Painting gas tank

[super90]

I painted my gas tank 2 weeks ago and let it cure for a whole 15 days. I used duplicolor gloss white high-heat ceramic paint and duplicolor clear high heat. I heard that other members have had good success with this but I cant figure it out. As soon as I put the gas cap on the fumes or something took effect and made the paint under the rubber part very soft and it will just scrape off now. I dont have a airgun to use some top of the line paint, but im starting to think I need one. So whats the trick to doing this right? I prepped it and did it in very thin coats and everytime it just gets ruined by the gas or stained yellow from the dirt? Does anyone have any tips on doing this?

[SYKO]

becouse there is no hardener in the paint, it takes longer for it to become solvent resistant, even with hardener if your not carefull it may still have a problem.

[super90]

I actually think that it needs longer to cure? I only let it cure in normal garage temp. In the attic it gets over 100 deg. during the afternoon so I might try that. Do you think that if I let it bake in a higher heat it would become more resistant? I painted my exhaust with the duplicolor high heat paint and its very durable on there from the heat that it gets too.

[SYKO]

it may help, but yet you are still using a non catalyzed paint, it may never actually turn out the way you want it around your gas cap.

[super90]

It seems like over time it gets quite hard and you cant scrape it with your finger. but around the cap its always worn out down to the bare metal. Do you know if theres any kind of spray on paint that would hold up good to solvents that comes in a can? It seems like everything thats gas resistant needs to be baked to resist anything.

[tyman]

i painted my tank with basecoat/clearcoat for automobiles with a spray gun and mine bubbled under the cap... i let the tank sit about 8 days and it was in the sun all day... mom wouldn't let me use the oven :-D i think baking it would be the way to go.... but just remember that gas and fire don't mix well... so don't go putting your gas fumed tank in the oven...

[ProCarbine2k1]

I use enamel paint for this reason. You guys might have some luck making a friend at a body shop, sometimes youll run into a guy that will take care of you next to nothing. Generally, white enamel is as cheap as anything else you are going to find...

[super90]

Hm? I do know a friend that paints cars and other things that has a spray gun. He might be able to do it if I get the paint. I was thinking about baking this paint but decided against it since theres still gas fumes in the tank. Ill probably let this sit somewhere hot for a few days then see how this holds up. If it dosent Ill get someone to paint it that knows what there doing.

[ProCarbine2k1]

Without repair youll probably be around 50-75 bucks without paint (just a ballpark). The price is by all means worth it when you factor in your time and overhead in doing it yourself and not getting the results you wanted.

[1upfront]

Ok fella's the only paint that will hold up to the gasoline fumes is epoxy and the area where your having problems must be striped down to bare steel and lightly etch primed before spraying with the epoxy paint, anything else except powdercoat will eventually fail when exposed to constant gasoline fumes.

[SYKO]

woahwoahWOAH! thats not a true statement there 1up! and im sure procarbon will agree with me there, yes epoxy is super tough but the acrylic and eurathane paints we use are suitable for this application as well, If they wernt why would avery car on the planet be painted with it? Just to be on the safe side, I pm'ed dammit about his tank I did I think its been painted almost 6 months, it has gas in it with the lid and he reports no problems, I have MC tanks out here that have been painted for years without a single problem as well.

[bondoboy]

woahwoahWOAH! thats not a true statement there 1up! and im sure procarbon will agree with me there, yes epoxy is super tough but the acrylic and eurathane paints we use are suitable for this application as well, If they wernt why would avery car on the planet be painted with it? Just to be on the safe side, I pm'ed dammit about his tank I did I think its been painted almost 6 months, it has gas in it with the lid and he reports no problems, I have MC tanks out here that have been painted for years without a single problem as well.

Very true. I use automotive paint a lot. A catalyzed finish is very tough, but it takes awhile to fully cure. Another member stated that he waited 8 days for the paint to dry. It probably felt dry, but wasn't cured. Next time someone uses auto paint and has some left over (that has been catalyzed) ask them to pour it back into the cup and save it. Check it every day and see how long it takes to change from rubbery to rock hard. It takes more than a few days. With that being said, gas fumes can still make it lift, even after waiting a long time.

[atc4everbob]

I've read everybody's post on this thread so far. I tried DuPont automotive acrylic enamel with hardener and Martin Senour paint on my 350x tank. I waited for over a week to add gas and in a matter of hours the paint lifted around the filler. It was heartbreaking to see it. A beautiful slick finish gone to hell. I also blamed my problem on lack of cure time. I got in a hurry and just had to add fuel and ride. I have heard that basecoat/clearcoat does hold up better than straight enamel, but haven't yet tried it. It would really suck having to wait a month before riding your trike again. Talk about withdrawals! But, appearently that's what it takes to do it safely when air drying. As far as baking the paint, many body shops have infrared ovens and can get 30 days of cure time in about 45 minutes. It may be worth it to pay $25 or so to a body shop to let them bake the paint just to ride a little sooner. I know firsthand, the problem does suck!

[Daddio]

Well I guess I will weigh in on this one. I have been in the auto body business for several decades. Catalyzed paints are definitely better than non-catalyzed paints but I don't care what kind of paint you use it is only as good as the substrate you put it over. So if you put high dollar catalyzed paint over cheap primer or improperly prepped surfaces you will end up being disappointed. I would also add that most automobiles are not constantly subjected to petroleum based vapors. Even the cars that were built before the manufacturers used catalyzed paints held up to the occasional gas spill pretty well.