Metal Rescue™ Motorcycle Gas Tank De-Rusting Tips
A Step-by-Step Overview
Metal Rescue™ Rust Remover Bath is a clean, safe and easy process for the removal of rust from the inside
of your motorcycle fuel tank. When used as directed, Metal Rescue™ will completely remove rust without
harming the vast majority of painted coatings** or other dissimilar materials in your motorcycle fuel tank. We
offer these step by step instructions to make your gas tank de-rusting process the very best possible!
(**Metal Rescue™ will not remove or harm the vast majority of paint coatings. However, if there is a layer of
rust under the paint some of the paint coating will be lost as Metal Rescue™ removes the rust. Also, some
paints and inks (typically red/orange) may use iron oxide pigments and because Metal Rescue™ has been
engineered to remove iron oxide, it may dissolve the pigment in these types of paints. It is always best to test
a small section or hidden area prior to use. **)
Step 1: Remove Tank
Remove tank from motorcycle leaving all valves, petcocks and tank caps in place. If there are any open areas
where the Metal Rescue™ liquid could escape, plug or stop the hole(s).
Before using Metal Rescue™, completely clean the inside of tank to remove any residue including:
 Gas
 Oil
 Varnish
Note: if you are planning on storing the tank for a period of time after de-rusting, please read Step 6 regarding
the rinse process to be sure you either saved some Metal Rescue™ for a rinse or have Dry Coat™ available
for a rinse.
Step 2: Wash Tank
Wash the motorcycle gas tank with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. If the tank is badly rusted or has
loose or flakey rust add BBs or round ball bearings (not nuts & bolts as they get caught in tank) to the tank and
agitate to remove the loose rust. Remember, if your tank has an old gas tank/varnish smell to it, it must be
cleaned out. Any foreign agents that mix with Metal Rescue™ will degrade the performance of the de-rusting
process so removal of these agents before de-rusting is vital.
For optimal cleaning and prep of the gas tank before de-rusting, transport your motorcycle gas tank to a local
coin car wash. The pressurized wash and rinse cycles will do wonders to remove any rust and residue from
the tank.
Step 3: Add Metal Rescue™
For optimal results, we recommend a quantity of Metal Rescue™ that is large enough to fill the gas tank to its
entirety. This will net the quickest and most efficienct results. Because it is difficult to determine the level of
rust, filling the entire tank with Metal Rescue™ will ensure that the de-rusting process is quick and
comprehensive.
An alternate method is to use enough Metal Rescue™ to fill half of the tank. Pour the Metal Rescue™ right
into the gas tank and soak it on one side for up to 24 hours and then rotate to the other side, again leaving it
for up to 24 hours. You may also want to rotate the tank right side up and upside down, allowing the proper
amount of soak time with each rotation.
Metal Rescue will not harm paint, rubber, seals, gasket or O-rings in or on your gas tank. (Note: if paint is
loose or made with iron oxide pigments, the paint may be removed. A good rule of thumb is if you would not
soak something in hot water for the same period of time you intend to soak in Metal Rescue™, then do not
soak in Metal Rescue™)
Step 4: Attention to Temperature
The temperature of the Metal Rescue™ liquid is very important. The warmer Metal Rescue™ is (up to 150⁰ F)
the more effective it is in removing rust. When working with your gas tank, make sure that the temperature of
the Metal Rescue™ is at 68⁰ degrees or above. Note that even though room temperature may appear to be in
this range, often a liquid takes longer to reach this temperature.
Step 5: Rinse
When the de-rusting process is complete, pour the used Metal Rescue™ back into the original container using
a filter to skim any residue from the gas tank (cheese cloth or paint strainer works great), cap it up and replace
on the shelf for future use (Metal Rescue™ has a shelf life of one year after having been opened.)
If you are planning to use your gas tank immediately, simply remove the Metal Rescue™ and rinse with
enough gasoline to properly remove any residue. Pour out gasoline and fill tank with fresh gasoline for use.
Step 6: Extended Rust Protection with Dry Coat™ Rust Preventative
If you are not planning to use your gas tank immediately, we recommend you do one of two things; either 1)
save a cup or so of unused Metal Rescue™ to rinse out the tank or 2) pour in approximately 4 oz. of Dry
Coat™ Rust Preventative to rinse out the tank. You will want to remove the debris (rust particles, etc.) in a
safe way as to not introduce flash rust to the tank so using one of these two methods is most effective.
Simply remove the Metal Rescue™ and rinse with either unused Metal Rescue™ or Dry Coat™. Follow up by
thoroughly drying the inside of the tank with an air compressor and/or hair dryer. To protect the inside of the
tank from re-rusting for an extended period of time (up to one year stored indoors) we recommend an
application of our Dry Coat™ Rust Preventative. Pour approximately 4-8 ounces of Dry Coat™ liquid into gas
tank and shake/swish to ensure all areas of the interior of the tank are coated. Because Dry Coat™ is water
based, its protection is only long-lasting for items stored indoors.
Once you’re ready to add gasoline to the tank, rinse with enough gasoline to properly remove any Dry Coat™
residue. Pour out gasoline and fill tank with fresh gasoline for use.
**Tank Liner/Tank Sealer
The application of a tank liner or tank sealer is recommended only as a last resort. If there are pin holes or
holes exposed in the gas tank we recommend trying to weld or braze them from the outside. Putting a tank
sealer/liner inside the tank is a gamble in our opinion. With all of the variances in gasoline and additives on the
market these days, tank liners have not been fully tested with all of these additives. If the liner/sealer breaks
down, it is very difficult to remove.
-The Workshop Hero™ Team
www.workshophero.com
(Yamaha GT tank cut in half for easier viewing. Note only rust is removed, not paint or even decals)