Freshly painted tank problems!!!

[hdsporty]

hi everyone. i just recently got my bike painted and i just noticed that there is some surface rust on the inside of the tank. it is a 2002 1200C and i know there wasnt any rust in there when i took it off so do you think its from the painter wet sanding and the water just sittin there for about a week?. i dont wanna get a new tank b.c i just got it painted so what should i do without wrecking the paintjob?. just rinse it out with something and call it good? any info would be awesome.

[mikeLI_77]

the dealers will treat it with some sort of acid bath. I had it done to my last bike and it did not affect the paint at all.

you can look at this stuff:

http://www.prp-porshop.com/merchant....gory_Code=Kits

this one says it will not hurt your paint:

http://www.rusteco.com/MotorcycleCruiser.htm

and this one:

http://www.hoeseler-por15.com/16_e.htm

[IronMick]

I had thought that all HD tanks were rustproofed at the factory. Don't remember where i heard that. May be incorrect.

I have taken all of my rusty tanks to a local auto radiator shop that specializes in fixing that problem. Cost less than $100.00. I have heard stories of guys who did the job themselves only to have the coating come off later. Tank is then junk. IMO it is a job for an experienced hand.

If you do it yourself you must: be certain that all rust is out before coating; follow all instaructions exactly & carefully.

Also i believe the following to be important: NEVER allow water into a fuel tank. You cannot ever ever ever get it all out. It WILL rust. Absolutely.

[rottenralph]

why not get some kreem coat and seal the tank again. I certainly would not get rid of it because it has a spot of rust. Yours is not the first and won't be the last.

[hdsporty]

well, i put some cleaner through my tank and it took most of the rust stuff out of it and i realized that there is some sort of coating that is in the tank and the rust isnt that bad so i got all the cleaner out and called my local HD dealer and he said if its not terribly bad then dont mess with that sealer KREEM stuff and just get out what will come out and fill it up with gas and i should be fine. so i did and if i ever have any future problems, ill just buy a new tank and have it painted to match my custom stuff. thanks guys!

[stevo]

POR 15 tank sealer.......the only stuff I use and recomend

[Joe S.]

If necessary I would think about sending it to Rusteco. Their process will not hurt the tank, I had my FXD done after it was painted and absolutely no harm was done. It is not a coating and it will not peel as Kreem has been known to do.
Interesting side light. HD has indeed put some type of lining in most of their tanks. the reason I had the Rusteco process done is that mine was found to be bubbled and beginning to peel one year after i had the bike painted. Curiously this was a factory new tank bought when the bike was painted (accident repair). HD would not warrant it, not to surprisingly, but my dealer did pay for the Rusteco treatment outof their pockets which was a very pleasant surprise.
Since that time I have seen several tanks that have been found to have the liner seperating, I don't think it is common to find it because its hard to see into the tanks and there actually aren't many reasons to go looking, could create a problem in the higher pressure fuel injected systems though if that stuff clogs things up. HD has a service bulletin on it and I note that on some models they have now changed to a plating of some sort rather than a lining.

[Chip]

When I purchased my 2" strectched tank I had to prep the outside and the inside as the factory puts a light coat of oil on them. Buy a Kreem prep kit and instructions will tell you how to remove the rust. Have done 2 tanks and not had any problems