# Cleaning the inside of an old tank **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [November 30, 2009, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702 "2009-11-30T09:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/1 "2009-11-30T09:03:33Z")
Im working on my tank lately and have to tackle the rust on the inside of the tank. I called a radiator shop and they quoted me $85-95 to clean the inside without putting any coating on. Me being the DIYer that I am, Id rather try to do this myself as long as I can do it for uner $100. I figure if I can buy all the materials Ill need to do this tank for under the cost of paying someone, then ill OWN the materials needed to do other tanks. Trying to save some money in the long run. Ive read about electrolysis and it seems like thats the way to go. Ive been looking on Craigslist for a trickle charger but in my reading ive seen that the type of charger you use is a very big factor. With that said, can anyone give me some advice or pointers as too what exactly I need to get to do this? Plan is to get a big rubbermaid container that I can put the whole tank in and do it to the whole tank. There is some rust on the underside of the tank as well so I figure I can kill two birds with one stone. After rust is removed, Im going to coat the inside with some Por-15 if I can find it or some other liquid liner. The underside of the tank will also get Por-15 or else some bed liner. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/2 "2009-11-30T09:05:17Z")
Gas tank? Radiator end tanks? Fish tank? Oil tank? If it’s an oil tank just turn it into a meat smoker. ---
**Author:** ![tpgsr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tpgsr/32/7374_2.png) [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/3 "2009-11-30T09:50:51Z")
> [@Fry](#): > > Gas tank? Radiator end tanks? Fish tank? Oil tank? > > If it’s an oil tank just turn it into a meat smoker. LOL note that this is in the bikes section so I would assume that it is the fuel tank on his bike. I am probably wrong though since there is no information aside from TANK in the post. I hope that it is a panzer. ---
**Author:** ![Freek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/freek/32/7357_2.png) [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/4 "2009-11-30T09:57:40Z")
Honestly this is what I was picturing the entire original post read ![http://www.ubergizmo.com/photos/2007/9/paintball-tank.jpg](http://www.ubergizmo.com/photos/2007/9/paintball-tank.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/5 "2009-11-30T10:01:32Z")
If that’s the case, then Kerosene + [tumbling stones](http://www.protecair.com/scuba/tumbling_spec.html?gclid=COeKyemms54CFdA65Qod7C1Vpw) + shake it like a salt shaker. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/6 "2009-11-30T10:03:13Z")
Oh, and you can get POR-15 at K&S, but I personally wouldn’t put anything on the inside of the tank. ---
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/7 "2009-11-30T10:34:54Z")
WOW. I didnt think I needed to specify GAS tank when posting the word “tank” in the “bike” section. What are tumbling stones and where do you get them? Why wouldnt you put anything inside the tank to seal it? If you dont seal it, wont it rust rapidly again? ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/8 "2009-11-30T10:43:52Z")
If the inside of your tank is rotting it’s time for a new tank. Usually you only clean out the inside of a gas tank to get rid of gummed up gas. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/9 "2009-11-30T10:44:55Z")
More details. Why are you “working on the tank”? What bike is this? Year/make/model? ---
**Author:** ![Jam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jam/32/7235_2.png) [@Jam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jam)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/10 "2009-11-30T11:07:10Z")
The gas will eventually disintigrate the por 15. not a good idea ---
**Author:** ![fiend540](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bcef8e/32.png) [@fiend540](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fiend540)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/11 "2009-11-30T11:47:04Z")
I would not use por15 that would just be dumb. The best stuff from what I have seen is called Red-Kote and can be found at Napa ![http://www.damonq.com/images/Red-Kote2b.jpg](http://www.damonq.com/images/Red-Kote2b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/12 "2009-11-30T12:23:48Z")
electrolysis [http://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=gas+tank+electrolysis&search\_type=&aq=0&oq=gas+tank+el](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gas+tank+electrolysis&search_type=&aq=0&oq=gas+tank+el) [http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=motorcycle+gas+tank+electrolysis&aq=1m&aqi=g1g-m1&oq=gas+tank+ele&fp=6b22d27f49a5e7dd](http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=motorcycle+gas+tank+electrolysis&aq=1m&aqi=g1g-m1&oq=gas+tank+ele&fp=6b22d27f49a5e7dd) ---
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-the-inside-of-an-old-tank/76702/13 "2009-12-01T08:34:35Z")
Im going to go pick up a shitty battery charger today and try this out. For reference, bike in question is in my build thread found here: [http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75824](http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75824)