TANKERITE
Tankerite – The permanent anticorrosion treatment
An excellent solution for all types of fuel tanks
This product offers a permanent anticorrosion treatment for the internal repair of rusty and damaged fuel tanks, which creates a sealing capsule that is totally impervious to petrol, alcohol and fuels. You now have at your disposal an ideal solution to prevent and stop internal rust in the fuel tanks of vintage cars and motorcycles. Our repair kit consists of three separate products, is easy to use and can therefore simply be used by anyone who wants to avail himself of an economic and permanent DIY solution to the problem.
The kit is accompanied by clear instructions and the result is of a professional standard.
The inner surface of the tank is coated with an anticorrosive sealing resin, which has a thick and strong ceramic look. However, the resin is also extremely elastic, so as to form a sealing capsule that can withstand both vibrations and thermal stresses (it is designed to withstand temperatures from -30°C to +120°C).
Porosity, cracks and thinning of the sheet metal are thus corrected in a permanent way.
Tankerite – User Instructions
The Tankerite anticorrosion treatment may also be used with plastic and synthetic material tanks. Find out here how to proceed in these cases.
How to use Tankerite
Tankerite User Instructions
Instructions for the correct usage of our anticorrosion sealing treatment
1) Preparatory work
After removing the fuel taps, close their respective holes with wooden, cork or pressed-fabric plugs. Cover the tank lid with a light polyethylene sheet or other similar material.
2) Cleaning and degreasing
Pour some solvent into the tank (use trichloroethylene with tanks that were used for oil, oil-petrol mixture or fat substances), then insert some old nuts and bolts. Shake the tank vigorously, so as to remove the most stubborn sediments, then empty the whole contents, after having left them to work for a few hours. Rinse then tank with running water, until you get a liquid that is both clean and clear.
3) Rust removal and phosphating
Pour the rust-stripping acid into the tank, shaking it occasionally. Rust usually disappears after about 8 hours, depending on the degree of rusting. Once this operation is completed, empty the tank and rinse it thoroughly with running water. Then dry it with a jet of compressed air or with the help of an extra rinsing with 90° proof methylated spirits, which, being highly hygroscopic, manages to remove all the residue moisture, causing its immediate evaporation. To avoid the starting of new oxidation processes, it is necessary to proceed as soon as possible to the encapsulation stage, as described in the following paragraph 4.
4) Encapsulation stage
The pre-dosed kit is ready for use, but it is also possible to use only part of the product, for very small tanks or a differentiated treatment.
The correct weight ratio of catalyst must however be maintained, with the help of some precision scales.
It is essential to mix the catalyst and enamel very vigorously for several minutes, using a straight-edge filler knife and scraping continuously the sides of the pot. After pouring the mixture into the tank, this must be turned several times and very slowly onto all sides, to allow an even internal distribution of the mixture.
Lean the tank forward, to prevent the running resin from plugging the petrol openings. If that should happen, simply re-open the holes using a drill bit. Let the whole dry out at room temperature. The TANKERITE lining dries in 12 to 24 hours – depending on the temperature, ideally between 15°C and 25°C – but will reticulate thoroughly only after several days.
At the end of each step of the procedure, it is important to work with an open tank, so as to release any internal pressures that may be produced by variations in temperature and atmospheric pressure in the work environment.
DO NOT POUR PETROL INTO THE TANK BEFORE A WEEK HAS ELAPSED!
NB: The Tankerite treatment may only be carried out AFTER any chroming or nickel-plating process.
SOME PRACTICAL TIPS
Where there are cracks or very small holes (more serious damage must be repaired by soldering or using a two-part filler), apply a pad of sticky tape, to stop the resin from leaking out, then position the tank in such a way as to make the running resin concentrate and thicken on the worst-damaged areas. Even if thickly built up, being elastomeric, this resin does not cleave nor crack; it has a sealing effect and is capable of strengthening even weak and thinned plate metal. Indeed, TANKERITE was designed to withstand any kind of vibration and dimensional instability caused by working thermal stresses, within the temperature range from -30°C to +120°C.
More than one treatment of the interior of the same fuel tank may be carried out – even at different times and after the product is completely catalysed – as long as no oily residue is left inside between treatments.
When treating larger tanks, e.g. those on cars, watercraft, agricultural machines, etc. – which normally include built-in baffles and other anti-sloshing features – it is advisable to dilute the catalysed mixture with 90° proof methylated spirits (max. 5%).
It must also be borne in mind that, before proceeding with the treatment of this type of tanks, it is necessary to completely remove all extra components, such as probes, level-indication and reserve-warning devices, etc. As for compensation venting ducts, even of a small diameter – access to which cannot be prevented with plugs, screws, etc. – these will have to be promptly cleaned with a jet of compressed air, before reticulation of the resin takes place.
It is also necessary to recline the tank in such a way as to prevent the running resin from plugging the communicating holes of any internal baffles, if present. In any case, excessive accumulations of resin are to be avoided.
GENERAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Do not store nor use the product at temperatures below +5°C, as the cold inhibits all chemical catalysis process, and makes the resin excessively thixotropic. If this should occur, it is advisable to heat it up (avoiding the use of a flame!) and then dilute it with methylated spirits (max. 5%).
Clean all tools and containers only with methylated spirits, i.e. 90° proof spirits, or (pink) surgical spirits. DO NOT POUR ANY PRODUCT RESIDUE INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM!
The resin has no expiry date, but the catalyst has a shelf life of about 2 years from the date of purchase. The TANKERITE resin may also be used – after thorough degreasing – on steel, brass, aluminium, ABS plastics or fibreglass tanks. With these types of tanks, we recommend using the special primer or internal sanding of the tank.
None of the components of the TANKERITE kit or its ancillary products, as recommended in the treatment, can damage existing paint finishes or chrome-plating, provided there is only a brief contact. If any such parts – including threads and tank lids, etc. – should be accidentally contaminated, simply clean them with methylated spirits within the first few hours of the drying process.
When using the kit at high temperatures (above 30°C), it may prove useful to cool the mixing container, in order to slow down the catalysis process. If it should be necessary to stop the process, the mixed product can simply be put in a refrigerator for the desired pause, for up to a maximum of 12 hours.
TANKERITE is normally supplied in 3 standard kits (for details, please see the product catalogue).
FAQ TANKERITE – Frequently-asked questions
The difference between the Tankerite and Tankerite Gum products lies in their degree of elasticity. Tankerite Gum (which is dark brown in colour) is a technical evolution of the Tankerite product, aimed at a better solution of the problem of porosity and small holes. Indeed, being a gummy product, it is more elastic and thus enables the building up of thicker layers, with consequent improvement of sealing properties.
On the other hand, it has longer catalysis times, it is more expensive, and working with it is also more complicated. In addition, it gives off a typical sulphur smell.
The use of Tankerite Gum is recommended where there are holes, small cracks or serious thinning of the sheet metal; or where there are leaks caused by riveted sheet metal joints. Thanks to its enhanced elasticity, Tankerite Gum is also useful on fibreglass tanks.
Tankerite for tanks can withstand temperatures up to 130°C. Tankerite Plus, on the other hand, is a two-part resin capable of withstanding temperatures up to 250°C, which makes it ideal for the internal lining – to be applied with a brush – of porous or lightly-cracked engine casings.
The catalysis of this product is particularly slow, therefore it is advisable to apply it only with a brush, not per direct flow, as is the case with standard Tankerite. Tankerite Plus is also resilient to the chemical attack of benzene and its by-products.
The Tankerite primer must be used whenever a tricky grip is expected, e.g. on highly-polished stainless steel, brass, copper, composite materials with low adherence properties, etc.
Furthermore, being very liquid and completely anti-corrosive, the primer is suitable as a grounding base### on very rusty tanks, where it has not been possible to strip the dusty rust away completely.
Under normal conditions, the catalysis process begins after a few hours and ends within 12 hours, whilst reticulation – i.e. complete resilience to chemical agents – takes places after a few days.
Tankerite and Tankerite Gum can be used without any problems on fibreglass and composite-material tanks, as long as their inner walls have a rough finish.
With ABS, nylon or other plastics materials, a primer must first be used. To find the best solution in these cases, we recommend calling our Technical Service, in order to better understand the type of material to be treated.
The resin catalyses even without sun, but preferably with the plug removed.
Obviously, a well-ventilated place – with a good temperature above 15°C – contributes to a good reticulation, which normally takes place within a week. Excessively low or high temperatures can slow down or speed up incorrectly the catalysis process.
The phosphating acid is used to dissolve the existing rust and to clean the oxidised sheet metal.
However, after using the acid, the use of the resin is indispensable, in order to avoid further and more serious oxidation.
The Tankerite kit is pre-dosed and ready to be mixed.
To use only part of the product, it must be divided it accurately by weight, with the aid of precision scales, following the enclosed instructions, i.e. with a ratio of 100 g of resin per 25 g of catalyst.
The resin coating must be carried out over the whole tank, in order to create a complete and continuous inner lining that is impervious to fuels.
Partial treatment could cause infiltrations of petrol, with consequent unpredictable detachment of the resin.
Splitting can take place where there is an excessively thick layer of wrinkled-up resin, or when a higher dosage of catalyst has been used. However, these are simply problems of appearance, not technical ones.
To avoid this type of splitting, we recommend draining the excess resin from the tank, before catalysis takes places, and to use the correct dosage of the mixture.
The resin only becomes detached where there is rust that has not been thoroughly stripped; in other words, when cleaning has been only roughly carried out or if there are oily residues that have not been properly degreased, according to the instructions provided.
A second treatment can be carried out on top of existing ones, provided that an accurate degreasing is first carried out, where a two-stroke mixture has been used, or simply rinsing first with surgical spirit.
At any stage, it is possible to carry out a complete removal of the resin from the inside of the tank. However, we recommend that you contact our technical service for the correct procedure to follow.
If the product fails to catalyse, this can be due to various causes, such as:
- Expired shelf-life of the catalyst (beyond 24-30 months).
- An insufficient quantity of catalyst has been used.
- Inadequate hasty mixing of the two components produces an irregular pattern of catalysis.
- The product has been excessively diluted.
- Excessively low ambient temperature – never use the product at temperatures below 10°C!
With tanks where the resin is not perfectly catalysed, a new treatment is sufficient (without using the acid) to obtain reticulation, also of the underlying layer, within 10 days.
The Tankerite resin is naturally thixotropic, therefore particularly thick.
The desired fluidity is obtained by mixing the resin first with the catalyst and then with 90° proof methylated spirits (max. 5%) or nitro solvent (max. 5%).