Author Topic: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank  (Read 4956 times)

Offline mell357

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Restoration project 1982 Honda 650Sc Nighthawk.

Restoration flying along and looking great, had it fired up last weekend on a separate fuel feed, sound as smooth as can be. Just the bodywork to do, well side panels, seat trim and tank. Started on the tank and what looked like five small blebs in the paint are actually rust holes, small pin holes.

Can anything be done with this or is it a case of finding another tank?.

Any help/advise very welcome and needed. 

Offline R

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Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2014, 10:58:11 PM »
Can anything be done with this

Depends entirely on what is behind those pinholes.
If its a large patch of rusty metal, then it may be time to look for another tank.
If its still solid metal, an experienced operator may be able to solder over those holes - I've seen this done
to the tank of a small Onda, and it was a permanent repair.
It will damage the paintwork though, although a paintstick may be able to cover over it.

If tanks are hard to find, it may be possible to weld in a patch panel of steel - a good operator can do this, although obviously it will need painting afterwards - and will not be cheap. Skillfully done, it will not be obvious that this has been done at all.

There are also available a number of types of tank sealing compound - you slosh them into a WELL CLEANED tank, and they seal over the steel surface and any pinholes. Applied carefully, they can work well. But if the rust is entrenched, ALL the rust must be stabilised/removed first, or it will work from underneath and more holes may soon appear.

Chewing gum also works, and soap - but only for short distances - maybe enough to get you home. !
Hope this helps.

wetdog

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Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2014, 07:08:05 AM »
are you in the UK ?

Offline mell357

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Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2014, 09:02:25 PM »
Hi,  Thank for getting back to me and the advise so far, Yes I am in the UK. Worksop North Notts.

Been looking further at this tank and I think that it's goosed. Looks to me as though someone has already applied some sort of silver compound to the inside but clearly not killed the rust first. The tank has heavy rust on the inside and looks as if has been stood with water in it at some time.
I do have another tank, that tank is not so bad on the inside with only light rust but has had a piece welded in at some time, the problem with this one is that it is cosmetically quite rough (dented and scraped) and will take some work to get a good paint finish on it. then I think that I would used the tank sealer gunk as a secondary measure and make sure the rust is killed inside.

Thinking this is the best route, already searched good old ebay and there is only one showing in the US to fit my 1982 bike and it looks goosed too, several for later bikes which will fit but will not accept the 1982 tank badges specific to my bike. The later tanks may be an option with some jiggery pokey to make it look right.

Unless of course anyone has any other solutions, I am open to and welcome suggestions.
 

wetdog

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Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2014, 08:57:24 AM »
i can fix any tank reguardless of how bad , try to find another first as its not cheap , mcsalvage@tiscali.co.uk

Offline mell357

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Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2014, 10:52:39 AM »
Hi, thanks for the offer. I have been scouring the country and found a tank off of a 1982 750 nighthawk, looks the same apart from the 750 had a fuel gauge so there is a tank sender underneath that will be redundant.
I have bough that so hope it fits ok, will get back to you if need to go down the repair route.

Thanks for getting back to me.