How To Clean Motorcycle Gas Tank With Coke

If you lot're a motorcyclist who likes to do things yourself, you've probably come across the thought of painting or repainting your motorcycle tank. I have restored over a dozen motorcycles and accept tried almost methods to paint a tank.

And so what is the best pigment to use on a motorcycle gas tank? The best pigment to utilise on a motorbike gas tank is Dupli-Color aerosol spray pigment. It has proven to give the best results as well as doesn't show spray lines, it'due south piece of cake to employ, and costs much less than an HVLP paint sprayer and all-around equipment.

Many DIYers worry almost the quality from a spray can and if they should spend the coin on more than expensive equipment. Painting a motorcycle tank isn't every bit complicated as some may think, simply there are a few things to call back about before you paint.

Since motorcycle tanks are and so round the spray pattern from the can is able to blend perfectly. Since body panels on cars are and so large and flat I would NEVER recommend someone using droplets on a car.

Why Use an Aerosol?

As mentioned earlier, I have used every method possible to paint a motorcycle tank. I accept plant the best results from using the Dupli-Color droplets pigment (you can detect it here in my list of recommended products).

The first reason I beloved this product is because of the quality. Many times have I used Dupli-Color and was later asked where I took my tank to get it professionally painted. People are always shocked when I tell them I did information technology myself with spray paint.

The second affair I honey about this production is the cost. Y'all can usually purchase a can of this for nigh $9 – $10 each. I normally purchase well-nigh three cans for each tank. I usually have some left over, but I'd rather have extra than not enough and run out in the middle of my project.

The spray pattern from these cans is astonishing. It has a broad spray pattern and works first-class on rounded surfaces. Because motorcycle tanks are round and not a flat surface, yous can get away with using aerosol.

The tip of the Dupli can is removable for easy clean up and is able to rotate xc degrees when yous spray (which is Then useful when you can't easily move around what you're painting.) Instead of holding the can sideways and getting uneven spray you just rotate the tip.

The Dupli-Colour aerosol spray can is easy to utilise in hot and common cold atmospheric condition. For a while I lived in northern Utah while I was going to college. I restored motorcycles to pay for my schooling and that included restoring motorcycles in a shed during vii caste weather condition. And this paint worked like a charm! No, it's not recommended to paint when it's that cold, but it tin can be done.

One time you're done with your projection at that place'due south very little cleanup at all! Throw the can away and sweep the floor as the spray leaves a piffling dust on the footing.

Here'southward an example of how well Dupli-Color works. I even got a little crazy and painted a darker red on the sides.

Why Non Apply a HVLP Paint Sprayer?

Y'all'll see a lot of professionals and a lot of forums tell you lot that you'll need to use an HVLP paint sprayer (or a high volume depression pressure paint sprayer) to paint your motorcycle tank correctly. I've tried it, and though it yields excellent results, I'd say it's the same quality as the Dupli-Colour. Again, this only holds true for motorbike tanks, not car panels. Absolutely employ an HVLP paint sprayer if y'all're painting flat panels.

You admittedly can use a paint sprayer if yous have one, but if you don't, don't bother getting one. HVLP paint sprayers add a lot of extra stress to the project; if yous don't know what you're doing and then y'all volition easily mix-up upwardly the paint job.

HVLP paint sprayers are also quite expensive. A decent 1 goes for effectually $150 plus you usually need an air compressor, and if y'all don't accept 1 of those, that'southward another $200. Then you'll accept to add together in miscellaneous tools such as renting/setting up a paint booth, replacement cups, air hose, etc. That could be an additional $100. Using an HVLP paint sprayer costs about $450 as compared to $30. I like $thirty more.

The make clean up afterward using a pigment sprayer isn't most every bit easy as using an aerosol can. Once you're finished with your product, you have to make clean up any over spray (as the HVLP paint sprayer sprays with more power). You lot'll also need to take it autonomously to clean it. If you don't make clean information technology up correct away you lot'll spend hours or days trying to get it to work correctly the side by side time you use information technology.

There are some inexpensive HVLP paint sprayers (around $fifteen) yous can buy from certain hardware stores but I highly suggest against these. I've tried using them on several occasions and always end upward frustrated and having to redo my work. If you are convinced you want to use an HVLP paint sprayer and so spend more and get a decent one.

Other Equipment Needed to Paint a Motorcycle Tank

One time you take the pigment yous need, at that place's a few other things you'll need to make your pigment chore successful. You'll as well need:

Safety glasses
Respirator
Sandpaper, specifically lxxx, 150, 220, 300, and 400 dust
Sandpaper block
Former sheets and/or newspaper
Tow strap
Bondo
Bondo Scraper
Greenish self-carving primer
2-part catalyzed articulate glaze
Painter'southward record

Make sure to get the 2-role catalyzed clear glaze such equally the Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clear Glaze. If y'all use a single phase clear glaze, any gas dripped on it will swallow right through your tank paint down to bare metal. The 2-part clear glaze won't do that.

It's of import you accept all of these. You cannot skip using whatever of these for rubber reasons every bit well as quality reasons. During the many times I've painted motorbike tanks, I am sure to not skip whatever of these. I've come upward with some admittedly stunning looking tanks.

I accept created a video series about restoring motorcycles and inside this series includes detailed videos on how to gear up up and paint a motorcycle gas tank. This series also includes other hard-to-tackle components such as carb rebuilds and electrical. I give dozens of tips and tricks that you won't find anywhere else online. Click here for more than information if you lot're interested in viewing multiple videos that will aid fix upward your bike or if you're interested in completely building your dream motorbike!

How to Paint a Motorcycle Gas Tank

Outset, you'll need to empty the gas out of your tank and completely detach the tank from the motorcycle. Yous will be treatment and conveying your tank effectually, so make sure there is naught you lot'll trip over so you don't drib your tank. Don't recollect you'll get a decent pigment job while trying to pigment the tank while it's all the same on the bike.

You don't ever need to completely strip the paint off the tank and get information technology to bare metal. The only fourth dimension I completely strip the pigment is if the old pigment is cracked and peeling up everywhere. The bespeak is to become the base completely smooth and gratuitous of blemishes. So if the current paint is nevertheless shine so just do a good sanding, don't worry nigh getting down to the bare metal.

Here is my wife Amanda stripping the pigment off a tank.

The next step is to apply bondo or body filler and make full all the minor dents and imperfections with the bondo scraper. Follow the instructions on the back of the tin and watch some videos of how to do it before yous start.

One time the bondo is dry then sand it with the sanding block, Non with your hands. Your hands aren't flat, and so when y'all sand bondo without a cake then you just end up recreating the original trouble, and then you're back to where you started. You will only get a truly straight edge by cake sanding.

Once the tank is perfectly smooth and there are no longer dents y'all'll put your beginning coat of primer on. The first coat of primer is very light, don't try to totally encompass the tank. The second and 3rd coats volition embrace it completely. Follow directions on the back of the can for all-time results.

Whether you stripped the paint or plan to paint over the original color, the adjacent stride is to wet sand. Using 400 grit sandpaper and a pocket-size basin of water, get the tank totally wet and sand in small circular motions until the tank is perfectly shine. You don't want to sand through the primer, you only want to get it smoothen. In one case information technology's totally shine you lot're ready for paint!

You'll now need to tape annihilation on the tank that you don't want painted such as the gas cap, petcocks, frame mounts, etc. Information technology's okay if you get paint underneath the tank, but don't spend too much time painting under in that location equally you won't be able to come across it once it'due south on the motorbike. Just make sure that anything that's going to exist visible is sanded and prepped properly.

I take to stress the importance of prep time on the primer and bondo on the tank. Prepping is the well-nigh important part of painting. If y'all have pocket-size dents, dimples, air pockets or whatsoever kind of imperfection at all it will get WORSE once it's painted and sleeky. Many beginners think "paint will probably cover that once it's painted." Information technology won't. Do it right from the beginning or you'll just end upward redoing it later.

Adjacent, employ the tow strap to securely hang the tank from a beam or something in your garage. Sweep the floor really well and wait for an hour for whatsoever dust particles to settle. I even use a hose and spray the ground with water before I start painting to ensure that dust gets trapped on the flooring and isn't floating around in the air.

Put on your safety glasses and project respirator. Put down newspaper below the tank and put erstwhile sheets over annihilation in your piece of work infinite y'all don't want to get paint on.

Before y'all pigment, make sure your tank is primed in all one color. If you lot sanded through the primer during the wet sanding stage, and now a different color is showing on the tank you lot'll have to re-prime and re-wetsand. If there are spots of different colors then you pigment the tank, the final color volition testify upwardly in different shades and expect bad. The unabridged base has to be a uniform colour.

I final prep step before you spray your desired colour. Get some wax and grease remover from whatever auto parts store and wipe downwards the primed tank. Subsequently you do this, and so non bear upon the tank again with your blank easily. Your easily have oils on them and can crusade serious paint adhesion bug for your tank. Afterward yous employ wax and grease remover you'll desire to habiliment latex or rubber gloves from now on in the process.

Once you have all the blemishes gone and your tank is completely primed and dry, now you lot can start spraying your desired color. Exist very bourgeois with the mode you lot spray. I always do about 3-4 coats and spray lightly to forestall whatever runs.

If any runs happen, you'll need to moisture sand and prime number again. Just like with the primer, your offset coat should be very lite. The first glaze is not going to cover the tank, so be very conservative with how your spray.

When your paint has dried for several hours you're fix to add the clear coat. The clear glaze I suggested is extremely potent and harmful for our lungs, so after you spray each coat you'll need to leave the area for a few minutes. Spray your tank with articulate coat with most 3 -four coats. Permit it cure for most 24 hours earlier touching it.

I always recommend the 2 office 2K clear coat cans (you lot can discover information technology hither in my list of recommended products). They have a big red button on the meridian of them that you apply to puncture a small hole inside the tin, and so a chemical reaction starts happening within.

The reaction will cause the clear coat to commencement slowly hardening. If y'all don't use this blazon of clear glaze on your tank so will ruin the paint quickly. It's much harder, glossier, and superior to all other droplets articulate coats. It costs between $20-$30 per tin can just you volition only demand one can.

Voila! You accept a beautiful gas tank to put on to your motorcycle! Don't forget to find all the looks and comments most how good your tank looks. I know it's tempting to immediately want to put the tank dorsum on the motorcycle, but only put it on one time you're washed with everything else or you're going to scratch information technology.

Click hither to see my list of other recommended upgrades for your motorcycle.