Painting plastic m/c fuel tanks

[1Alpha1]

I can send ya a couple of these.

Yeah, I think I'll take a pass, but it's appreciated.

 

[stihl sawing]

Yeah, I think I'll take a pass, but it's appreciated.

Well choot, yer a hard guy to please, how about a pin for you jacket or a set of 1911 grips.

 

[stihl sawing]

You certainly don't want these.

 

[1Alpha1]

I guess I'm just not that much into the outlaw biker gang stuff.

Where we ride, you don't see any choppers................

 

[2strokenut]

lots of fartlies over here where i ride i nick name them all weekend warriors or sunshine bandits only see the gangs in summer but they brang in new laws to crush them out i dont even realy see them in summer anymore and if i do only in small groops of 10 to 20.

 

[1Alpha1]

That's the nice thing about dirt bike riding. You never see any outlaw biker gangs.

 

[1Alpha1]

Well.........it's been a good long while, but the tank is painted and back on my bike. When you're retired, you don't have to rush things.

Anyways, I took a picture of my bike and my wife's bike side by side. Hers is the one in the background with the discolored fuel tank. Mine was actually worse than hers. The color white was a bit brighter than the rest of the plastic on the bike, but it's close enough.

It's not 100% perfect, but it's a damn cry better then it used to be. Now, I just need to decide on whether or not I'm going to put some Yamaha decals on the tank and what kind / style.

Her bike is a 1985 and mine is a 1986 model. Back in the day, when brand-new, they sold for about $1300.00 or so. The last year of production was about 1989 I think. Used ones in exceptional shape are getting over $2500.00 and higher.

Used parts for these on E-Bay bring ridiculous prices. Down right crazy at times. That's why I take exceptional care of ours. I've had countless dirt bikes over the years. They have come and gone. But, we'll grow old with these.

 

[2strokenut]

Well.........it's been a good long while, but the tank is painted and back on my bike. When you're retired, you don't have to rush things.

Anyways, I took a picture of my bike and my wife's bike side by side. Hers is the one in the background with the discolored fuel tank. Mine was actually worse than hers. The color white was a bit brighter than the rest of the plastic on the bike, but it's close enough.

It's not 100% perfect, but it's a damn cry better then it used to be. Now, I just need to decide on whether or not I'm going to put some Yamaha decals on the tank and what kind / style.

Her bike is a 1985 and mine is a 1986 model. Back in the day, when brand-new, they sold for about $1300.00 or so. The last year of production was about 1989 I think. Used ones in exceptional shape are getting over $2500.00 and higher.

Used parts for these on E-Bay bring ridiculous prices. Down right crazy at times. That's why I take exceptional care of ours. I've had countless dirt bikes over the years. They have come and gone. But, we'll grow old with these.

View attachment 609517

looks dam good

 

[1Alpha1]

Thanks!

When I do my wife's fuel tank, I'm going to do some things a bit differently then I did on mine. And, it will get done faster.

 

[2strokenut]

thats the way and thats how we all get better and faster

 

[1Alpha1]

I guess I should have done hers first.......and then mine.

 

[2strokenut]

I guess I should have done hers first.......and then mine.

should have. but it did come up nice

 

[1Alpha1]

I was told by a guy on another forum, that it's a waste of time trying to paint a plastic fuel tank. Plastic fuel tanks have to breathe, and the vapors from the fuel pass thru the plastic particles that make up the tank.

In a nutshell, I was told that the paint will eventually fail. How soon, he didn't know. I'm thinking he's right, now that I have given it some thought. Oh well, it's a done deal so we will see.

 

[2strokenut]

I was told by a guy on another forum, that it's a waste of time trying to paint a plastic fuel tank. Plastic fuel tanks have to breathe, and the vapors from the fuel pass thru the plastic particles that make up the tank.

In a nutshell, I was told that the paint will eventually fail. How soon, he didn't know. I'm thinking he's right, now that I have given it some thought. Oh well, it's a done deal so wee will see.

i think he is smoking drugs. most of the time if that hapens its small pin holes in the tank leting tiny amouts of fule seep through. or because of tank flex and the paint delaminating of the tank, proper prep job should stop that and proper paints one that is made for plastic they flex with it.

edit: plastic dose not "breathe".

 

[1Alpha1]

Don't know why Yamaha didn't make the fuel tank out of metal. I had a 1986 Honda XR-600R that had a plastic fuel tank. As the years went by, the tank on it too, began to degrade. First thing to go were the tank decals. Then the actual color of the tank (orange(ish) red) began to fade. Then the plastic began to get rough and pitted.

All my bikes were stored in a garage when not being ridden. None were ever exposed to long durations of the elements. I don't think I've ever seen a plastic fuel tank on an old bike in good to excellent condition.

Anyways, I guess we'll see just how well my paint job holds up. I'd like to think it would last a couple of years.

 

[2strokenut]

Don't know why Yamaha didn't make the fuel tank out of metal. I had a 1986 Honda XR-600R that had a plastic fuel tank. As the years went by, the tank on it too, began to degrade. First thing to go were the tank decals. Then the actual color of the tank (orange(ish) red) began to fade. Then the plastic began to get rough and pitted.

All my bikes were stored in a garage when not being ridden. None were ever exposed to long durations of the elements. I don't think I've ever seen a plastic fuel tank on an old bike in good to excellent condition.

Anyways, I guess we'll see just how well my paint job holds up. I'd like to think it would last a couple of years.

the old plastics did not have very good stabilizers in them thats why they just broke down quickly

 

[1Alpha1]

the old plastics did not have very good stabilizers in them thats why they just broke down quickly

What I'd love to do, is to have someone fabricate metal tanks for our Yamaha BW's. I know that would be pricey as Hell, but you only live once. Preferably out of aluminum, so rust wouldn't be an issue down the road.

We plan on keeping these bikes for as long as we can physically ride them.

 

[1Alpha1]

I got the fuel petcock back on the tank, and it began to leak right away. Took it back off and inspected the rubber O-ring and all seemed to be okay. I tightened the two screws more that secure the petcock to the tank and it sealed up fine.

I then pulled the carb off the bike and completely disassembled it and cleaned it all with carb spray. I had one Hell of a time removing one of the fuel metering jets. I tried this and that, and nothing worked. Well, that was until I used some compressed air and tried all the fittings and found one that forced the jet up and out of it's hole.

Put the carb all back together and then back on the bike. Put some gas in the tank and fired it up. It wasn't running 100%, as it was cutting out just off idle. I thought that I'd have to pull the carb again, but remembered that I didn't put much gas in the tank, and the fuel valve wasn't in the reserve position. The carb wasn't getting enough fuel. Once the petcock was in the reserve position, it ran great.

Did a little of this and a little of that, and it runs as good as it ever has. I decided not to put any decals or stickers on the fuel tank. Just gonna leave it bare for a while.

So, now both my wife's bike and mine are running again. Not sure just how soon we'll take um out and ride, but it shouldn't be too very far off in the distance.

 

[2strokenut]

I got the fuel petcock back on the tank, and it began to leak right away. Took it back off and inspected the rubber O-ring and all seemed to be okay. I tightened the two screws more that secure the petcock to the tank and it sealed up fine.

I then pulled the carb off the bike and completely disassembled it and cleaned it all with carb spray. I had one Hell of a time removing one of the fuel metering jets. I tried this and that, and n0othning worked. Well, that was until I used some compressed air and tried all the fittings and found one that pressed forced jet up and out of it's hole.

Put the carb all back together and then back on the bike. Put some gas in the tank and fired it up. It wasn't running 100%, as it was cutting out just off idle. I thought that I'd have to pull the carb again, but remembered that I didn't put much gas in the tank, and the fuel valve wasn't on the reserve position. The carb wasn't getting enough fuel. Once the petcock was in the reserve position, it ran great.

Did a little of this and a little of that, and it runs as good as it ever has. I decided not to put any decals or stickers on the fuel tank. Just gonna leave it bare for a while.

So, now both my wife's bike and mine are running again. Not sure just how soon we'll take um out and ride, but it shouldn't be too very far off in the distance.

nothing beats that feeling when you fix up all your own stuff and it looks mint.

 

[1Alpha1]

Ran an errand in town today, and while there, I bought a few gallons of E-Free gas. It's the only gas station in town that sells the stuff.

Returned home and then put some in my bike's fuel tank. Bike now runs great with the petcock in the on or reserve position.