"Restoring" a plastic gas tank

[66Uncut]

I pulled my tank today because yesterday's attempt at changing the sending unit ended up a total failure. %)

Other than the appearance, the tank appears to be in decent shape. I'd like to clean it and remove all the overspray from the PO's paint job.

What can I use to remove the paint that won't harm the plastic?

And...

Is it ok to give it a rattle can paint job or will that eventually bubble off because of the gas/fumes or simply because it's plastic?

Suggestions? Thanks!

 

[rydog1130]

you might be able to clean it with some acetone and steel wool, I know the high temp rustoleum engine paint is "resistant" to oil and gas....good luck

 

[66Uncut]

you might be able to clean it with some acetone and steel wool, I know the high temp rustoleum engine paint is "resistant" to oil and gas....good luck

Thanks, I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I can't imagine it'll look any worse than it already is ;D

 

[Crush]

Cleaned mine up with degreaser and 0000 steel wool and then painted with black plastidip spraycans. Looked new again

 

[rydog1130]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I can't imagine it'll look any worse than it already is ;D

right? and who's going to see it once its under there?

 

[o2bnmud]

If the plastic tank is ABS, I would be careful using acetone because acetone will melt ABS

 

[66Uncut]

If the plastic tank is ABS, I would be careful using acetone because acetone will melt ABS

Thanks. I'm pretty sure it's polyethylene. Some of the stickers I scraped off of it were the same as this one at Bronco Graveyard, which is also PE.

I don't think I'll have much luck painting it as PE doesn't like to be painted (unless it's overspray, then it sticks like glue) %)

 

[6677ebman]

The one in my '71 looked bad & I drained it & lightly sandblasted it & put epoxy primer/gloss black on it, appr 10 yrs ago, never any probs since.