Motorcycle storage, avoiding gas tank rust

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Lineslinger said:
So the idea is to crumple it up, shove down in there and try to leave it suspended? It doesn’t break down and leave remnants in the tank when pulling out?

It sounds like an effective technique. Recommendations on how much to use?

And, do you need to change out the paper periodically or does it have a long absorption life?
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Its life in a building is 3 months, put it in a sealed container and it lasts much longer. An A4 size sheet would be enough, I use 2 or 3 large stamp sized pieces inside sealed plastic bags and as long as you do not open the bag it works for years. Its designed for warehouses and inside packing cases, it has a range of 18" in effect.

Just an example at random, the difficulty is buying it in hobbyist quantities.

https://www.amazon.com/Armor-Protective-Packaging-A30G12200-Non-Ferrous/dp/B00KF57TPO
 
  • Motorcycle storage, avoiding gas tank rust
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I don't know how you can apply cosmoline into a motorcycle tank from a spray can. Wouldn't you miss lots of the interior surfaces?
If you ran a heavy weight oil, like gear oil, inside a tank, would enough remain on the sides so that it would resist corrosion for any length of time?

Stephen Hill
 
Stephen Hill said:
I don't know how you can apply cosmoline into a motorcycle tank from a spray can. Wouldn't you miss lots of the interior surfaces?
If you ran a heavy weight oil, like gear oil, inside a tank, would enough remain on the sides so that it would resist corrosion for any length of time?

Stephen Hill
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I was wondering about cosmoline coverage from a spray can, too.
 
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Best to get neat cosmoline as a liquid and then dilute it in a carrier like white spirits and then pour the mix in the tank and shake to cover all surfaces, then let the carrier evaporate before fitting cap.

ACF50 would work too.
 
What about Silica Gel, the dessicant that's packaged in just about everything. Bought in bulk and poured into a sock or something similar it could do the trick.
 
I've used it on both motorcycle and outboard engine tanks, guns, old VW parts, and a whole batch of vintage outboard motors and parts, and it's always worked well. It coated the inside of a 441 tank great. I rotated the tank around while spraying. I did preheat the tank with a hair dryer prior to treatment.
 
Post #3..."engine fogging oil".

And it can be run through the carbs when you fill the tank with gas. What else do you want?
 
If you have set your bike up to run clean ,you can afford to add some 2 stroke to the fuel on a regular basis,this will help the bore on start up ,lube valve guides and carb slide and resist rust in the tank , a bit too much on occasion may coat the inside of the silencer too. I also cover the tank breather with a little masking tape.
 
I personally do not like leaving ANY petrol inside a GAS tank if I store a bike, as it is a fire risk- beside the fuel will go off. I drain out the gas and leave tank outside in the sunshine with cap off- but make sure NO smokers come around. Because a tank will then rust from the inside I then pour when dry 2stroke oil into tank and swirl it around to get the entire interior covered. When I recommission the bike I simply pour fresh petrol in and swirl it around before emptying it into a container (waste not want not!) for using it for top end lubrication. Putting tank in a vacuum bag sounds like a good idea.
 
I have used Stabil for years on winterized cars, boats, and Motos, some of them for 7 months at a time with no rust issues and engines start months later as if they had run yesterday. I can't say it works better or worse than other described methods, but it's easy and seems to do the job.

FWIW, I bought a fiberglass fastback tank from Burton Bike Bits back in '08 or thereabouts. They claimed it was made with ethanol-resistant resin but I also coated it with Caswell before the first use. I have had no issue at all with the tank and it has had fuel in it constantly since then.
 
MexicoMike said:
I have used Stabil for years on winterized cars, boats, and Motos, some of them for 7 months at a time with no rust issues and engines start months later as if they had run yesterday. I can't say it works better or worse than other described methods, but it's easy and seems to do the job.

FWIW, I bought a fiberglass fastback tank from Burton Bike Bits back in '08 or thereabouts. They claimed it was made with ethanol-resistant resin but I also coated it with Caswell before the first use. I have had no issue at all with the tank and it has had fuel in it constantly since then.
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If the tank was made with epoxy resin instead of OEM polyester resin, then yes it will be resistant to ethanol. Epoxies are much better overall than polyesters for composite work...better adhesion, better hardness/strength/resilence etc. When repairing a polyester composite structure, it's much better to use epoxy due to the better secondary bond strength....this is standard practise in marine repairs.
 
cyclegeezer said:
What about Silica Gel, the dessicant that's packaged in just about everything. Bought in bulk and poured into a sock or something similar it could do the trick.
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Silica gel or even just heat dried sand would absorb moisture. Even a perforated bag of rice would do a great job (heard this is recommended way to recover an iPhone if dropped in water...put it in a jar/tupperware and fill with rice for days/a week to completely dry it).
 
Tornado said:
Silica gel or even just heat dried sand would absorb moisture. Even a perforated bag of rice would do a great job (heard this is recommended way to recover an iPhone if dropped in water...put it in a jar/tupperware and fill with rice for days/a week to completely dry it).
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I don’t think sand in a gas tank is a very good idea.
 
JimC said:
I don’t think sand in a gas tank is a very good idea.
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Not loose sand....meant like the dessicant packs found in many products these days. Some of them are just sand....which is silica and provides a large surface area for moisture to adsorb to.
 
Tornado said:
Silica gel or even just heat dried sand would absorb moisture. Even a perforated bag of rice would do a great job (heard this is recommended way to recover an iPhone if dropped in water...put it in a jar/tupperware and fill with rice for days/a week to completely dry it).
Click to expand...

Sand? Rice? Silica Gel? In a fuel tank?
Wow......
 
Tornado said:
Not loose sand....meant like the dessicant packs found in many products these days. Some of them are just sand....which is silica and provides a large surface area for moisture to adsorb to.
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And pray, How do you clean every last grain out when you want to reuse the tank?
 
Many years ago my Wife got me a bike bag as a gift , came with a large square tin filled with desiccant .... put the tin in oven to dry and then placed bike in bag along with tin in unheated shed ... in Spring bike alloys had grown most fur ever .... ended up insulating shed and heating it .... no more alloy fur or rust .... bag is rolled up out of sight , I think maybe it was expensive ... got to love Her for trying ....
Craig
 
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