Bluebyyou
Expert Class
Gettin My Curve On
Posts: 276
|
posted March 09, 2009 07:37 AM
 Edited By: Bluebyyou on 9 Mar 2009 15:38
Fuel tank question
I accidently put a small paint chip in the rear portion of my fuel tank. Touch up paint looks worse than a chip to me. I went to Ron Ayers parts fische and the thing is over $600.  Can you buy just the tupperware separate from the fuel cell for less. If so, the parts fische doesn't list it. Thats just absurd.
____________
2007 Bad to the Bone ZX-14 flies out, full Muzzy exhaust system, PC III, BMC race
  
|
Rook
Pro
Posts: 1125
|
posted March 09, 2009 09:24 PM
Edited By: Rook on 10 Mar 2009 05:27
You can fix that up to almost like new.
What you need to do is build the touch up so it is stands higher than the surrounding paint. You can paint outside the lines a bit - don't worry. Then what you do is let it dry for while. the longer the better. You want the touch up to get as close in hardness to the original paint as possible. Next, use Turtle Wax polishing compound(I think their product called rubbing compound is to abrasive) on a rag that is held over a flat solid object such as the tip of a screwdriver. Use the rag covered screwdriver like a sanding block rubing in small circles just on the affested area. This will leave a dull whitish spot which you can buff out with Turtle Wax Liquid Claybar which will leave nothing but almost imperceptable swirls. Polish the area with Turtle Wax Ice Paste polish and it will look almost like new.
There might be a slight depression where the touch up was especially if it is over 1/16" but it still looks pretty good. I think the slight concave effect is caused by the touch up paint being softer than the surrounding paint so let it dry a long time. Probably at least a month would be good.
I think using a super light grit sand paper would work well for getting the touch up close to level but you probably don't want use anything that abrassive unless you know what you're doing. You might go right through the paint and certainly leave deeper scratches which will be tricky to polish out with lighter grit materials.
Rook
|
Bluebyyou
Expert Class
Gettin My Curve On
Posts: 276
|
posted March 10, 2009 04:33 AM
Rook,
Though I am confident and skilled enough to tear a bike down and rebuild it, paint or bodywork remains a total mystery for me. I've tryed doing some before with unacceptable results. I just don't have the artistic talent to do any decent paint repair.
____________
2007 Bad to the Bone ZX-14 flies out, full Muzzy exhaust system, PC III, BMC race
|
3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
|
posted March 10, 2009 05:40 AM
Dupli color has a nice repair kit for under 10 bucks that works great. It has very detailed instructions primer clearcoat a sanding block and wet sandpaper even a polishing compound. You cant go wrong. You might need some tuch up paint if your chip it to the primer... Get it at Autozone Walmart ect.. I have used it on my black truck and you cant even see the chip anymore even up close..
____________
08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
|
Rook
Pro
Posts: 1125
|
posted March 10, 2009 08:06 PM
Edited By: Rook on 11 Mar 2009 04:07
quote:
Rook,
Though I am confident and skilled enough to tear a bike down and rebuild it, paint or bodywork remains a total mystery for me. I've tryed doing some before with unacceptable results. I just don't have the artistic talent to do any decent paint repair.
You and me are on opposite sides of the skill set fence, man - LOL I have gobs of art skills but I'm just getting my feet wet as a mechanic.
I bet you expect perfection. I don't blame you, the tank is a highly visable area. I wish I could have a shot at fixing that up for you, I just did my left lower and it is a huge improvement. Not perfect with the materials I used but hardly noticeable.
Sounds like 3000psi had good luck with the kit he mentioned above and I'm sure you can find a duplicolor that is very close to your bike color. That's the trick, buying little bottles of paint until you find the right one. It was easy for me, I just used Toyota Metalic Black. You can't tell the dif on MSBlue. You might as well order the OEM "Colorright " paint for ~$20. .......Or post a topic asking what Duplicolor matches your bike color.
I can't see a body shop charging you more than $100 to fix that up. Probably worth avoiding the hassle of finding the right color and fixing it up perfectly. It would be a lot cheaper than buying a new tank.
Rook
|
|
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC