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Suggestions for Cleaning an Aluminum Tank? '89 K75

I realize this is a pretty old thread but hoping it's still active. I'm seeking to clean out my K75 tank with the vinegar/roofing nails method - fill and slosh. My concern is, do I need to remove the fuel pump and the fuel guage or can I leave them in? In other words, will this cleaning method damage either? I'll immediately follow-up the sloshing/agitation with a water rinse and a Marvel Mystery Oil wash - to coat/protect everything until I refill it. Thoughts?
 
I realize this is a pretty old thread but hoping it's still active. I'm seeking to clean out my K75 tank with the vinegar/roofing nails method - fill and slosh. My concern is, do I need to remove the fuel pump and the fuel guage or can I leave them in? In other words, will this cleaning method damage either? I'll immediately follow-up the sloshing/agitation with a water rinse and a Marvel Mystery Oil wash - to coat/protect everything until I refill it. Thoughts?

I don't know but I would not risk it.
 
I thought as much but thought I'd ask. Any other options. The tanks is fairly clean, just some residual residue from previous deterioration of the cap gaskets, etc. The bike had sat for about 10 years prior to the PO's purchase. He had a new fuel pump and guage installed but the tank was not scrubbed clean.
 
I realize this is a pretty old thread but hoping it's still active. I'm seeking to clean out my K75 tank with the vinegar/roofing nails method - fill and slosh. My concern is, do I need to remove the fuel pump and the fuel guage or can I leave them in? In other words, will this cleaning method damage either? I'll immediately follow-up the sloshing/agitation with a water rinse and a Marvel Mystery Oil wash - to coat/protect everything until I refill it. Thoughts?

Welcome to the forum!
I have no experience with the tank on a K75. When I have encountered the need to see how much crap has accumulated in a device that has fragile electronics inside, I have done a flush-rinse with kerosene.
Filling the tank, air aeration, vacuum of the kerosene multiple times until the removed kerosene runs clear.
Kerosene is still flammable so all procedures are done via air powered tools. Using clear tubing really helps. Think that suction device that hangs in the mouth during dental procedures.
OM
 
Cleaning an aluminum tank

I don't know but I would not risk it.

I'm with Paul and Lee.......DO NOT use anything sharp inside the tank!! Especially sheetrock screws!! I do a lot of BMW tanks here and if one needs some agitation to clean the trash out I use a quart of small pea gravel with phosphoric acid in a 5:1 dilution. I have a small cement mixer and use packing blankets packed tightly around the tank. An hour of tumbling will clean up even steel tanks.
If there are barnacles, a half gallon of straight Pine-Sol cleaned the organics out, rinse clean, followed by the acid bath. Advise taking the pump/filter/sending unit out beforehand.
Phosphoric is used on aluminum, not muriatic acid, and can be left in overnight if needed. Neutralize with a good water rinse. Blow dry with compressed air. Coat if necessary, I use Red-Kote just to be sure.

POR products are an option and can be trusted. And there is also Caswell, if there are pinholes.
 
I purchased a 93 K1100LT a few weeks ago that had sat a long time with fuel [and water] in the tank. The pump , sender, and filter were crusted and the tank had a nice coating of brown. I followed the suggestion to soak the tank [and sender] in vinegar. It worked for the tank, but the sender is toast. I ordered a new one , but in the meantime I removed the sender and spliced 2 new wires for the pump .
I would definately remove the sender, pump, filter from the tank for cleaning. The sender can even be carefully disassembled for cleaning. There are good links to how to operate on your sender , if needed, in my thread.
http://www.motobrick.com/index.php?topic=14248.0
 
Before you use the POR-15, I would check around the petcock area for rust/leak. Thats where the water settles and since you have it clean maybe it could be fixed (welded, Brazed) as there is no gas in it.
 
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