It always amazes me when I visit one of my painters to see how many gas tanks brought in by shops or garage builders are not sealed correctly. We all heard horror stories or saw the damage created by rusted, improperly sealed gas tanks. How much did you pay for this artwork? Of course any gas tank, new, old or built from scratch must be first pressure tested. And you are better off not to expect fixing bad welds and even tiny pinholes simply by coating inside. If you think a leak can happen, it will happen. Time is never on your side. Vibrations & physic of liquid work together against you. There are several very good methods and products to prepare your tank before giving it to your painter. I use the 3-step system of POR-15 and never had any problem whatsoever (my paint jobs are quite/very expensive). A cleaner/degreaser, a metal-ready and a rust-preventive coating (even in the color you want if it matters to you). It’s simple, efficient & strong. I know nobody who likes to spend time doing this. But improper sealing is probably one of the most costly mistakes you can make when building a bike. Don’t forget to read the instructions. Maybe you are going to make a mistake, like coating over coating, which will result in the last coat peeling and swimming in the fuel. Well, take your time to read before sealing. POR-15.
Fuel Tank preparation & Restoration. I Warned You.
Published by February 11th, 2007 in Editorial and Painters.4 Responses to “Fuel Tank preparation & Restoration. I Warned You.”
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Thanks for the good advice Cyril. You’re the best!
It is so true. Hope that eveybody in the industry and all bikers read your post. Thanks.
We have a local radiator shop do ours with a similar product so we don’t have to hassle with it ourselves- at a cost of $80.00. We could save a couple of bucks doing it ourselves… point is NO tank goes on one of our bikes without sealant
THE POR-15 PRODUCTS ARE GREAT ..THEY ALSO OFFER A COMPLETE KIT THAT INCLUDES A STEP TO REMOVE IMPROPERLY APPLIED SEALANT …IT WORKS …JUST TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ..