CREAMED my Tank - How long do I wait?

I had a 22 year old dry tank that had about a cup of rust flakes in it after I had to crack the lock open with a screw driver.
I followed the directions exactly with my creaming kit. After about 8 hours (It is still cold here in PA) I could still see some of the cream slowly move around when I moved the tank. Tried to drain it out, but it had become very thick.
How long should I wait until I try to put the tank back together and fill it with fuel? I was going to put it outside in the greenhouse (nice and warm in sun) and let it sit for a week. Should that be good enough?

 

Can't tell you much on that, but I just had to clean all that gunk out of a gas tank last week for my newly acquired KZ750 LTD. It was not easy and definitely not fun. A mix of acetone, flushing, and muratic acid took care of it. It was enough to make me never want to use tank liner. Especially not Kreem liner.

Are you sure you want that stuff in there? It doesn't last forever sometimes, and if you are unfortunate (like me) it flakes off and cloggs up EVERYTHING!

I hear a lot of people have good results with other products, I have yet to hear too much good about Kreem, which I assume you used.

I think it would take a little longer than 8 hours though, especially if it was closed where the moisture could not escape. The greenhouse sounds like an excellent idea, but it probably wont take a week.

 

This "I followed the directions exactly with my creaming kit."

Doesn't go with this "(It is still cold here in PA)"


Uh oh....it's supposed to be 70 degrees, minimum

Good luck, I really hope it works for you anyway.

jeff

 

I did a tank with Kream years ago and waited about 3 days before I filled it with gas. I wanted to make sure it set good before using it. I had it inside, in the basement to make sure the curing condtions were right.

 

What other products are out there for this? I need to do the tank on my son's DT100 but I have also heard mixed reviews about the cream method.

 

It's not the product you should be concerned about if it's done right. Most get too impatient and don't go thru all the steps properly and end up with a mess inside the tank.
When I did mine, I used the salt/battery charger to remove all the rust from inside the tank (do a search) then followed it with acid to make sure I got all the rust from the nooks and crannies where the sides and the bottom of the tank meet. Then rinsed with alcohol and let dry. Then I added the Kream and sloshed it around to make sure I got all the areas covered inside the tank, then dumped the rest out and let set for three days. It was rock hard and worked good.
Of course you could just clean it good (get out all the rust) and keep the tank full of gas all the time and it shouldn't ever rust again. When it's full of gas, it can't rust.
Make sure you use an inline filter too.

 

I have used POR-15 paint to coat the inside of lawnmower tanks and it works very well. If I ever have to do a cycle tank I'll use it. It wil not seal holes in the tank but it will seal and coat any rust in there and keep it fron comming back. They make a dedicated takn sealer now which I have never used, I have used their paint in there.
http://www.por15.com/
I have never seen another paint with a warning lable" There is no known solvent to remove this product when cured". Don't let it cure on your skin it will be there for weeks.

 

I've been able to use electrolysis to remove any rust then simply spray it with kroil and install a filter most of the time. On two, they were so bad that I just waited till I was able to buy another salvageable tank then rehabbed them. Once you fill them with gas, it seems to leach into the metal and prevent further rusting. I’ve heard statements from other builders/restorers that Kreem doesn’t hold up well to ethanol but that POR does much better. I can’t honestly say one way or the other.

jeff

 

Yes, I've heard rumors about the ethenol problem, but I guess I stay away from it when I fill up to avoid problems like that.