Metal Gas Can Restoration

[ZackN]

My friend and i each got 2 metal fuel cans for 5 bucks a pop.

He picked em up and when we got em home and opened them up they were fairly rusty inside. They also have a coating in the tank. The coating had broken away and water got underneath, so the coating needs to be removed, and the rust needs to be removed after.


Does anyone have a good idea on how to accomplish this?

A few pictures...

Thanks for the help!

 

[Yojinbo]

I have used heavy sand and a 10 year old boy to clean a round tank before. Fill tank 1/4 way and have boy roll it around in grass. Might not work for square can as well...

 

[toolchaser]

1# aluminium roofing nails, a little diesel, shake, rotate, repeat.
You can bungee it to a little red wagon and turn your kids loose too!

 

[boseefus402]

Google around for car gas tank restore products. They make several different ones to save antique / expensive fuel tanks. They are liquid solutions you put in and slosh around to take care of the rust, then another solution to seal up the tank.

 

[W650Mike]

Check out a few motorcycle forums. It's pretty common to have to clean and coat old MC tanks.

 

[Transman304]

Put a couple pounds of drywall screws in it and put it in the clothes dryer. Wrap the can in blankets and force it in the dryer,centered the best you can. No heat setting. Most important to remember do it while the wife and kids are gone,for your own saftey!

 

[smschriefer]

Go to Eastwood products and take a look at their gas tank sealer kit. It has everything you need. http://www.eastwood.com/gas-tank-sealer-kits.html

 

[Arne73]

Cool project-
Now all you need are a couple CARB compliant spouts.....

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, well someone has to ask it:

You're gonna go through all this for a $5 gas can?

Next.

 

[fatboyf150]

Get some Liquid Fire Drain Cleaner and dump in there. BE VERY CAREFUL. I've seen it eat thru rusted black iron pipe. We use it in lawn mower fuel tanks all the time.

 

[5lima30]

Check out a few motorcycle forums. It's pretty common to have to clean and coat old MC tanks.

+1 you read my mind!

 

[bartels_metal_works]

Ok, well someone has to ask it:

You're gonna go through all this for a $5 gas can?

Next.

I am considering doing the same. Have you used the new crappy plastic contraptions?

 

[geologist]

Ok, well someone has to ask it:

You're gonna go through all this for a $5 gas can?

Next.

I'll gladly accept a new gas can (U.S. made), provided you're buying. Want my mailing address or are you done ranting ?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ha ha, what I wrote was a "rant"? A bit thin skinned, arent you?
I suppose this is one too, huh?

My observation was/is that for the cost of all the chemicals and processes you guys are recommending the OP, he could buy a decent metal G.I. can...which is all these look like anyway. Hey, if he wants to spend the cash, not to mention the effort more power to him

PS to Biars, you weren't the OP anyway so I wasn't talking to you. Go pick an argument with someone else....AND...buy your own stuff.

 

[Outlawmws]

Put some coarse sand in them, seal them up strap/pad them inside a cement mixer and let'er rip... (depending on the orientation, you may need to flip them around once)

ps: If these have date stamps in the bottom, they are military issue, and are worth some effort. If they are not, don't sink a bunch of $$ into them...

 

[ZackN]

Thanks for all the replies! i think ill try the sand in the dryer method. Ill let everyone know how it goes.

I have restored a moto tank before using some industrial tumbler rocks from work, and then ALOT of shaking. I was attempting to avoid the massive amount of shaking... it took a really long time. and that was just surface rust.

I have used this product.
https://www.denniskirk.com/kreem/fuel-tank-liner-and-tank-prep-combo.p3152.prd/310068.sku
Seems to work well...

 

[ZRX61]

Pretty sure acetone dissolves that useless **** they line tanks with...

 

[joe (pa)]

Locally here one of the radiator repair shops prep and coat fuel tanks (it's an old school place that will recore, fix etc) .
Last tank that was done wasn't that expensive.
I'd suspect it'd be inexpensive for a 5 gal can, don't know but worth a check.

 

[slip knot]

Muriatic acid will clean the rust outta the tank pretty quick but it'll start to flash rust as soon as you get done. Be very careful with the muriatic, it'll eat you up if you get careless.

 

[Bull]

White vinegar is super cheap and does a great job of eating rust.

I had a similar thread on here last summer. Based on advice there, I just put gravel, hot water, and dish soap in mine and shook it around a lot, with multiple rinses. Then, I added some vinegar, let that soak for a few days, turning the can and leaving it in the sun to warm up. Rinsed that out, poured some rubbing alcohol in there to help evaporate the water quickly, and filled it with the diesel I needed for my tractor.

 

[Brad54]

Bull has the right idea. Keep it simple.

I recently did the gas tank to a 1961 Coleman camp stove--the inside was rusty. I filled it half full with hot water, dropped a handful of 3/8 nuts in it, and shook it like a mariachi at a donkey show.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

When I was done, I popped it in the oven for 10 minutes to evaporate all the water out.

I don't remember if I used any vinegar in it or not. Vinegar is a buck a gallon, and it will also dissolve rust.

Use the nuts or whatever to scrub out the flaking sealant.

-Brad

 

[mdbeck1]

Does anyone have an old paint shaker? I bet that would do it...

 

[fergus]

I jacked up the back wheels of my jeep, threw a few handfulls of gravel and some hot water and WASHING soda (not baking soda) in a tank and strapped it to the back wheel, then put it in 1st. Don't forget to chock the other wheel.

Cleaned rock hard varnish and everything else outta there no prob.