Puzzling Fuel Issue - Solved

Hi:

After putting many hours into my new-to-me 1981 GPZ 1100, trying to get it to run like it should, and being aggravated by the thing running worse than when I bought it. I found the problem. Rust in the gas! I looked into the gas tank when I was going to buy the bike and the interior looked clean, but I guess not. I put a new filter on the bike before I started to work on it, just to play it safe.

Pictured is a cheaper fuel filter (see earlier post) that I was able to source, and it's the second one to get plugged.

Looks like I'll be tossing a handful of new screws and nuts into the fuel tank, shaking it up and flushing out what ever falls off of its interior. Unless someone has a better idea --- I don't think that I need to coat (POR15) the inside, the interior doesn't look like it warrants that effort.

Marty

Looks pretty funky,but do what u need to do.I had mine coated by the guys who do spray in bedliners for trucks.works well so far.might be a cheapo option for u as well.good luck.bj

yep, looks like a few bolts and a lot of shaking...i would coat the inside with a chemical of some sort when done.....not a coating per say, but something that would nuetralize anything that is left...do a search here....should come up with something......good luck...

I recently read something on this site about cleaning out a tank with water, baking soda, a piece of zinc and a battery charger. Elecrolysis might do the trick. If you try this method, some follow up would be nice. I think it was the young guy who posted some videos with the KZ1100 and exhaust issues,if memory serves. LOL about the way he scractched his tire in the vid, he looked suprised.

Oxalic Acid Rust Removal On Gas Tanks(Found On the internet at www.wgcarbs.com )

Just ordered a few pounds of it this morning, it "should" remove the rust in my Kaw tank and it's great for removing rust on shop tools or whatever too.

I used this stuff while I lived in Florida where the humidity usually averaged 100% and it saved me a lot of labor ... it's Eco friendly too. Our humidity here in Alabama is just about as bad as on the gulf coast ... so even if it won't completely clean the tank rust out ... and I truly believe it will ... I can make good use of it

Don't know why I didn't think about it sooner, mixes with tap water, flushes out easy, it won't harm paint, plastics, aluminum or anything of that nature ... just kills the rust and leaves the metal coated to help prevent future rusting.

The guy's name is Gregg and he has a ebay store but you can buy directly from him, send payment by check or paypal. I talked to him yesterday and told him there would probably be more folks from the forum inquiring about it. He said to have whoever calls or emails to remind him they're from the forum.

It sells for $4 a pound and he can fit 4 pounds into a flat rate priority mail package and ship it for $4.95. So 4 pounds should go along way since it can be used over and over again. $20.95 for 4 pounds shipped isn't bad at all in my opinion. The only way he's making any profit on it is by buying LARGE quantities and selling small.
I'm probably going to set up a large vat to soak tanks and tools in.
This stuff will eventually turn black after heavy use but it still cleans good and washes clean with tap water.
He claims he's had several people use it for cleaning rusty tanks with great results and I know I had good luck with it before too, just never used any on a tank ... but will soon.

Here's his info: Best to try his cell first.

Gregg MacEllven
Sea Shield Marine Products (sales rep)
Mac's Pacs; teak/mahog plugs, flax, oxalic, etc.
macspacs@sbcglobal.net
310-547-2687 (home)
310-547-2606 (fax)
310-721-9667 (cell)

Late yesterday afternoon I mixed up a batch and put it inside my original KZ tank.
The tank had what I would call a medium overall surface rust throughout the inside and a fairly heavy rust build up along the entire bottom surface.

The instructions suggest warm water but I talked with Gregg and he said it wouldn't really matter as long as I wasn't looking for INSTANT results and let it soak so I used unheated water from the hose and about 8 heaping tablespoons of Oxalic acid and let it soak for 24 hours.

I just drained the tank and the water was colored kind of a light brown, I flushed the tank with clean water twice and looked inside as far as I could see with a strong miniature LED flashlight and NO RUST was present ANYWHERE including the bottom surfaces.
The Oxalic acid left behind a off white colored protective coating on the metal surface just like Gregg said it would

Once I got the tank dry I saturated a shop rag with gas and rubbed the white coating with it and the coating stayed put.

But ... I will highly recommend you folks give this stuff a try because it sure takes the work out of removing rust from our gas tanks and it did not faze the paint either where I overfilled it.

This old tank will get repainted and used now that the rust is gone ... but for you folks that have internal surface rust on tanks that still have good paint on them, don't worry ... this is the ticket right here !

I can tell you right now that it works very well, the tanks I cleaned back in November have sat in my shop until I decided to tag & drive my 78 KZ a few days ago.

I looked at all 3 tanks & they still looked rust free inside other than a small haze which may be simply what the metal looks like after sitting so long after being treated. I thru a 1/2 gallon of gas in it, sloshed it around, poured it out, installed the tank with clear gas line & the fuel runs out CLEAN ... no rust deposit showing up in the filter either !

Oxalic acid WORKS better than anything I've ever tried in 30 years of wrenching. Use hot water, mix it up double or triple strength, fill the tank to the rim and let it sit overnight. If you don't get the results you want, do it again, this stuff is cheap and WILL clean the rust out of tanks without harming the paint even.

I kept several gallons of used mix in a large plastic container & constantly throw stuff in it like a set of rusted boat trailer wheels, impact sockets etc. & it cleans them like new, may take a while but it works.


Some tanks may require more acid to do the job but this stuff is cheap & easy to use, won't even burn the grass when poured out.

I did a Honda tank for a buddy that had some ridiculous rust along the inside bottom flat areas & top part of the hump. I tripled the recipe & let it sit a couple of days and it came out CLEAN.

Would rather NOT use a tank liner product that may or may not peel away ... oxolic axid won't hurt the paint either, so that's a huge plus.

great info, exactly what I NEED TO KNOW

Mike:

Great information! This is exactly what the doctor ordered for my bike.

I will be ordering some up and cleaning my tank out.

Thanks.
Marty

vinegar.







GPZ1100_Rider wrote:

Mike:

Great information! This is exactly what the doctor ordered for my bike.

I will be ordering some up and cleaning my tank out.

Thanks.
Marty

Gregg is a great guy, I live in NE Ohio and received my 4 lbs in two days from Calif. I've read about this Oxalic acid and it seems to work great by others testimonials, Just give it time. Bob

I tried oxalic acid on some parts and it worked great! Also tried vinegar, it works but it take a lot longer.

Oxalic acid is really hard to find in Honolulu. I only know of one place that carries it. I went there and they were out, called back two weeks and they were out.

Finally I got a package of it from a friend who had bought some.

Haven't tried it on a tank yet, sounds like a great idea.

Next time I'll buy from Gregg.

ea I got some from Gregg good guy to deal with.

Hey fellas,
I have a tank with just enough rust in it to cause my filter to plug, but not bad enough to do the full liner deal (which I don't want to do anyway). Has anyone tried this oxalic acid with any success? I'm confident it will take the rust off, but I'm more concerned with leaving the virgin steel exposed and re-rusting...