old tank sealer didn't adhere

Street rider

New member
Several years ago, I put a sealer into a 6.6 gallon stretched aftermarket tank for a street glide. I follower the steps carefully put it didn't adhere. So after of years of sitting on the shelf I decided to try and clean it out. For the last week I have been pouring lacquer thinner in it and letting it soak sometimes overnight sometimes for 4 or 5 hours and alot of junk has come out. It's still not clean enough to go on my bike, the hard-to-reach places such as the inside top of the tank and the two back corner area of the pearl drop are next to impossible to get clean even with a 3 foot metal stick with pointed flat end on it. It comes out as melted sticky globs and hardened chips. Buying 6.6 gallons of Laquear thinner would cost approx. $350 more than a new tank, It's still for sale on ebay. I'm thinking of going to Muriatic acid. I see no other option. Should I buy one gallon of it and swish it around and strain it and reuse it or buy 2 or 3 gallons of it and mix it with distilled water and fill the tank till it 100% full, this way ensuring the top of the tank will get cleaned. I have no idea how long to leave it in there. I know it will destroy the tank if left too long or not neutralized but i have no idea how long that is. Lastly, I have no way to cover the 4- or 5-inch hole on the top of the tank except with Gorilla tape so holding it upside down and sloshing it all over the top could be a disaster. I know Muriatic acid makes super quick work of rust but will it destroy and melt the sealer?
 

TAZ

Administrator
Staff member
Man, that's a tough one to tell you what you should do.
I would say, if it's just a basic paint job, just get another tank and unload the one you have letting the buyer know about the problem.
OR, contact the company that made the sealer and see what the best product to use to cut that.
OR, contact a local radiator company and see if they will tackle it for you.
OR, get as much as you can out, and seal it with possibly a sealant like Red Kote, This will at least hold the other sealer down.
Be sure to clean the filter out every so often if needed.
 
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