanket (folded over several times over a 5 gallon bucket and set the tank on it upside down to get to this patch of metal. Vinegar is cheap but slow and literally eats the rubber gaskets on the triumph tank as well as the plastic on the tank lid. I use metal rescue metal bath. Works very fast. Won’t hurt paint or rubber. Rinsed out with ethanol free fuel then filled up. The Triumph (and any other in tank setup) also has rubber hoses etc in the tank that vinegar will eat. With metal rescue you don’t need any agitant . It will literally remove any of the rust in the tank. Each gallon of metal rescue will remove a half a pound of rust on its own.

[@rickwrzeszcz557]

@mistofuzzzy Thanks for the post. Ironically I have a Triumph tank I too want to clean. So I'm going to try your idea. Although I don't have rubber hoses in tank or plastic in gas cap. I do want to protect the paint so I'll try your idea.

[@jofferyhoward7735]

Which vinegar did you used , regular are distill

[@2xantnice]

What do you do with the old liquid where do you throw that stuff out at?

[@jofferyhoward7735]

What is the best vinegar to use

[@Virago_XV]

Do you dilute the vinegar? And how much water is needed?

[@bradricketts3133]

About to do this treatment for the second time in my KLR ownership. I will say my tank is in alot worse shape in the inside than yours was.

[@DonGH97]

Is this possible with a fuel pump inside the tank? I mean, is plastic and vinegar a good combination?

[@eCitizen1]

120? Oh my gosh..... Oh.. Kilometers Per Hour.... haha (75MPH, Whew!)

[@johndickeson9194]

I heard that vingner eats rubber, what about the o,rings in the pitcock.

[@KevinContreras3]

Count the number of bbs you put in and make sure you get them all back out

[@Pointiegoat69]

Do you wear latex glove when eating pickles or hotdogs? hahaha

[@user-xb1ht4py2v]

should use a baking soda rinse to neutralize the acid.

[@adamrodriguez5780]

Just water and baking soda mixed together?

[@txmade4371]

@@adamrodriguez5780 Distilled water and baking soda.

[@Mike-tv9rk]

Works well. But by the time youve bought all that vinegar, pellets and gas in UK. And then disposed of the gas properly you will probably be into the price of a new tank !!😃✌🏻

[@PROSDIY]

How much does vinegar and gas cost in the UK? Lol $6.20 CAD 12L of vinegar $4.15 CAD pellets $4.20 CAD 4L gas $14.55 CAD total and you can really subtract the gas because I screened it and put it into my push mower. You can't purchase a lot of older model motorcycle tanks because there's no stock. To give you an idea if there was stock on this tank it sold for $473.44 CAD. To find a NOS tank for this bike, I wouldn't be surprised if it was $700 - $1000 CAD, a little more than $14.55 CAD.

[@PROSDIY]

@P Krasniqi Wow! I didn't even know this was a thing. I just searched "scooter acid attacks". Crazy!

[@stevengriffin258]

Tank sealer is and will always be complete garbage don’t matter what brand