Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

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Greybeard
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Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:49 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

Post by Greybeard »

Hello, Bitza.
I didn't get on with the Fertan at all and will not be trying it again on a petrol tank. It continued to leave an easily dislodged black/purple deposit on the tank even at weak dilutions which the agent couldn't explain. Once i'd cleaned it with my own method (used on many tanks of mine and of friends), I used the Tapox and it seems ok so far. Having said that I think I'll stick with POR15 tank sealant for the next one. The Tapox seemed to be very thin and whilst it may well do the job admirably I found the POR15 more reassuring over several tanks. Time and the Tapox treated M31 and Golden Flash will tell ;)
For the record I initially treat the tanks with a good degreaser - I have a stash of Halford's alloy wheel cleaner which I picked up cheaply and works admirably, followed by a swill around with a phosphoric acid based cleaner/deruster (Jebsol 72 that I can get locally from a company called Multex Chemicals). Phosphoric acid has the advantage that you can leave it in the tank for days until all the rust has gone, and it'll not eat through the metal like a hydrochloric acid based rust remover will. After a few hours - with regular swirling of the contents - the tank will look like brand new steel inside. All it then needs is a good rinse with water followed by a further rinse with a dose of Isopropyl alcohol (cheap off ebay) which absorbs any water and prevents flash rusting and blow through with compressed air to dry it out quickly. You're left with a sparklingly clean tank that you can coat with a sealant or leave as is and hope that the ethanol in the petrol doesn't absorb any more water to reinstate the rust :roll:


Steve
39speedtwin
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Posts: 850
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

Post by 39speedtwin »

I recently noticed that there were blisters on the paint of my 1929 AJS tank, which only contained a small amount of fuel. On inspection the inside was very rusty. I put stainless nuts and phosphoric acid, (diluted from the SG of 1.240 by 50%), shaking well every few hours. On emptying it was fairly clean, but had pin holes. I took it to a man who makes tanks, on full inspection he decided that it was not worth welding up the pin holes and that lining was not on as any future repair cannot be carried out, as any lining is very difficult to remove completely. He is going to make a new tank.
So if anyone is contemplating lining a tank consider this fact.
uktom77
Posts: 393
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:54 pm
Location: BUCKS UK

Re: Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

Post by uktom77 »

Yep, I'll second the fact that old liners are really hard to remove. I've been working on one (on and off) for over a year. Caustic, Hydrochloric, fuel, Acetone (best results yet), nuts bolts screws (and repeat) and I'm nearly there (phosphoric will be used just prior to lining). Just the little bits in the seams to go. So yes, once it's clean inside it needs to be a final job well done with the application of the liner. Which is why I was asking for people's experiences and temperatures when applying. I have two tanks to do and the other has been brazed up in preparation. POR-15 is sounding best from a 'filling pin holes' point of view but is thick and needs to be applied in hot weather.
ccmman
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2018 8:30 pm
Location: Leicestershire

Re: Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

Post by ccmman »

Acetone is the best for removing old sealer.

POR15 is the only one I would use, it is superb stuff. Unlike many of the others, it is not rubbery, it is more like thick paint, and it dries to a very hard finish. Use their metal prep to clean and etch the tank before applying the sealer. It is not the cheapest, but when you are stuck half way up the A46 for the forth time because the crap you used before has blocked your carb AGAIN, you will wish you had used it! (Does that sound like I,ve been there and done it?!)
39speedtwin
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Posts: 850
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Any Fertan or Tapox users out there?

Post by 39speedtwin »

Visited my tank repairer yesterday, he was repairing a G15 tank that had been dented, on cutting out the base it was full of liner, this took some 3 hours to remove. On subsequent examination there was no rust or pin holes in the tank, so it had been lined purely as a precaution.
He also said that he had received tanks that the linings had been removed, but on opening there was lining residue in the parts that could not be reached easily.
Recommendation do not line a tank that is not leaking!
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