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[Twolanerider]

As the title says, anyone know of a service or servicer available to re-coat a fuel tank and do so without destroying the original paint?

Took the tank off the old Road Glide today.  16, almost 17 year old, tank that is more obsolete than is decorum in an oil thread or a presidential election.  Was doing some work part of which required going in the gas tank and found what's in the picture.  Over a surprising amount of the inner surface the inner coating has lost adhesion and in some pin areas has started flaking off.  Gray specks over close to 20% of the fuel sock.

The exterior is in great shape.  So I obviously really don't want to do anything to the inside that's going to destroy what's on the outside.  Have used (though many years ago) some of the pour-it-in-and-slosh-it-around tank sealing products.  Don't remember having any great problems in later service but they were used on new metal.  With this one having the original coating in place I simply don't know the process.  No idea what kind of prep would have to be done internally.

Did a quick look online and didn't immediately find anyone obviously providing this service.  Hopefully someone here knows of someone or of a product/method to get it done.

Fortunately I've got a spare tank.  So not dead in the water while sorting this out.  But would still obviously love to make this tank serviceable again without destroying and repainting the exterior.

[mr_magoo]

You could try Red-kote I had luck with it on a rusty dirty tank on a Honda. Took some BB's and drop them in and shook the crap out of it for several hour over a couple of day. That seemed to clean it pretty good, then just follow the directions.  My buddy is still riding the bike today.

[Twolanerider]

You could try Red-kote I had luck with it on a rusty dirty tank on a Honda. Took some BB's and drop them in and shook the crap out of it for several hour over a couple of day. That seemed to clean it pretty good, then just follow the directions.  My buddy is still riding the bike today.

Haven't used that one before but have a couple others.  Honestly my biggest concerns with any are the prep/cleaning and, of course, just protecting the outside.

All the currently loose areas are actually less of a concern.  Some type of abrasive in the tank and moved around will break all that off.  It's the remainder that might not be as clean and would likely continue to do as this has done.  I dread the idea of this problem continuing even if it was doing so under some new outer internal coating.  I just don't trust that with any home bench method I might come up that I could completely clean the inside while concurrently not damage the outside.

More homework is obviously in order.

Just read a PM from another site member recommending this service provider:

http://www.fueltanklinings.com/

Spoke with the gentleman on the phone.  Man, what a talker; in a good way.  Professes to be the source that Harley recommends its dealers to send old tanks to along with doing tank service on everything from Ducati to Farmall.  Neither a quick nor an inexpensive service.  Described a "process" that could take three weeks or so and would cost about $600.

No idea what the man hours or EPA requirements/costs might be so no idea if the cost is fair from the perspective.  Compared to repainting an otherwise unobtainable tank the cost is definitely ok though.  Best thing he said though is they do whatever it is they do with no harm to the exterior surface while the interior is completely stripped and re-coated with something as magical as Pheobe Cates undergarments (my words not his).

In doing a little online homework on this since first seeing the problem while I'd not seen many offering a solution I did find a few references to others having this problem.  Apparently less common in more recent years but more so over the years that would cover my old bike. 

So; anyone know about or have experience with the provider mentioned here?  So far he's the only servicer I've stumbled in to that offers a service that specifically does what I'd most like done; completely stripping and re-coating the inside without harm to the outside.  Oh yeah, and the work comes with a "lifetime" warranty.

[Para Bellum]

I watched the videos Fuel Tank Linings has, and the results look pretty good.  Don't have any experience with it, though.  Wondering if using electric current like he does would prevent or reduce the chance that the rust pinholes get opened up and then leak, like can happen with the "rust-eaters."

Have you used Metal Rescue™ by Workshop Hero™?  It's water-based and advertised not to harm anything except rust (not completely true; can't be used with magnesium or its alloys).  Again, haven't used it.

http://www.workshophero.com/

[Twolanerider]

I watched the videos Fuel Tank Linings has, and the results look pretty good.  Don't have any experience with it, though.  Wondering if using electric current like he does would prevent or reduce the chance that the rust pinholes get opened up and then leak, like can happen with the "rust-eaters."

Have you used Metal Rescue™ by Workshop Hero™?  It's water-based and advertised not to harm anything except rust (not completely true; can't be used with magnesium or its alloys).  Again, haven't used it.

http://www.workshophero.com/

At least so far as a layman's eye can tell I fortunately have no rust issues.  Even areas where the silver coating had come loose, or off, I can rub the tank with my fingers and it's shiny underneath.  Have good clean edges around all areas where the original material came loose.  So I'm as confident as I can be that I won't be chasing any pinspot rust problems that might get exacerbated by a cleaning process.

However.....

While I'm still pleased I've got the spare tank, and it really is a good thing, it's not quite as good as it could be.

Dug out the box.  Stored and sealed up as it has been for years and years.  All is good.

[Twolanerider]

It really is.....

[Twolanerider]

Then I find that in being stored for at least seven or eight years (maybe longer, not sure) with me and longer with whomever had it before me that time has taken its tool.  The "Harley Davidson" sticker on the side the tank has raised on its edges.  Happening on both sides.

Last time I looked at this tank was many years ago when I received it.  This hadn't happened then.  It's something that has occurred being stored for a long time while with me. 

While it's unfortunate it doesn't hurt the tank.  So I've still got a good tank to put the bike back together with.  Can run it for however long it takes to get the original tank repaired inside.  When it comes back I'll only be out a gasket and a set of screws to swap the guts.  Then will deal with the external problems on this one.  The decal is unobtanium.  So someone with mad airbrushing skills will make it all better.

[CVODON]

A year or so ago, just before I retired I went to a fellows house to do my job and he was rebuilding a Kawaski triple. It had a beautiful maroon tank and was spotless inside but had no sealer at all. I was inspecting this while he was on the phone as I waited to talk with him. Turns out he had taken it to a place in Tampa that does the water based stripping of classic cars and they had used a flex nozzle to wash? Blast? away all nasties inside. It looked like new. After I left I remember wondering how he kept it from rusting? but I hadn't thought of it while I was there. He did say it was cheap, only an hour labor, whatever that was.
That is as much as I know, he was going to coat the inside his self.  He said it was pretty rough before they did there thing but it really looked like new metal and the outside paint was perfect. FYI

[Twolanerider]

A year or so ago, just before I retired I went to a fellows house to do my job and he was rebuilding a Kawaski triple. It had a beautiful maroon tank and was spotless inside but had no sealer at all. I was inspecting this while he was on the phone as I waited to talk with him. Turns out he had taken it to a place in Tampa that does the water based stripping of classic cars and they had used a flex nozzle to wash? Blast? away all nasties inside. It looked like new. After I left I remember wondering how he kept it from rusting? but I hadn't thought of it while I was there. He did say it was cheap, only an hour labor, whatever that was.
That is as much as I know, he was going to coat the inside his self.  He said it was pretty rough before they did there thing but it really looked like new metal and the outside paint was perfect. FYI

That's interesting Don.  I'm far more uncomfortable about thoroughly stripping the original coating from the inner surface than I about re-coating.  The coating thing I've done before.  I just hate the idea of not getting the inside thoroughly cleaned and having problems develop that jeopardize the new coating.

[1BdBagr]

I always thought the tank decals were cleared over....i would think that would prevent any lifting.
Tim

[Twolanerider]

I always thought the tank decals were cleared over....i would think that would prevent any lifting.
Tim

They are.  On the original tank no signs of this.  On this tank there is a clear coat over the decal.  But both decals lifted through it nonetheless.  Pretty much full perimeter and nice clean lines. 

Box was stored in an attic for several years.  Extremes of hot and cold.  Don't know what happened.  But something...  Bummer.  The paint beneath is flawless.  A guy locally who does airbrushing said it was something that could be done in place of the decals and re-cleared.  Paint is something I avoid though.  I don't believe in magic so I think they just make stuff when painters start talking funny.