Tank coating problem

[tas850g]

I just got my '79 850 tank back from a radiator shop who cleaned and coated the inside of it. Looking inside the fill hole there are a bunch of bubbles in the red coating they used. Is this normal?

The tank was very clean before I brought the tank to them but didn't know if they are going to use the excuse that the tank was not or could not be cleaned well enough to get a smooth coating with the liner they used.

The bubbles are not pealing yet or have not opened up but i would think over time with fuel in there it is bound to occur.

I have not called them yet until i got some advice from those who have done this or seen this before.

I'll take pictures tonight and post them tomorrow.

[posplayr]

I just got my '79 850 tank back from a radiator shop who cleaned and coated the inside of it. Looking inside the fill hole there are a bunch of bubbles in the red coating they used. Is this normal?

The tank was very clean before I brought the tank to them but didn't know if they are going to use the excuse that the tank was not or could not be cleaned well enough to get a smooth coating with the liner they used.

The bubbles are not pealing yet or have not opened up but i would think over time with fuel in there it is bound to occur.

I have not called them yet until i got some advice from those who have done this or seen this before.

I'll take pictures tonight and post them tomorrow.

I would say no but who knows what they used. . Painting and especially coating the inside of a gas tank requires careful preparation. Also I would only put something in my tank which has a proven track history. No experiements of theinsg that can go wrong later on down teh road.

You have to decide if you beleive your shop as to what they used and how much care they took. Either you live with it and see how it holds up or start over with stripping out whatever they did and re do it yourself with one of the products mentioned here (e.g. Por-15 gas tank sealer)

[MiracleMax]

Tank Bubbles

To the best of my knowledge there should be absolutely no bubbles. I used a product called RedKote from Damon Industries. I applied it myself and it seems to have turned out really well. I called the chemist at Damon and asked him many questions prior and after I applied the product. This was even after I read the directions several times. If applied 100% according to the manufacturer instructions it will hold and adhear correctly. It sounds to me that perhaps they either applied it incorrectly or dried it incorrectly by shoving air down inside the tank - which is a no-no. Drying should either take place naturally, but leaving it sit for about a week (or more) or by aspirating it with a fan. That is, letting a fan lightly blow across the tank opening like one would blow across a glass bottle to make a jug band sound.

Good luck.

Max

[tas850g]

here are 2 pictures of the bubbling i got after the radiator shop cleaned and lined the inside of the tank.

[chuckycheese]

RedKote

I also used RedKote and I imagine that's what they used. According to the directions, you can get bubbles if you shake it vigorously during the application. I would guess that's exactly what happened.

By the way, my tank was coated about 7 years ago; it's really good stuff.

Also.....the best way to correct the problem is to slosh acetone around in the tank, let it dry thoroughly and then re-coat it. If there's a little RedKote left, it won't matter (as long as the bubbles are gone). RedKote will adhere to RedKote. (I've also talked with their chemist and with the president of the company...Amy Damon.)

[Nessism]

You might want to take a pin or sharp pointed X-acto knife and poke into a few of those imperfections to see if they are bubbles or just foreign material that's trapped in the coating (which is likely). If they are indeed bubbles, I'd take remedial action of some sort, but if they are foreign material I'd leave well enough alone.

[tas850g]

i guy said initially when i dropped it off that they put on 2 coats with 48hrs dry time inbetween coatings.

I have pressed on the bubbles with my fingers and nothing happens to the bubbles, no bursting/puncturing. They feel soft and return back to there original size.

I haven't tried a sharp edge yet to see if there is any material under each bubble or if it is filled with air. I didn't want to start messing with it until i heard back from others with experience dealing with this stuff.

So this is somewhat of a normal thing to happen when using Redkote?

[Nessism]

If those bumps are soft and press down, they most likely are bubble. Not sure what to suggest but sorry you are having these troubles. I'm pretty untrusting of other people working on my junk, and this just reinforces that thought.

[tas850g]

I know i have read here that having a radiator shop line the tank would one of the better ways of doing it so i thought i would give this shop a try.

If i had to do it over, i would try the por-15 and save myself the cost of the shop doing it for $125.

Live and learn.

[posplayr]

If those bumps are soft and press down, they most likely are bubble. Not sure what to suggest but sorry you are having these troubles. I'm pretty untrusting of other people working on my junk, and this just reinforces that thought.

Nobody will ever love your junk as much as you do

[SqDancerLynn1]

I think you are too worried over nothing...

[tas850g]

Lynn, that's what I want to hear. I don't want to have to spend another $$ To have it done in another year or two.

[Octain]

Lynn, that's what I want to hear. I don't want to have to spend another $$ To have it done in another year or two.

If you're not happy with the shops results let em know.

[tas850g]

An alternative to tank lining I came across.

https://www.damonq.com/files/red-kote.PDF