[Bankerman]

Help. In the summer i diligently rubbed down my tank to bare metal undercoated it with Halfords etch rattle can then rubbed down and applied 3 top coats plus a clear coat from the same paint supplier. Now 3 minths later I finished the bike and silled some fuel on the tank filling it. Utter disaster as I watched first my clear coat then my paint wrinkle up and slude off with a tissue.

I will now need new paint and tank decals for my CB175K6 why did this happen? After 3 months why was my paint not hardened and proof against petrol spills? I dont understand it was specific paint for bikes from a specialist supplier.

Any advice please, I have ruined my finished bike........
Thanks
Charles

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[HerrDeacon]

Most rattle can paints are not fuel proof and will react like that when in contact with gas. If you are going to rattle can your best bet is to prime and paint like you just did but for the clear coat go with a 2k product that comes with a hardener. I use Spray Max 2k clear coat and it works great. I used it on my MB5 and it holds up to gas spills and the shine is unbelievable. It flows really nice too, I never even needed to buff it. I just picked up a couple of cans the other day for my CB350 project.

 

[dtsmjr8dan]

Did you find a supplier in Canada for the clear coat, Perry?

 

[Rob Axel]

It all starts with the foundation .. your primer.. use and epoxy primer. I swear by PPG DP primers, once cured it is pretty much bullit proof. Base coats, those can vary from water Bourne, urethane, polyester, enamel and laquor... top coat clear, I would suggest a high build urethane... multiple thin layers.. and overlap the edge of the base especially around the filler neck, petcock, vent tube and cross over nipples.. Today's fuel has a bunch of aggressive detergents and if a exposed base edge gets some of this stuff in or near it the stuff can "wick" between the layers..
I have heard guys using nail polish as a touch up repair or a sealed edge ..
Check with local shops, ask the guys that spray this stuff, they will tell you what is good and what to stay away from... but remember, some also have their "favorite" and will swear by it as that know it pretty well..
Also remember the EPA is always having the manufactures reduce their VOCs so the paint you bought hast year ISNT the same formulation as to what you bought last week..
If you do the rattle can route, do some test panels...,see how it holds up to weather, UV, and of course chemicals.
Just my .02

 

[HerrDeacon]

Did you find a supplier in Canada for the clear coat, Perry?

Yes, NAPA carries their products, just down the road from me.

 

[Old Putz]

I've done rattle can jobs and then taken the pieces to an automotive painter and had them clear coated. It can be a bit pricey but the finish is both stellar and fuel proof. Lacquer is inherently fuel proof, and it polishes out to a mirror-like finish, but you have to use a lacquer-specific primer (it'll melt enamel-based primers). The downside of lacquer is that it chips rather easily. And for rat rod bikes like the bobber in my sig file, low-gloss engine enamel topped with satin finish polyurethane (normally used on wooden cabinets and floors) makes for an inexpensive and reasonably fuel-proof finish once it sets up. Do be aware that polyurethanes yellow with age (no problem on a black tank) and don't stand up well to weathering (my bikes are garaged, so not a problem).

 

[Richard_Pitman]

Charles, you obviously haven't been reading some of the threads here.

As I have stated several times over the last couple of years, Halfords 'Fuel Resistant' lacquer is NOT fuel resistant, as I found to my cost. Reviews of that lacquer on their website by other users have stated the same thing.

If you are painting a tank at home, 2K aerosol lacquer is the way to go. It is a two part aerosol container, activated just before use.

This stuff works:

PROXL LARGE 500ML 2K CLEAR COAT LACQUER GLOSS

Lacquer Archives - ProXL


By the way, how did you get on with your exhaust pipes ?

 

[Richard_Pitman]

On a more positive note, I initially used one of those transfers to put the stripes onto my CB175 tank, and wasn't very happy with the results, as it wrinkled.

So I used the remains of the transfer to make up a mask, to spray paint the black panels.

I then used Halfords styling tape stripes, in both black and white, 6mm width if I remember correctly. These stretched around the curves quite neatly, then finished off with the 2K lacquer I've been banging on about.

Only snag with that is that care needs to be taken around the filler neck on the tank. On my first attempt, fuel was getting under the lacquer at this point, into the non resistant paint beneath. Fortunately, the filler cap hides this.

 

[HerrDeacon]

Only snag with that is that care needs to be taken around the filler neck on the tank. On my first attempt, fuel was getting under the lacquer at this point, into the non resistant paint beneath. Fortunately, the filler cap hides this.

The same thing happened on my MB5 tank. The paint separated from the tank itself but the SprayMax 2k clear coat kept it all together and prevented it from flaking off. I'm going to fix it up over this winter. I'll be paying more attention to this when I do the tank on my CB350.

 

[Bankerman]

Brilliant thanks guys I have renewed inspiration to do the job well again. I think I will do the same as you by using the transfers as a template for a black paint infill before I use the 2k clear coat.

Richard I sorted the exhausts by shortening the pipes and finding a steel tube that slipped into both the pipe and the exhaust then applied gasket seal and secured it with a good quality clamp. It worked beautifully thanks and no need to cut the exhaust.


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