Greetings ! I have been working on a project 85 GpZ 900 and i have just about had it with patching small pin holes due to rust. I have flushed the gas tank with Vinegar (pinch of salt) and then used baking soda with distilled water to neautralize the acid. The tank cleaned up real nice HOWEVER it did too good of a job and now I have more leaks lol. I think in some areas the only thing holding in the gas is the #(**ing paint. I researched a product called Red Kote gas tank sealer . Basicly creates a membrane within your gas tank and seals leaks and rust so no more damage occurs. Anyone used this product with results . And if so any tips before i tackle this journey ! Thanks

Jesse the zx9 guy

 

I have not used any sealers for the tanks yet. If a tank is that far gone, ie weak and leaky, I would replace the tank. I would hate the thought of sitting on a time bomb ready to rupture at any moment.

 

I did check and have been checking EBAY for replacement tanks (2 on ebay at this point) but I can not find one w/o cancer. I belive I would be in the same boat I am now eventually. Maybe i will luck out. I can always make my own I guess...

 

I have NOT had good luck with DIY tank coatings. In time, they have come loose and contaminated the fuel delivery system. This has added at least four particularly vulgar adjectives to my already too colorful vocabulary. While the objective is too salvage the tank, after reading the warning label on most sealers, it is questionable if one would live to enjoy the tank after the sealer / coating is applied.

There is a fool proof [fool proof is good], cost effective method that won't endanger you or your potential progeny.

Take the tank to a radiator repair shop. They can boil the tank [without damaging existing paint finish] and apply a sealer. This coating doesn't let loose, and a will plug a multitude of pin hole leaks. The last tank I had done was a 7.5 gallon tank for a Kawasaki Concours, costing me 65 bucks for a boil, coating and a warranty.

Radiator shops are getting harder to find these days. They still do truck and heavy equipment radiators, check with a local truck repair shop for a reference if you can't locate one. Many quit advertising in the yellow pages as so many now have cell phones only. They service a narrow sector of society, you might need to call around to find one anymore.

 

hey fuller, post up a link for us on that radiator repair stuff if ya can. Thanks

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I shall check my local "go to" mechanics shop that flushed and cleaned my trucks radiator and see if they will give a go at my GPZ ..

 

Sorry for the late welcome......welcome.

 

Well things have taken a turn for the good finally with project GPZ I did locate a donor gpz with a non rusty gas tank , I cleaned it with the vinegar treatment and will be installing the fuel today. I cleared up the throttle cable issue I was having. Turns out the **** that connects the cable to the throttle body was "kinked" and would not allow the throttle to close correctly. Now the bike idles as it should ! Next thing on the agenda is the OIL LEAKS ..lol sometimes u need to walk away from a project every now and then just to clear your head.. think im goona do that .

zx9 guy

 

Drag, my family used to rent a building to a radiator repair guy--many years. He's the dude who hand made the brass rad for my 9. He's still local, and I could prolly call in a favor or two if you ever needed. Hot dipping a rad is no huge deal. I've seen him do it a buzillion times (on antique car rads costing more than our lifetime income. Can you say Rolls Royce, Stutz, Packard,....?) He told me he would likely not ever fab a bike rad again, without charging a ridiculous amount---just too labor intensive. He does NOT like the crap rads stamped out of aluminum--hates them. I've seen him hand-build some GORGEOUS honeycomb jobs; tube by tube. Name is Steve Powell, 1277 West Main, Wilmington, OH. PM me if you ever need phone number.

ZX9 dude: sounds like you've made huge progress on your ride! How bad are the oil leaks?

 

Here's the link to the rad pic on my 9.

Kawasaki Forums - jeffzx9's Album: Jeff's bikes - Picture