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Restoring Gas Tank

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Austin Christopher, Aug 13, 2019.

  1. joejr2

    joejr2 Active Member Premium Member

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    I've saved tanks that were rusted clear thr0ugh. Here's my method.
    Tape up any holes that have rusted through. Gather up a sizeable
    fistfull of steel nuts and dump them in. Cork off the fuel port and
    block off the petcock hole. Pour in about 4 cups of phosphoric acid
    from HD or a paint store. Protect yourself ( that's "acid" bro" )
    Shake it up real good, until your arms get tired. Let it sit, then repeat
    a bunch of times. Drain it into a bucket through a bug screen, so
    you can use the acid again. Then mix a cup of baking soda into
    a gallon of water and dump that in. Shake all of that up until your
    arms get tired. Drain and follow up with clean water to flush out all the soda.
    Now, fish out all the steel nuts with a flexable shaft pick up magnet
    and let the tank dry in the sun. Change out the tape over the rust holes
    and apply a good 2 part epoxy tank liner, following the instuctions
    with exactitude, rotating the tank so that every inside surface gets covered.
    It sets up in about 15 minutes. The kit I bought had enough epoxy for two coats.
    Pull the tape off and cover where the rust holes were with resin and fiberglass.
    Smooth out everything with bondo, sand and paint. Now you have a beautifully
    restored tank and a fistfull of clean shiny steel nuts.
     
  2. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    is the baking soda to neutralize the acid?
     
  3. Austin Christopher

    Austin Christopher New Member

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    I just covered my openings with some plastic I cut from some old containers and put a bead of hot glue around the edges. About to fill it up with hydrochloric acid and water. I'll give an update tomorrow
     
  4. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    hot glue and hydrochloric acid, Oh boy, i don't think such a good idea
     
  5. Austin Christopher

    Austin Christopher New Member

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    Seems to be working fine for now
     
  6. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    HCL is not usually the favorite as it will also eat the steel - does not form a passive layer like phosphoric. i.e. long term use will dissolve your tank completely.
     
    Austin Christopher likes this.

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