| Author | Message | ||
     General_ulysses |
I might be in the market for an S1 or similar tuber. But I've been reading stories about the paint bubbling on the tanks. Like it's a real problem that almost everyone has. What's the story behind it? Are these tanks made out of some kind of permeable plastic that allows gas/methanol fumes to migrate through its surface or something? Is there a known fix, other than buying a custom built - and very expensive - metal replacement? | ||
| Steveford |
Yes and as for the fix, maybe. The best solution appears to be aviation epoxy primer which I'm about to do to two tanks. Jolly has had good results on his so I'll give it a shot and see how it goes. Maybe the next batch will get that powder/liquid primer treatment to see how that goes. I keep hoping someone will come out with color impregnated tanks, hint, hint Mr. Buell... | ||
| S1owner |
Or you can go this route http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/684743.html   | ||
| Hootowl |
S2 tanks don't bubble. They have painted covers. | ||
| Thylacine |
Pain in the ass,but keeping it empty except when riding eliminates this issue. | ||
| Alfau |
Someone said X1's don't have paint problems either. My guess is they never owned one for very long. | ||
| Steveford |
I hate to say it but S2 tank covers are starting to develop pimples or pustules if you like. The fumes are becoming more aggressive by the year. | ||
| Jolly |
I have an X1 that I bought new in 99, no bubbles and no other issues with the paint at all. I have an S1 that when I bought it there were the standard bubbles in the paint. I sent a tank off to a buddy of mine that does a lot of painting and he used an aircraft grade epoxy primer then shot the base black over it, (not factory buell black)..and in 4+ (maybe 5+) years it has only developed one small bubble down low on the left side about where your knee would sit, I might be the only person that knows its there... I think this may have been due to a tiny impurity while painting...so its been going well, but I am not sure if this is a fix or not...I have been looking for a guarantee fix, but I may have the closest thing. My S3 (same tank as the S1 and M2) has a few issues with it, no bubbles but the paint is coming off around the filler and a few other imperfections but nothing that overly detracts from the bike. My S2 has 4 blisters in the tank cover...I believe from what I have read that this is due to painting too soon after the fiberglass was laid and/or imperfections and impurities in the paint environment. Ive chased a lot of rabbit holes and have come up with 2 solution....buy every near perfect fuel tank you can and store them for "hot swaps" or this aircraft grade epoxy primer. an aircraft goes through such temperature changes from sea level sitting on the ramp to cruising at 45,000 feet. the temperature changes and other factors cause the shape of the aircraft to grow ever so slightly which is hell on paint so you need a strong primer that can also flex... if it weren't for that one bubble down low I would say that this is THE solution....4+ years and only one small bubble is pretty good though... as a potential S1 owner??? don't let this paint thing get in your way of buying a very cool fun bike!!!! | ||
| 1313 |
Someone said X1's don't have paint problems either. Data to back that up: 1. X1's had a separate cosmetic cover over the fuel tank. 2. X1 tank covers were MIC (molded in color) for 2001-2002. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's very unlikely once one considers the facts. Are there experiences contradictory to the facts above? 1313 | ||
| Kevmean |
S2's and X1's do not have any issues with fuel vapour has they both have separate covers over the fuel cell ............. it is only the Tubers that have paint applied directly to the plastic tank that have this problem. | ||
| Hootowl |
"My guess is they never owned one for very long." I've had it since January of 1999. The paint is flawless. | ||
| General_ulysses |
My Uly and I guess all the XB's have a plastic cover that goes over the "gas tank" (which isn't really a gas tank at all). Seems some enterprising soul could make a few bucks by producing simple plastic covers that do the same thing for the S1 and any other bike that has this problem. That carbon fiber workaround is a work of art though. Kudos to whomever built the one shown in the pic. I'd rather not have to build one myself though, I don't really like working with composites. | ||
| Steveford |
My S2 is getting some pimples and it's not the original paint. It could be the paint job or maybe it's fumes. A cover would be good, too; hold it on with 3M double sided tape. | ||
| Buelljunkie |
I hate to say it but S2 tank covers are starting to develop pimples or pustules if you like. Steveford-I have this problem on my S2 also. Not just the tank but also the front fairing and tail section. They're like tiny blisters. I would tend to agree that it was probably painted too soon after layup. Too bad, because otherwise the paint is in perfect condition. But I definitely wouldn't let it keep me from buying a Buell! | ||
| Alfau |
My guess is that my problem with paint, isn't associated with fuel vapours. More likely wasn't painted correctly by the previous owner by the sound of things. It started with bubbles appearing along the bottom edge of the manta cover, then spread. I live in the subtropics, so it could be heat associated. I do know that once a bubble starts, the air inside that bubble expands to the point of bursting fairly quickly. The bike has been in the family for 5 years approx, and has had paint issues all along. It is a 2000 x1. I can't ask the previous owner, He's dead. Stripping old paint off the plastic is a bit worrying. I do know that extruder operators use a lead additive to make the plastic flow smoothly. Conventional lead oxidises ? Into the too hard basket. | ||
| Steveford |
It's just so hard to say with paint - both Buell helmets that we have here (circa 2005) are losing the paint up front in dime-sized circles. Why? Who knows. One is nearly always in storage. Maybe stink bugs are urinating on them out in the garage... I wouldn't let paint keep me from buying one, either! I'm planning on buying at least one more older Buell in the next 12 months. That MIC (molded in color) would be the ticket for the manta tanks. Alfau, I just use regular old paint stripper on the manta tanks and it doesn't do any damage. My guess is it wouldn't bother the X1 cover any as long as you keep an eye on things and then rinse it off. (Message edited by SteveFord on November 06, 2013) | ||
| Alfau |
By the sound of things :- Aircraft grade epoxy primer. Then, logically, Aircraft grade top coat.(looking to improve your theory on shot black top coat, because both coats need to expand and contract.) Where do you buy, Aircraft grade epoxy top coat in Stelf black? | ||
| Alfau |
Legally, Innovative, implies, "things could go wrong"! Buyer Beware" | ||
| Lynrd |
My $.02 House of Kolor has a good paint system, including a 2 part Epoxy Primer. They also have a flex additive for painting plastic parts. I've used HoK on a few bikes and always gotten good results. It's really expensive if you stay within the system but the results look expensive, too. I am ordering up the paint for the Panhead today, and will be getting enough to go ahead with paint for the extra set of bodywork I got with the Frog - goal will be to run that set on Veronica. Sadly, It will take a few years to know for sure if the paint holds up - but the stock base coat is actually holding up okay, so I think it will be a good substrate - I just can't stomach the DNF green color. | ||
| General_ulysses |
Lynrd can the flex additive be used with the epoxy primer or just the top coat? I used to work at an auto bodyshop way back in the 80's and I don't recall them putting elasticizer in any primers (including epoxy primer, which was rarely used where I worked at). Elasticizer was only added to topcoat paint that was used on rubber/plastic parts, bumpers etc. Plastic/vinyl parts expand and contract rather dramatically in response to temperature changes (much moreso than metal). I recently painted the vinyl shutters on my house and was counseled to only use a latex paint that will be able to flex and move with the thermally expanding/contracting vinyl. If you didn't do it, I was warned the paint would crack, blister and peel due to the extreme temperature fluctuations the shutters experience daily and seasonally. So I'm kinda wondering if the S1's paint problem might be related to something like that? Temperature fluctuations - especially sitting on top of the hot engine - causes the tank to cyclically stretch and contract the paint/primer to the point where it eventually loses adhesion in localized areas (culminating in bubbles). Otherwise, do European and Canadian bikes experience this same problem? If not, that may point to an ethanol problem here in our gas. | ||
| Serialk |
I was able to peel my entire paint job off my tank from a bubble. no scraping required. I just wrapped it in carbon fiber. Cant see bubbles poking through that! | ||
| General_ulysses |
Serial I saw pics of your excellent looking carbon fiber tank layup on another post. Can you show more pics of it and explain in more detail about the process you used to make it? | ||
| Kalali |
Take it to the body shops that have experience painting Corvettes. Most other places are hit and miss. I found that out the hard way when painting my old TVR. We also need to be careful making comments about paint bubbling. Factory original paint WILL NOT bubble on X1s. When it comes to repaint jobs, anything is possible. I could literally peel the paint off the hood on my repainted TVR using my finger nails the first time I had it painted by a moron body shop. | ||
| Serialk |
General. I will post up more pictures once its done. This is a first for me so Im figuring it out as I go. I will update my thread as I get more into it. I did the wrap because I could not justify paying someone to fix the paint job when its just a matter of time until it happens again... | ||
| Alfau |
The fuel tank evolved into having an unpainted manta cover! Why ? Painting plastic doesn't work! Wrapped it in carbon fiber sounds expensive. I'm interested. | ||
| Lynrd |
General_ulysses : The Flex agent isn't used with the epoxy primer - The Primer is just part A and B. I will scuff the surface to give it some tooth and rely on the Epoxy to do what epoxy does. My hope is that it will form enough of a vapor barrier to protect the upper layer. Flex agent "Adhereto" will be used in the primer-surfacer, base coat, pearl and clear coats. Ohhh...did I say "pearl"? - yep - this batch of paint is going on 3 bikes - Gloria is getting her black paint job on the stock S2 tank, Veronica is getting a repainted set of White Pearl along with a newly powder coated frame, and, of course, the '49 Pan is getting a complete paint job. Of course, it's all steel so nothing to be learned there. Funny you mentioned a "Body shop that paints Corvettes". My first job in high school was sweeping up and later doing prep work in a shop that did exactly that... |
