Dying Plastic GAS tanks

[flexlarson]

I came across this and wanted to share it will fellow DS riders. Im gonna Dye the XR tank . I read a bunch and It reportedly holds up .

HollywoodMX's Processes on dying a gas tank black for around 30 bucks. No Painting!

I had some trial and error to perfect this but I can safely say you CAN dye a gas tank 100% successfully with color penetration past the visible layer, so if you scratch it it will be black underneath. Anything you have read from other sources, disregard it as I did. I feel like a revolutionary proving this, I hope IMS and Clarke don't try to assassinate me. LOL.

The only tank I have tried this is on is a blue Yamaha YZ tank. I'm pretty confident the other colors will take the black well like the Honda red, and the Suzuki yellow, with the Kawasaki green possibly being a challenge. Clear tanks could go either way, could go purple/grey instead of black.

Ok this is what you need.

A large enough container plastic, metal, what ever to hold the gas tank in an UPRIGHT POSITION and not on it's side, this is important. So go to wallmart, home depot where ever, the tighter fit width wise the better. The container must be able to hold mass amounts of boiled water. Think of its size to your tank. The closer in size the container is more concentrated your dye will be due to needing less water to fill it over the tank. I used a plastic garbage bin. Cost 14 bucks.

12+ boxes of Rit dye. The ratio on the box is 500ml per box. It does not have to be that concentrated IMO. Cost 1.77 per box @ Wallmart.

Rubber gloves/dish gloves.

As many pots and kettles you can heat water in.

Garbage bag.

Optional expansion support. Meaning when you fill a large plastic container the heat makes it flex out ward. So I put heavy stuff around it to stop some of the flexing.

Vinegar

Salt.

Dye mixing container.

The process:

1. Empty the gas tank. Rinse it once. Leave over night with gas cap off. 1 day is more than enough.

2. Clean tank with dish soap or car wash soap, I also used some simple green on it before the soap.

3. Optional. Don't sand the tank, it will show small abrasions, use a heat gun to restore some of the minor scratching. You can tell as it goes a shade darker when doing it. Thanks "RCannon", this actually made a difference in the dye process, the tank looked much better after this.

4.Start boiling water and use salt in the water, you don't need a burner or a pot to keep the tank in to boil. It's unnecessary. I used two pots and a kettle and made several fill trips to the garage.

5. Put the tank in your sink. Fill the tank with boiling water all the way to the top and put the cap on.Plug the vent hole. I used a small piece of clay bar.

Note: One thing to remember is especially when the tank is hot, it will scratch really easy be mindful of that when working with it.

6. Fill the sink up with the taps hottest water and let the tank sit in there till you get your tank bucket filled.

7. Fill the bucket with the boiled water, a cup of vinegar and 2 table spoons of salt, fill the water enough to cover the whole tank if it was submerged, BUT without having the tank in it, just guess. Use the lid of the bucket and a garbage bag to seal the heat in between fills. The garbage bag makes a difference to keep the heat in.

8. Mix dye in a separate container with boiling water.

9. Add dye to water in bucket, mix with a stick.

10. Empty all of the water in the gas tank.

11. Put the tank in the bucket with the gas cap off let the dye mix fill the inside of the tank all the way to the top, you dont want any air in the tank to cause it to float if possible, then screw the cap back on. the water level should be above the tank by a little. Yes inside the tank! Let the color penetrate from both sides. I see no issue with this what so ever. Even if the gas removes the dye on the inside over time, who cares. Understanding combustion this not effect the engine what so ever.

Note: If your tank keeps floating, take a ziplock freezer bag with tap hot water fill it and leave an air pocket and let the bag keep the gas tank under water.

12. Then put the lid on with the garbage bag and come back to it in 24 hours or more. You will likely be surprised but the water will still be warm after the 24 hours, my garage has heated floors mind you.

13. Next day it will be black, if not quite black enough leave in for another 24 hours! Sweet!

14. When done rinse it with water and wipe it down a couple times. It will have some dye residue on it. Make sure you wipe it down with items that are not abrasive.

15. For final fit an finish you could buff it to make it shine. I used a small amount of liquid Meguiars wax. For products I would be careful not to use anything that will prevent graphics sticking to it. After graphics I would spray it with rain ex/rain guard or something that give it a little protection.

[loingrader]

i'll be interested to see how it works for you.  sounds like a little work but better than trying to get paint to stick. 

[Dustin]

Sounds cool. You'll have to post pics. Maybe even some mid process.

Good luck!

[fringefan]

Does not sound like it has to be black?