VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Needing to clean and seal your gas tank?

Just some freindly advice from a copy/past post i did in the recent post of "Daily Driver". Trust me, it works.

"While we are on the subject of tank sealers, Recently i've ran across a product called KBS Tank sealer Gold standard. This stuff is imperveous to ANYTHING. EVEN to the acidic stripper recommended to remove it if you fail to seal the tank by proper methods. BUT YOUR TANK HAS TO BE CLEAN. For that, i recommend a combination of part vineger and the rest, a product called RUST KUTTER that can be found at Tractor supply. The stuff is smelly as the dickens but it will strip your tank clean after a process of rolling the tank with chains in it, periodically for atleast a full week to 7 days. After that, drain the tank, rinse, neutralize it with water and baking soda over night, rinse again and let dry, buy a kit of that KBS gold standard, fallow instructions, let the final step which is the sealer, DRY for 7 days, re-install the tank and fill'er up. I gaurntee you'll be satisfied."


This is for the guys that cannot afford or cannot find a replacement gas tank. However when your done, it will be just like new...only aged. Keep in mind that this is not a merical fix. Dont expect a rusted through tank to become new by these methods. This is for the rusty tank that is still fairly thick and healthy but has loose, gas line, carb clogging rust or has heavy varnish in it.

Holy Batman OilSpot...The Rust Kutter is 49.99 a gallon...How much are you using mixed with the vinegar??? Like 50-50 or 25 RK and 75 vinegar???

Where did you find the KBS Gold Standard sealer???

Thanks

Prices have went up aparently....On the KBS tank sealer that is.. Here's the sealer:

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/auto-fuel-tank-sealer-kit.html

What you want to do use is 95% rust kutter and the rest, vineger. (BEWARE THIS DOOES STINK BADLY) But it does work. You will need a plant hanger chain or two to knock loose debree with a regular shake of the tank and you should do this for 5 to 7 days. On the 8th, drain and flush and seal with this kit.

A better method (and cheaper method) is 80 part Muratic acid or better, and the rest, water. This is even more of a powerful concoction and can be done within a day so that you can progress with the tank sealer kit, however if you do use muratic acid PLEASE WARE PROTECTIVE GEAR. Neutralize with water. Cut down on the power of the acid if you have solder joints to about 50/50 becouse i dont know how solder joints react to muratic acid. It will bubble and gas slightly so DONT fill the tank COMPLEATLY due to foaming inless you have the tank in a place you dont care about (like behind your garage) or inless you have a catch pan under the tank. Let the acid work ti'll it bubbles very little to no bubbles. again, neutralize with water.

I would like to add that if these directions are fallowed UPON the use of the KBS tank seal kit, you will have a fail PROOF seal and the liner WILL NOT lift regaurdless of alcohol in the gas of today.

Cool! This is amazing news! I'll be sure to try it out! Amazing info.

The "better" method is to replace the tank. If you don't have the money today for the tank, wait until you do have the money. Too many stories out there as to how these "wonder fixes" have clogged up tank units, fuel ines, fuel pumps and carbs. No "wonder fixes" for my car. Fix it once, fix it right.

I cant say i blame you becouse i know EXACTLY what your talking about. He said this, they said that, blotty blah blah. and there is ALOT of BS out there. However i STAND behind what i said and i KNOW it works and i have actual PROOF if anyone wants to see some day. It's not ment to be a wonder fix however and i would like to stress that. DONT EXPECT a rusted out leaky holey tank to be meraculusly FIXED. What you CAN expect is a tank to start with that you KNOW is SAVEABLE, you KNOW that it is still a fairly healthy thick tank, but dont have the money to replace nore can find a replacement. Providing all directions are fallowed and common sence is used, this WILL work. You wont find many to stand behind there word like i do. I wont lie. And if for some odd reason it DOESNT work, you've not done something correctly. It takes TIME to properly save a good tank that you know is good. REMEBER, RUST and varnish didnt happen over night...and it wont go away over night. You cannot rush a good thing.

I purchased a brand new pair of saddle tanks for my GMC pick-up and they came from the factory with the protective tank coating (sealer) installed on the inside of both tanks. At the time I actually thought that was a good idea.

About six months later my pick-up started backfiring, it had absolutely no power, and the complete fuel system was totally contaminated with debris. Found out that the "factory installed" tank sealer failed. What a nightmare that was! The complete fuel system had to be removed and cleaned, the carburetor was rebuilt and both new saddle tanks were removed as well. The inside of both tanks were a total mess because of the failed tank sealer. The two saddle tanks were sent out to have the remains of the tank sealer removed and the tanks were boiled out. Both saddle tanks were re-installed without the sealer and I have never had a problem since.

I cant speak for factory tanks or those factory tanks. I can only speak from my personal experience. I always take extra steps that i dont have too but i choose to and i garntee my work. I've not yet seen a negative effect from the steps i've fallowed in my own ways and if a certain product has failed, i would be the first to let you know. However with KBS, i can garntee behind THEIR garntee that if THEIR steps are fallowed along with mine before hand, you'll have a PROOF liner. I cannot say this with OTHER liners. I can BARELY say that with "red Koat". Simply becouse i lack experience working with their product. I will agree with you on one thing though, if it's a brand new tank, sealer is not needed becouse the tank is pristine. You dont get any better. Properly cared for, you SHOULDNT get any contaminents to make your tank deteriorate. A.K.A. RUST & VARNISH. Unfortunatly as you probably know, most tanks are abused, left out side, rained on, RAINED IN, cap left off, poor grades of fuel setting in machines for tromendus times, ect. This is what destroys a once perfect tank. Your tank will never be NEW again, but you CAN restore the inside and sometimes outside, to "like new" and perfectly useabe once again. Providing the bottom isnt as thin as paper and the tank doesnt look like it's full of scatter shot.

Im not trying to SELL a product, im not trying to convence everyone that they should seal their tanks immidiatly or the rust monster will get it. Im just old school and if something is saveable, i'll save it. It's terrible to junk something that has still potential.

If the product fails ....

1. How is it determined if the owner folowed the proper procedure to install the product you're speaking of? Seems like the first thing a manufacturer would say is that the owner did not follow instructions.

I mean, look at what Junkyard Dog said about his new saddle tanks with a protective coating inside. Big mess !

2. What is the manufacturers guarantee and what is your guarantee ?

Good question. If I'd had the option of buying a new tank I would have but I had to clean, repair and coat my old one. I used Redkote and have had no issues in four years now.

The only guarntee i have is my word. A man's only as good as his word. Im not saying im a perfectly good man but my words are clean and true and i wouldnt stear anybody wrong. The only guarntee the manufacturer has is their word.

The trouble with that is that manufacturers often stretch their word. But i dont stretch mine. A product eaither works or it dont. I'd be the first to say it if this product didnt work. Simply becouse i dont like getting jimmied. I assume noone else does eaither. I would hope.

It poses a problem to not be able to ASSURE one has fallowed proceedure right. the only thing i can stress is PLEASE fallow directions and make SURE your tank is CLEAN and i mean bare metal almost surgicaly clean BEFORE the tank liner kit offered by KBS is used. any sign of rust what so ever or debree or oily film, jepordises the liner.

You've got to make good and sure, when you pour that liner in, it is touching that metal of the tank that is pristine, it is lining that metal and when it is fully cured (7 days with forced air directed into the tank, a fan works) the liner is ONE with the tank.

That being said, I do not have an answer.

What will the manufacturer or you do if this product creates a problem within the fuel system?

I'm trying to determine if it is worth the time and trouble to do the steps, take a week to dry, etc.

If there would be a problem, I couldnt do anything about it. Likely the manufacturer would deny it was their product at fault. I CANT say i wouldnt feel bad if something happened becouse i would...but i 99% doubt a problem like that will arise with this product. You cant even get it off your hands if you touch it and smear it on ya.

Im not a manufactuer and i do not sell the stuff. I wouldnt be the installer so ofcource there would be nothing like a money back refund.

However, like i said all i have is my word. Take it with a grain of salt or... dont take it at all. I wouldnt waste my time with it if the tank didnt need it... but if the tank needed restoring internally and doing this outweighed buying a new tank or if you cannot FIND a new tank, this is the way to go.

A good tank liner is going to require a weeks cure time anyhow. Any which way you play it.

Thanks for the reply Oil Spot.

Not a problem.