Learn How To Clean Your Rusty Old Tank The Cheap And Easy Way With Common Motor

Wash that rust right outta your tank.

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Jason Marker

By: Jason Marker

Apr 24, 2020 at 12:36pm ET

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You all have heard me talk about Common Motor Collective around here before. I've availed myself of CMC's classic Honda expertise numerous times over the past couple of years while working on my CB200, CB450, and CB500/550 projects. Brenden and crew have saved my bacon more than once with their fine parts and fun, easy to understand how-to videos, and they're responsible for helping me rescue at least three old bikes and get them back on the road. Now, the Little Old Bike Shop from Texas is back with its latest how-to video—cleaning out a rusty, gunky old CB200 tank with low-cost, non-toxic materials.

If you've ever brought home an old bike that you found in a garage, yard, barn, or field, you've probably seen some really gross stuff in the gas tanks. Opening the fuel cap on your new project only to find a tank choked with rust, varnish, and god knows what else can really take the wind out of your sails. There are a lot of products out there you can use to clean out an old tank, but many of them are either expensive, more hassle than they're worth, or incredibly toxic—often all three.

What if you, a responsible citizen of the world, need to clean out your tank but you're on a budget and you'd rather not work with a bunch of toxic gunk, though? Is there anything out there for you? Indeed there is, and you can find it at your local grocery, as shown in CMC's new video. With just some white vinegar, a half a box of drywall screws, and some elbow grease, Brenden takes a super gross CB200 tank from crusty to trusty in a little over 24 hours. The old vinegar and shaking method is pretty ingenious, and I've used it before to clean up old fasteners and other metal bits off my classic Hondas.

♪♫SHAKE! SHAKE! SHAKE, SENORA!♫♪

So, if you have a tank sitting around with a bunch of gunk in it and you need a little guidance, check this video out. While you're at it, check out CMC's new Fixin' 2 Ride series and the rest of the team's how-to videos. While they're primarily about classic Hondas, specifically 70s-era twins and SOHC fours, many of the videos are pretty instructive no matter what kind of classic bike you're working on. Go check 'em out, and tell 'em I sent you.

Sources: YouTube, Common Motor Collective