ClayW- Here are the pics of my tank..

[patblkwell]

Hey Clay, I tried sending you these pics through the private message thing but it wouldn't let me upload them. Let me know what you think of the tank's condition. thanks again-

Patrick

[ClayW]

Cool looks good. The rust will easily come off.

[BIGCRIP28]

Get a Kreem kit. It comes with a etcher you mix with water a put in. Then rinse with part B. Then you coat it with the lining.
I recently did my 350x tank and it works great. Although it didn't have a single spot of rust in it. You will need that rusty tank to sit at least a day or 2 for it to etch right. The kit comes with instructions to get all that done.
It costs a little less than $30.

[ClayW]

I use muratic acid. I dump it in there for a couple minutes, then dump it out. Eats ALL the rust up quick. Leaves a nice dull gray finish. Then I rinse it out good with water and baking soda. That neutralizes the acid 100%. Muratic acid is cheap, and its actually only like 25% acid. The rest is water. After you rinse it out good, pour some gas in there and let it slosh around, getting all the moisture to break loose from the metal, and into the gas. Then dump it out. I do that twice, then spray the tank inside with WD_40 to put a oily coat on the metal. Keeps the light surface rust from forming. I did my X tank months ago. Still looks good.

[ClayW]

Well 2 gallons of muratic acid only cost about $6. You will find out shortly that cream kits are crap. I did my 87 Big Red tank by the book. Took my time with it big time. And low and behold, after having gas in it for 3 months or so, its coming loose. Cream is a rip off. I dont even bother. If your bent on coating the inside of the tank. I would go with a product called Red Coat. Spelling may be off. Jeswinehart used it and it has held up excellent. Its red in color, and designed for aircraft fuel tanks. Its kinda like the stuff you dip your pliers handles in. Only problem is its not sold int he south. Just up north. :beer

[BIGCRIP28]

the kit lasts forever. its like a rubber coating.
That MEK (final rinse part B) you put in the tank dries it out. Just use a rag to get the excess out first. Watch out though that stuff makes some killer fumes.

[BIGCRIP28]

Clay, you must not have done yours right or your rust was too heavy. If you have severe rust it will neutralize all the etcher and you will need to use some more. All the ones we did are still stuck.

[ClayW]

Thats what im telling you, it doesnt last. Its not worth the money at all. A ton of board members will tell you this. ITs junk. Do a search on cream kits or creaming your tank and see for your self.

[ClayW]

My tank had a real nice dull gray etched finish to it. I let the acid eat for 24 hours. No rust what so ever. Did it by the book. Still came loose. So did jeswineharts and a ton of other guys. Maybe you got lucky. But if only 10 to 20% of them come out right, I would say its not worth blowing $30 on.

[ClayW]

Also, if you get all the rust out, and keep it full of gas, it shouldnt rust anymore to speak of anyway. My daughters 85s tank is perfect. No rust. Was always kept full of gas.

[ClayW]

LOL. dont get me started on plastic tanks. I could give you a ear full

[ClayW]

Yeah, well thats about all the positives I can see. They fade, Decals/stickers wont stick, and the worst of all is this. Jeswinehart, board member and chef at Trikefest had one on his old 250SX. Brand new tank, jumped a berm ( small mound of dirt) and when he landed, his knees hit the tank, and it split open on the bottom where it mounted to the frame. It spilled all the gas out on his Hot motor. He was lucky that it didnt burn to the ground. It was a Clark tank. I would prefer metal any day of the week. BigRip, im not trying to bust your chops or give you a hard time. I just want this guy to know that cream kits dont work how they are suppose to most of the time. Too many people on this board have told me the same thing. Im pretty pissed about my Big Red tank. I dont want to dump the gas and junk cream out of the tank, because I dont want my decals and paint screwed up at all. I can look into the tank a see a section of it sloshing around in there. Really irritating, especially when you do it by the book.

[ClayW]

Yeah, it looks rough, but it will clean right up with no problem. Yeah, Pat, the guy who started this post actually has a almost new plastic tank that he hates, thats why he got a metal one for me to redo for him. The bikes just look stupid without the decals on the tank.

[patblkwell]

Haha...I don't want to talk about plastic tanks either. You can't compare them to the way the metal ones look. Don't forget about that some people have had theirs crack on them while riding and their bikes went up in flames..

[patblkwell]

Yeah Clay, I agree that bikes just don't look right without the decals on the tank. When I bought my big red, it came with a plastic tank w/out any decals...and now I see why! lol

[BIGCRIP28]

yeah, if you keep it full of gas it wont rust. The metal tanks look way better too.