Someone painted the inside of my gas tank... - Honda Shadow Forums : Shadow Motorcycle Forum

Stretch9301 · 08-17-2012, 10:01 PM

Yup.... Looks to me like when the tank got painted, no one thought to mask the filler cap hole, and now theres blue paint in there.

Problem is, that it is being disolved by the gas, and when you rub it with your finger, it comes right up. Its like a layer of sediment on the inside of the tank.

What should I do? I wanna reach in there with a paper towel or a rag or something and wipe it up, but Im afraid I wont get all of it, a flake or two will end up in the gas, and I'll end up on the side of the road with a stuck float (again)...

What do y'all think? Will the strainer catch little bits of paint? How good are the strainers in the petcock? My bikes an 83' VT500. I LOVE it so far

Any advice is appriciated...

93gc40 · 08-17-2012, 10:39 PM

I think you drain the tank. Then remove the paint, then clean the tank. Should probably clean the filters petcock, fuel and float while your at it. Yes some of the Shadows have a filter on the float valve.

Stretch9301 · 08-19-2012, 09:07 AM

Thanks... Anyone else? :/

luisr320 · 08-19-2012, 03:08 PM

Put some acetone in the tank and do the shaky-shaky, boogie-woogie.
Then drain it, pour some gas in, drain, gas, drain, (...), until it's clean.
If you say the paint is being dissolved by the gas, you may try just using gas for that purpose. Make sure to really clamp the fuel cap hole to avoid fuel to spill on the paint outside the tank.

Maybe you should repaint it on the outside with fuel resistant paint.

GrumpyOldMan · 08-19-2012, 06:53 PM

It appears for parts diagrams on www.motogrid.com, that you have a filter screen that is inside the tank as part of the valve plus a screen at the top of the fuel "cup".
Definitely pull the tank valve - you might find the screen is already plugged or partially plugged!
I would also install a universal inline filter. Even if you rinse out all the paint you can, there might be some residue that does not just rinse out

John Hopkins · 08-20-2012, 06:47 AM

remove the petcock put some gas in the tank, throw in a handfull of nuts and bolts and shake the tank then drain it, don't use stainless because you may need to remove some of the nuts and bolts with a magnet..do this until the fuel comes out as clean as it went in..

don't forget to remove the petcock which you will need to strip and clean and then blow it out to get rid of any debris..

John.

08-17-2012, 10:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stretch9301 Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 46	Someone painted the inside of my gas tank... Yup.... Looks to me like when the tank got painted, no one thought to mask the filler cap hole, and now theres blue paint in there. Problem is, that it is being disolved by the gas, and when you rub it with your finger, it comes right up. Its like a layer of sediment on the inside of the tank. What should I do? I wanna reach in there with a paper towel or a rag or something and wipe it up, but Im afraid I wont get all of it, a flake or two will end up in the gas, and I'll end up on the side of the road with a stuck float (again)... What do y'all think? Will the strainer catch little bits of paint? How good are the strainers in the petcock? My bikes an 83' VT500. I LOVE it so far Any advice is appriciated...

08-17-2012, 10:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
93gc40 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Visalia, CA Posts: 4,460	I think you drain the tank. Then remove the paint, then clean the tank. Should probably clean the filters petcock, fuel and float while your at it. Yes some of the Shadows have a filter on the float valve. __________________ 93 VT1100C Harley Killer (1150cc), VH Exhaust, 2mm sleeved and bored, Modified Heads and Valves, Adjustable Timing, Touring Seat, Baby Apes, Metzlers

08-19-2012, 06:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
GrumpyOldMan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Sack-a-Tomatoes, CA, US Posts: 706	It appears for parts diagrams on www.motogrid.com, that you have a filter screen that is inside the tank as part of the valve plus a screen at the top of the fuel "cup". Definitely pull the tank valve - you might find the screen is already plugged or partially plugged! I would also install a universal inline filter. Even if you rinse out all the paint you can, there might be some residue that does not just rinse out __________________ Black Beast = '71 CB750 Lazarus = '86 VT1100C rescued from a salvage yard. Last edited by GrumpyOldMan; 08-19-2012 at 06:56 PM.

08-20-2012, 06:47 AM	#6 (permalink)
John Hopkins Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Tredegar,South Wales, near England, not far from Scotland. Posts: 3,480	remove the petcock put some gas in the tank, throw in a handfull of nuts and bolts and shake the tank then drain it, don't use stainless because you may need to remove some of the nuts and bolts with a magnet..do this until the fuel comes out as clean as it went in.. don't forget to remove the petcock which you will need to strip and clean and then blow it out to get rid of any debris.. John. __________________ Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone.

08-19-2012, 09:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Stretch9301 Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 46	Thanks... Anyone else? :/

08-19-2012, 03:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
luisr320 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lisbon, Portugal Posts: 519	Put some acetone in the tank and do the shaky-shaky, boogie-woogie. Then drain it, pour some gas in, drain, gas, drain, (...), until it's clean. If you say the paint is being dissolved by the gas, you may try just using gas for that purpose. Make sure to really clamp the fuel cap hole to avoid fuel to spill on the paint outside the tank. Maybe you should repaint it on the outside with fuel resistant paint.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
HondaShadow.net Advertisement