How-To Remove Rust From Your Motorcycle's Gas Tank

Every so often some poor schnook needs to know how to remove rust from his fuel tank. The first rule is to never let your fuel tank get rusty in the first place, but with some of the fuel formulations we’re pouring into our tanks these days, rust is almost an inevitable side effect of riding.

So how do you clean a tank quickly and easily? Simple: First drain and remove the tank from the bike (or vice versa if you’re the perverse type). Next remove the petcock, fuel pump, fuel gauge, sending unit or anything else that makes its home in the tank and plug up the holes.

Pour a quart of WD-40 into the tank, along with a handful of 3⁄8 nuts. Close off the filler neck with the cap or a plug and start shaking that tank like you ain’t got no brains, as Bruce Springsteen might say. In fact you might want to put on some earphones and turn your favorite tune up to 10 to enhance the experience. After about 15 minutes or longer, if the rust warrants it, drain the tank, remove the hardware and flush it with a little fresh gas or brake wash. You can finish the job by coating the tank with a plastic sealant like Kreme, or if it was just surface rust, simply put it back in service. Whatever you do, I’d recommend replacing the fuel filter or adding one if none is present to catch errant rust particles before putting the bike back on the road.