Red Kote or Caswell Tank Liner

[StinkerBean]

I'd like to line my fuel tank on my 1983 ATC 185s and looking at either going with Red Kote or Caswell. Any of you guys have experience with either one of these liners? If so how did you like them and are they still holding up well without any issues?

[big specht]

Well I have used the caswell in a plastic Bw350 tank that had a crack in it. It worked good and sealed it up I only wish I ordered the bigger kit cause it didn’t coat the bottom of the tank like wish it would have, it got stiff before it covered everything. But the bottom of the plastic 350 tank isn’t like most metal tanks there is a lot more hills and valleys verses the flat bottom steel tanks. The caswell stuff isn’t cheap but you can order it in different colors. So if you have a inside of a tank that is really clean you could use the clear stuff and it would look close to oem. Verses being red or white with the other guys stuff but that’s my .02:p

[StinkerBean]

Thanks, I just purchased some Red Kote so will give that a try and see how it works.

[Baba Yaga]

I use no coating, as many of those flake off eventually, making a nasty mess. I vinegar soak the tank for a while (week, etc.), then neutralize it. I put some 2-stroke oil in the tank to prevent flash rusting, and then use the tank normally. Really no need for coatings I've found.

[StinkerBean]

Needed the coating due to pin holes in the tank. However it doesn’t seem like I did a great job with the Red Kote. Keeps puddling in certain areas which is a no no due to it will not dry. Might have to try and find another tank or just buy a plastic one. Kind of bummed out about it.

[Baba Yaga]

You could weld or solder the pinholes, or use a tank sealant on the exterior in those areas.

[StinkerBean]

Seemed like the more I cleaned the inside the more pin holes popped up. Figured using a good tank liner like Red Kote would do the job but looking like I ruined it. Some areas have real thick layers of the coating and just sure they will fully cure.

[ATC King]

A tank with rust holes has to be lined. Even if all the holes are brazed closed there are other thin spots just waiting to open into holes. It's just a matter of time before that happens and new paint is ruined.


From the Damon webiste http://damonq.com/TechSheets/Red-Kote.pdf

"All problems are correctable by stripping out the Red-Kote with M.E.K. or acetone and recoating."


It's an expensive mistake, so it's advisable to make certain it's done right the first time. Red Kote has to be babysat through the whole process. That means unless someone has a rotomold machine to strap the tank to they're going to have to manually turn it by hand, constantly, while pouring out the excess, until it gets the first thin coating.

The thick areas won't cure. The top layer forms a boundry where the coating underneath will remain soft.

Attempting one thick coat is possibly the most common mistake when applying Red Kote. Done correctly, it's a long and tedious process, then when done for final curing, I wouldn't even think about putting the tank into service sooner than a week.

[StinkerBean]

What’s the process on stripping it out with acetone?

[StinkerBean]

Are any of the aftermarket plastic tanks good to use?

[ATC King]

You're making it hard on yourself. Stripped the failed attempt out and start over. With a little searching on YouTube you'll find videos to help you strip it out, there's no need in waiting for a response here.

The Chinese plastic tanks on Ebay/Amazon work fine. I think they ruin the looks of the trike though, and now you'll have that vent tube to stick up and look out of place instead of the clean look of the OE vented metal cap.

I've used Red Kote on cars, motorcycles, and ATVs and never had a problem. Some tanks I've lined I still have 10-15 years later without any issues. It's a quality product that takes patience and thoroughness to use. You could try practicing with some red food coloring in cooking oil to learn what you need to do to make certain you're moving the tank properly to coat everywhere and not allowing it to pool in the corners. It's easier to add more than drain out the excess. That's much less expensive than having to do it over.

[StinkerBean]

Thanks. I feel like the main mistake I made was by adding too much Red Kote and trying to get it all drained out was not as easy as I thought. I poured in about 75% of the can, maybe I’ll try about half of that this go around.

[honda200x1987]

KBS Coating is hands down the Best.. its silver color to match the inside of the tank unlike red kote.. looks factory if you do it right..

[ATC King]

Directions from the KBS website:

"2) Carefully pour entire contents of can into tank and slowly rotate and roll tank until all sides are evenly coated. Patiently work with sealer for up to 30 minutes. Please note that our Tank Sealer is formulated for use as a single thin coat application so make sure you take the time to thoroughly coat the entire tank well paying particular attention to leaky weld seams & pinholes for optimal coverage & seal.

3) IMPORTANT: After a thorough coating inside of tank, patiently DRAIN ALL EXCESS SEALER from tank until it no longer drips sealer. Additionally, to avoid puddling and pooling of excess sealer inside the tank, rotate the tank side to side every 5 minutes. This step is especially IMPORTANT if design of the tank makes complete draining difficult. This additional rotating of the tank will help minimize excess accumulation in any single area, and result in a slightly thicker coating on ALL walls inside the tank. Foaming and bubbling are signs of excessive Sealer accumulation and gas entrapment due to ineffective drainage. In some cases, this may cause the Sealer to not cure/adhere properly and eventually break loose. Be aware that if this situation should occur, the only recourse is to strip the tank and repeat the process."

https://www.kbs-coatings.com/tank-sealer-directions.html

Also from their website, a fix-it guide in case the sealer doesn't cure/adhere properly. https://www.kbs-coatings.com/fix-it-guide-tank-sealer.html

Their fix for a failed application is also to strip it out and start over.



That's the same issues as with applying several of the single stage tank liners. No matter the brand, it's all about prep and proper application. Lining tanks with a pour-in product isn't a apply and walk away process, it's time consuming and tedious. I don't want to give anyone the idea that a certain brand is easy; they're not.

[StinkerBean]

Thanks. I plan on stripping it next week and trying it again. Will use much less red kote and work it around for much longer. Will have to do it on a weekend so I can have all day working it around throughout the day and doing a better job at draining as much as I can out.

[ATC King]

Yep, it's a time eating ordeal. Got to plan a day for it just to have enough alone time with the tank.

There's no easy way to pour out the excess because there's no smooth transitions to the outside of the tank. Other than prep, that's probably the hardest part.

The other deal is air drying it. A very small fan aimed at the filler hole helps. Not right against it, but enough that it'll keep flushing the vapors out. That can speed up curing time quite a bit, otherwise you may still smell vapors even after a week of drying. The temp and humidity certainly change things and just have to deal with that for what it is. Southern weather makes everything more difficult.

[StinkerBean]

Humidity is pretty high here where I live so might try the fan idea. I'm in no hurry so plan on taking my time on a weekend. I'm debating if it would make things easier for draining if I was to thin the red kote a little with acetone.

[f76]

I've used POR-15 before with poor results. Haven't tried red kote but after reading through the thread, I wouldn't touch it. I've since used caswell tank liner and have had excellent results. It's a much simpler process and the lining is thick. I sealed up a KLT110 gas tank that I had to patch both lower corners with screen door repair patches and JB steel stick. It's been holding for about 4 years with e10 gas in it all the time.

[haroldpo6]

I like Kreem fuel tank liner the best

[Shovelhead8069]

I have a 1984 TRX 200 the tank was Full of pinholes. I used evaporust, and casewell just followed the instructions on both and now 6yrs later it's still hard and clear as glass and a perfect solution. I've seen old red coat that was a disaster. I can't say if the casewell will survive eternally, but so far so good!

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[psujeepguy]

I've had success with caswell. Lined the tank on my 185s due to small pin holes in on small area on the bottom of the tank. Used just a dab of JB weld on the outside then lined the inside after vinegar soak and neutralization with baking soda dissolved in water. With any of these liners, it is very important to follow the instructions exactly as written.

[ATC King]

With any of these liners, it is very important to follow the instructions exactly as written.


100%

There are several quality products out there but that's the most important part.