Plastic fuel tanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rossvickicampbell]

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!!!

Thoughts, suggestions, brand new fuel tanks?

thanks

Rossco

1973 Honda CR 250M
1978 Honda CR 250R
1982 Suzuki RM 250Z

[cyclegod]

Try sugar-soap or brake fluid...

[Stewart Allen]

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.

[DJRacing]

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.

[caps 999]

do this quick though it can turn plastic to jelly

[DJRacing]

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.

[Nathan S]

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.

[caps 999]

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

[DJRacing]

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?

[yzhilly]

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. .My plastics that have been painted a blast with a high pressure hot wash cleans them up .

[Snowy 76]

Let us know how you get on with the mud guards

[yzhilly]

I got a set of gaurds with the blue toolbag from a wreckers,but i'm chasing a set for my IT250K.

[DJRacing]

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.

[Grunter215]

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.

[caps 999]

it was an xr80 87 mdl tank