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white tank refurb.

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 5:00 pm
by robfromga
My white tank looks pretty sore. Looks like its had a 20 year bath in Ga red clay....which it probably has. Any ideas how to get it white again? I tried to wet sand it, just got smooth and tried the Mothers head light restore and that didn't do anything.

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 6:16 pm
by Tharrell
The Georgia clay probably has something to do with it but the gas has a lot to do with it.
I bought a white 5 gal fuel container and it sat for 3 weeks with straight gas and it stained pretty bad.
Even the vintage guys don't really have a solution other than coating the inside and painting the outside.

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 6:36 pm
by robfromga
Tharrell wrote:The Georgia clay probably has something to do with it but the gas has a lot to do with it.
I bought a white 5 gal fuel container and it sat for 3 weeks with straight gas and it stained pretty bad.
Even the vintage guys don't really have a solution other than coating the inside and painting the outside.

Didn't think about the fuel. Was under the impression that you can't paint it? The gas fumes would kill the paint in weeks

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 6:57 pm
by robfromga
Did some google work and sounds like its fuel stained, no help but the only thing is maybe dye it red.

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 8:15 pm
by AlisoBob
Image

This stuff does wonders sometimes...

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 5:59 am
by robfromga
Bob, I poured 3 cups into the tank and it didn't do anything.....and now the dam bike wont start! Wtf?




























But seriously rub a dub scrub or try to let it set on it? :cool:

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 6:47 am
by Gmbond
My 1995 tank was awful. The previous owner had graphics on it that had held dirt under the glue and made it all spotty different colors plus they had tried to trim the stickers to fit so using a razor they had left nice score marks all over which had filled with dirt/grime and looked awful.

I started with 80grit on a random orbit to take down to the scoring and did the whole tank to even it out. Once I got most of the stains and mess cleaned up I worked up thru grits to get it smooth and finally wet sanded with 400grit. Then used a wool pad on a high speed buffer with car polish (cutting compound). All it it looks great from 5 feet. Any closer and it starts showing some flaws but for a bike that gets ridden it was good enough.

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 7:58 am
by Tharrell
You can try this guy but it's gonna cost you.
Probably cheaper to get a new one, no easy fix.

http://www.plasticrenovations.com./index.html

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 8:19 am
by pstoffers
Gmbond wrote:My 1995 tank was awful. The previous owner had graphics on it that had held dirt under the glue and made it all spotty different colors plus they had tried to trim the stickers to fit so using a razor they had left nice score marks all over which had filled with dirt/grime and looked awful.

I started with 80grit on a random orbit to take down to the scoring and did the whole tank to even it out. Once I got most of the stains and mess cleaned up I worked up thru grits to get it smooth and finally wet sanded with 400grit. Then used a wool pad on a high speed buffer with car polish (cutting compound). All it it looks great from 5 feet. Any closer and it starts showing some flaws but for a bike that gets ridden it was good enough.
You were on the right track you just got off to soon with the sand paper. You need to get the sand scratches down to 1200/1500 and it will polish out :wink:

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 9:22 am
by AlisoBob
robfromga wrote:Bob, I poured 3 cups into the tank and it didn't do anything.....and now the dam bike wont start! Wtf?


You dont know how funny that is!!! Awhile ago somebody posted a thread from another board where some guy poured radiator stop leak into his tranny ( or some shit like that, I cant remember exactly what it was...) and was wondering why his car stopped.

Anybody remember that???

Surpizingly, it didnt involve Brit.....

:wink:

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 10:23 am
by britincali
He poured barrs headgasket fix into the oil fill and wrecked his motor, how about the guy that put 2 bottles of NOS energy drink into his sportbike :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: January 9th, 2011, 10:32 am
by AlisoBob
britincali wrote:He poured barrs headgasket fix into the oil fill and wrecked his motor, how about the guy that put 2 bottles of NOS energy drink into his sportbike :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Forgot about that one!!!

Nice going Brit, so much for the THC / Memory loss myth.

Posted: January 10th, 2011, 6:26 am
by 90cr500guy
after sanding the tank use a heat gun to get the shine back.
Don't store with fuel in the tank.
I always wash my bike with soft scrub with bleach as PM.