Hydrochloric acid and JB weld

[DeathTrap]

So I was told to rinse a rusty tank out with hydrochloric acid but I JB welded a leaky spot and was wondering if I can still do the hydrochloric rinse with the JB weld in there. Will it hold up?

[Autophysn]

I think so

[Dammit!]

Muriatic acid would be better I think. Not quite as nasty but it will eat the rust up in no time. That's what I use before coating a tank. 50/50 mix of acid and water.

[DeathTrap]

Just want to make sure it wont eat through the JB weld.

[350xRules]

Muriatic acid and hydrochloric acid are the same thing. It comes in a concentration of 31.45% hydrochloric acid and 68.55% water. Its very potent stuff! Definately dilute with water, 50/50 mix works really well. Always add the acid to the water, not the other way around. It has something to do with the reaction created. If adding water to acid it can relese large ammounts of heat and actually cause the acid to boil and splatter. Adding acid to water does not release near as volitile a reaction and is much safer, so fill the tank half way with water first, then pour the acid in. It will release some very bad fumes and if you get it on your skin or in your eyes your screwed. Its the fastest way to clean out a tank, but the most toxic and dangerouse. Definately not something to try after you have a 6 pack in you thats for sure! Some of the weaker acids work well and are a lot less dangerouse. Phosphoric acid works well it just takes longer. Even white viniger is supposed to work. I have used the muriatic acid and water mix on a tank in the past where I used regular bodyfiller to fill some small pinholes. It heald up and worked ok, I would imagine the JB weld is much stronger, it should be fine. The metal tanks are an easy fix, I have done quite a few of them in the past. Almost every metal tanked bike I get I acid etch and coat the inside of the tank. Truithfully if they have not started to rust, they will eventually. Its just cheaper and easier to coat it and get it done. It doesnt make too much sense to acid etch the inside and not coat and protect it from rust. Once it starts it will just keep comming back and get worse each time. The best product out there is Red Kote, made by Damon, its the only thing to use. Goes on thicker, and is tougher and more flexable then Kreem, or any other coating I have found. I have coated tons of tanks with that stuff from bikes, 3 wheelers, quads and generators. Always works well. You can even dilute it some with Acetone to make it alittle thinner and coat alittle more. You can get anywhere from 2-5 tanks with 1 quart sized can of that stuff depending on the size of the tanks. Once you coat the tank well you dont have to worry about it again. Just drain the fuel to store the bike for winter and your good.

[Autophysn]

Muriatic acid and hydrochloric acid are the same thing. It comes in a concentration of 31.45% hydrochloric acid and 68.55% water. Its very potent stuff! Definately dilute with water, 50/50 mix works really well. Always add the acid to the water, not the other way around. It has something to do with the reaction created. If adding water to acid it can relese large ammounts of heat and actually cause the acid to boil and splatter. Adding acid to water does not release near as volitile a reaction and is much safer, so fill the tank half way with water first, then pour the acid in. It will release some very bad fumes and if you get it on your skin or in your eyes your screwed. Its the fastest way to clean out a tank, but the most toxic and dangerouse. Definately not something to try after you have a 6 pack in you thats for sure! Some of the weaker acids work well and are a lot less dangerouse. Phosphoric acid works well it just takes longer. Even white viniger is supposed to work. I have used the muriatic acid and water mix on a tank in the past where I used regular bodyfiller to fill some small pinholes. It heald up and worked ok, I would imagine the JB weld is much stronger, it should be fine. The metal tanks are an easy fix, I have done quite a few of them in the past. Almost every metal tanked bike I get I acid etch and coat the inside of the tank. Truithfully if they have not started to rust, they will eventually. Its just cheaper and easier to coat it and get it done. It doesnt make too much sense to acid etch the inside and not coat and protect it from rust. Once it starts it will just keep comming back and get worse each time. The best product out there is Red Kote, made by Damon, its the only thing to use. Goes on thicker, and is tougher and more flexable then Kreem, or any other coating I have found. I have coated tons of tanks with that stuff from bikes, 3 wheelers, quads and generators. Always works well. You can even dilute it some with Acetone to make it alittle thinner and coat alittle more. You can get anywhere from 2-5 tanks with 1 quart sized can of that stuff depending on the size of the tanks. Once you coat the tank well you dont have to worry about it again. Just drain the fuel to store the bike for winter and your good.

Priceless info right there, now say thank you :p. I know I am thankful!!!

[harryredtrike]

as long as JB weld doesnt contain zink.if it does the hrdrochloric asid will destroy it in minutes

[DeathTrap]

So I should let it soak in there for a little bit rather than just swish it around for a minute and pour it out? I just really hope it doesn't eat the JB weld after I spent hours on it and all day/night waiting for t to dry, I just want to ride the damn thing!

[daniel_250r]

use evapo rust must safer and its non toxic just takes a few hours to remove rust then rotate it will not eat through your tank either only removes rust

[200XMichigan]

Muratic acid isn't that toxic. It is dangerous for our eyes and skin but isn't toxic. If you have some old cement blocks lying around just use them to neutralize the acid once you are done with it. Or you can save it in a jug and just reuse it next time you get a rusty tank. I usually dilute it to 25% acid.

Maybe try a piece of JB Weld in some acid. I think it might dissolve it. I know it will dissolve aluminum too.

[DeathTrap]

This thing (83 200e) doesn't have a fuel filter does it? I didn't notice one when I took the tank off and the fuel
line was only a few inches long. Would it harm it to add a filter?

[rdlsz24]

It should have a filter where the petcock goes in, inside the tank. I usually add little 1 or 2 inch fuel filters in line between the tank and carb.

Rob

[MagicJames]

I didn't know you were supposed to dilute hydrochloric acid. about 2 years ago i poured straight acid into an ATC 70 tank and even though i was rotating it and shaking it ate through the metal in about 60 seconds.

Now i know! Also, would it hurt anything to pour that stuff into the ground???

[200XMichigan]

I'm pretty sure the instructions for disposal on the muratic acid say to just dump it. Draino is mostly hydrocloric acid. I save mine till it is neutralized either from using it for rust removal, or just throw and old cement block in and wait till the fizzing stops. Then its neutralized, and safe to dump down the drain.

[Grizzlypeg]

Hydrochloric acid will just become a harmless salt when neutralized.

[350xRules]

If you want to run an experiment with the muriatic acid, just find an old glass jar and drop a rusty bolt in there with the muriatic acid. It eats the rust off quick, then starts working on the steel. Its potent as far as over the counter corrosives go. Will cause chemical burns on the skin, can cause permanent eye damage and can cause lung damage if inhaled. It is more toxic then just about anything else you can buy over the counter! Use caution when using it, it will give off gasses that can cause severe lung issues, especially for people that already have lung problems like COPD, Asthma ect. You should always wear gloves and eye protection for every chemical you handle, as gay as is sounds its true. "Dermal absorption" is a process by which your skin will absorb chemicals into the blood stream. We have all had short term exposures to various chemicals, prolonged usage though can cause harm. The primary purpose for muriatic acid is cleaning of concrete, masonry and to lower the pH in swimming pools. As far as neutralization, its best to buy a small container, dilute it with water, and use it over and over on tanks until its lost a lot of its corrosiveness, then use the old concrete method to finally neutralize it. You should filter it after each use, it gets the large rust particles out and makes cleanup on successive tanks easier. I have always filled my tanks with the water/acid mix. I fill it half to 3/4 the way with water then top it off with acid. The rust removal will be faster if its warm. If its summer time, and hot, I usually fill the tank with a little more water like 3/4 the way up. If its cold a 50/50 mix will work better. You could pour a small amount of acid water mix in and rotating the tank every few min. The only plus about filling the whole tank up is that you can easily get the top area of the inside of the tank all the way up to the gas cap without any difficulty. Just like MagicJames said though, dont leave it in in too much acid concentration, and dont leave it in too long. I made the same mistake in a honda triles bike tank a few years ago. All part of learning how to restore this old stuff though. Usually these tanks are pretty fragile anyway when we start with them, the acid eats off the rust which is sometimes all thats holding them together anyway!

[atc350xer]

When you're done using it in the tank, empty the tank, then mix a box of baking soda with a couple quarts of water and swish it around in your tank to neutralize it... then rinse with clean water, then maybe wd40.