Petrol Tank paint stripped - a bad day..

[Lobo]

So, my first time filling the 400F (@ a petrol station) since the restoration. No spills, all fine, and a quick blast home.

3 hours later went to coo over the bike and.... BLOODY HELL!

It appears that petrol had 'wicked' under the paint from the filler neck and destroyed the finish. (and yes, the fuel level was below the neck on the side stand)

This was a professional cellulose paint designed for motorcycles. And applied by a skilled sprayer (non professional), who to be fair, on the face of it did a fantastic job.

Q. Do I take up the issue with the paint manufacturer or 'blame' the painter?

If anyone happens to know a useful name / address of the paint supplier can you let me know....  as a generic "Customer Services" is generally the green flag for them to file my complaint 'WPB'.

Cheers,
Simon

[kent400]

Really sorry to see that, I'm sure I must have spilled a few drops of fuel on my repainted tank with no ill effects. The painter where my brother works did that, I understand it was done with two pack. I'll be seeing a fella on Thursday who's a paint sprayer working for an insurance repair center, he's just done his tank and side panels. I'll get him to take a look at the image and see if he can suggest the cause. The only question I would ask is or was the area where the paint has lifted sticky.

[Lobo]

Hi Peter,

All help much appreciated.. thanks. In answer to your question, no. This restoration has taken 18 months from buying to first ride: and the painted tank has honestly had about 6 months to cure.

I know nothing of paint science, and wonder whether this paint will always be subject to attack, and so needs a protective top cost of laquer .. whathaveyou. Indeed though it did, and I'm now wondering whether the laquer did not extend high enough / up / over the parakeet at the filler neck - allowing the petrol to attack the paint & then track down / under.

Or perhaps the lacquer was applied too soon, ie the parakeet never fully cured..... and then this.

Whatever, it shouldn't be happening, as you say, minor spills here & there are part of any vehicle's life.

Cheers & thanks,
Simon.

[kent400]

It's quite obvious that the paint has lifted from the top or the botton and maybe there's an unfinished edge of paint around the filler neck that's allowed the fuel to get under the paint. Your suggestion that the lacquer hasn't been applied in the neck area seems a possible cause.

[wolfheze]

Was the new paint applied over existing factory finish or was it over primer?. If its clear over base was the basecoat waterbased or solvent? Looks like the Top coat whether it be solid colour or lacquer hasnt adhered properly to the substrate allowing the solvent in the petrol to creep underneath. The reasons are probably irrelevant as to be sure of not having any problems in the future i would say the tank really needs to be taken back to bare metal and started again. Personally if using clear over base i would try to steer clear of waterbased basecoat especially on a fuel tank, waterbased products can take a  long time to flash off and if the lacquer is applied too quickly you will usually have problems afterwards.

[Lobo]

Hi guys, thanks for your help / comments. Been onto the gent who did the paint job, and got the below reply. I've volunteered a new set of decals & he's kindly agreed to re-do the tank at no cost, and presumably in a more familiar paint. Phew...

I can honestly say that I have never had this happen before, at least nobody has come back to me with this complaint, as I am sure they would have done !
After much thought I was unable to come up with a reason for this until I zoomed in on the pic you sent, the paint pot label reminded me that it was cellulose that they supplied, I believe I did remark that this was unusual and in fact it was the only time in the last 30 years or so, indeed long before I started painting motorcycles in earnest that I had used cellulose on bikes or cars come to that ! It has always been 2 pack or water-based with 2 pack  lacquer over it. Cellulose is usually supplied in aerosols for the DIY touch up market to be honest,   with hindsight I wish I had queried this with them at the time and
I will take this up with my supplier and see what their angle on it is ?

[tom400f]

Hi Simon

Really sorry to hear that - your paint job did look good... is that paint from RS bike paints (often quoted on here for various 70s Honda matches)? It's their core business so they should have a good idea of the cause. Let us know what they say....

[steff750]

   looks like lightning does strike twice pulled my bsa a10 out the garage this morning exactly the same thing happened to my tank overnight so feeling a bit pissed off myself.
 im sure Tesco has paint stripper in their pumps  not petrol

[Lobo]

Took the tank off today & packaged it up. Interestingly paint rubbed off onto the loom @ the neck of the tank. Bearing in mind the bike has only been ridden for the first time this week it would appear that the paint has never 'set'.... although it certainly appeared so. (Its been installed on the bike > 6 months)