OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Rossvickicampbell on August 04, 2007, 07:26:03 pm
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Gents - I have a 1983 YZ 125 K - unfortunately the plastic fuel tank was painted. Of course the fuel fumes are beginning to lift the paint so I thought I would start taking it off and see what options I then had with cleaning it up. Of course a lot of the paint just peels off but yes sure as God made little apples this isn't the case for some areas of the tank - maybe 25%.
Does anyone have any ideas about how to get the "good" paint off. The tank is pretty smooth and in good shape underneath so didn't want to go spare with 400 sandpaper if I could help it. I was wondering whether one of those "eco" friendly (ie not very strong) orange paint strippers would work if not left on for long as I am very aware it can melt the palstic!!! :o
Thoughts, suggestions, brand new fuel tanks????
thanks
Rossco
1973 Honda CR 250M
1978 Honda CR 250R
1982 Suzuki RM 250Z
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Try sugar-soap or brake fluid...
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Hi,
Don't know if this will worki in your circumstance, but the first thing I would try would be the bosses hairdryer. The theory being if fuel fumes have lifted the paint elsewhere, use the existing residual fuel in the plastic.
I am looking to paint the tank on my YZ125F, sanded & put new stickers on earlier this year stickers lasted 2 rides and fell victim to fuel. INterested in anyones experiences.
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Use paint stripper(a strong one, polystripper;Dads,etc) to remove the old paint (and plenty of it, dont let the paint stripper dry on the tank). It should bubble up (apply more on places where it hasnt bubbled) then hose or waterblast the paint off. Repeat if necessary. Your tank is made of a plastic that can handle paint stripper.(if it couldnt, the first fill with petrol and your tank would melt).For cleaning and getting the tank back to white use a scotch bite pad and jif.
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do this quick though it can turn plastic to jelly
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Caps999 are you talking about the hair-dryer/ hot airgun? because yes a hot airgun that is used to strip paint will melt the plastic before it removes the paint (not sure about a hair dryer though) but I wouldnt use heat to remove the paint. Heat can bring back the colour in some plastics though (like sidecovers and guards) as will as heating them to re-shape them. But be careful and keep the heat moving and watch the plastic as it starts to liquefy. Practice on an old piece of plastic otherwise it is easy to burn/blister and scorch.
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I'm far from a plastics expert, but it seems that the flexible plastics handle paint stripper fine, it's the brittle ones that don't cope.
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no i the paint stripper tried it on a krap tank once to see if it works to remove paint took all of 30 seconds to turn the plastic to jelly
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Yeah, hard plastics' or clear plastic does not like solvents or paint strippers. The best way is to try a small section underneath the tank and dont leave the stripper on for to long and see how that goes. If it was an 84/85 tank I would say go hard on it and if you stuff it up I will send you another white tank.
What was the crap tank you tried it on Caps999?
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I went to supacheap and got a $40 polisher and a couple of pads and some mother plastic polish. A quick sand, a buff with jiff and then a buff with the polish and the old IT plastics are coming up a treat.(http://)(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb130/yzhilly/ittank.jpg) .My plastics that have been painted a blast with a high pressure hot wash cleans them up .(http://)(http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb130/yzhilly/IT465.jpg)
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Let us know how you get on with the mud guards ;D
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I got a set of gaurds with the blue toolbag from a wreckers,but i'm chasing a set for my IT250K.
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Do you guys get 'nugget' shoe polish over there???
When you have your plastics nice and clean and have put on what ever stickers you want then polish your plastics with clear 'nugget' shoe polish. ;)
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Stripping paint of plastics use a Bumper bar Paint stripper.Designed for plastics.Comes in aerosol cans,spray on,hose off. Wont damage plastic.I use it in the auto trade and bike stuff 4 years.
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it was an xr80 87 mdl tank
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after you have gotten rid of the paint off your tank...soak your tank in white king bleach overnite..next morning it will be like brand new...trust me i done this to my yz250g tank...well near brand new... ;)
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What concentration Andrew ??? I imagine there would be a point where you've put too much in ??
I assume you bleach before you sand etc etc ??
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That also work another coloured tanks? With colour loss? Bleach on white I cant see any problems but what about red pastic.
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hi guys now getting back to stripping tanks of unwanted paint rossco get a sharp blade gently score the paint in a cris cross fashion then hit it with that water blaste ryou have up home if not give me a yell ill pop up and do the strip an clean for u
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paint stripper should be ok on most tanks/guards but be carsfull on some plastics. eg its no good to use it on LH side 74 XL 350 sidecovers made from that clear/yellow gell type plastic . it will make it go all soft. its ok on the grey XL fenders which are a different plastic.
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Now getting back to bleaching tanks, what ratio bleach do yuo use and does uit not make the plastic brittle?? my KTM "white" tanks is a crappy shade of dirty creamy brown... I am loathe however to put it in something only to find the next morning its brittle or something.
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What's the go with Laying up bikes with fibergalss tanks ? Would you think its best to leave them dry so they dont go soggy and weep, or best to leave them fuelled up so they dont dry out and crack ?
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A 2 litre bottle of bleach + whatever amount of water it takes to fully submerge the tank. Most tanks are made from polypropylene (I think thats the stuff) which is like the plastic bottles the bleach comes in.
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make sure you use white king and just read the directions on the back of the bottle...use the strong stuff too... ;)
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my tank has a thin layer of dry brittle crusty plastic on it ( as does the mudguards) which I will obviously need to sand off, bu do I take this layer off first? and give it a light sand down or just stick the lot in the bleach as is?