HollywoodMX's - Dyeing a Gas tank Process. No Paint required.

[HollywoodMX]

Original post:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=609552

* Mods want to edit this and put it in another forum section as this write up can benefit many TT users and not just Yamaha 2 strokers. The reason why I started here is because I wanted the 2 stroke YZ community to know that I am contributing to the section.

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.

My dye setup.

Tank after 24 hours wet.

Tank after 24 hours wet 2.

Tank dry from wet with no wipe down.

Tank after light wax.

Tank on the bike. You can actually see the tank is darker than the air box and the black area near the side number plate. This should be a good hue comparison.

- HollywoodMX, Adrian DiMarino.

[1.21GW]

NICE! that's good work, it turned out amazing. Thank you for the write up.

[Dr250_rider]

Allright! thanks HollywoodMX for the write up good work. wen are u going to ride the bike with the tank?

[RCannon]

I thought about moving the post, but I feel too possessive about it.

GREAT THREAD!!!!!!!!

I hate to move it to general as it might get buried.

That tank is crazy. Looks like it came out of the factory that way. The only sad part about this is now anyone can buy white plastic and end up with the worlds first chartreuse yz 250.

[jbrooks26]

Good write up, I would add one thing though. You won't have to guess at the water height in the dye container if you start by placing the tank inside the container and test filling it with water prior to the dying process. Remove the tank full of water and then you can mark the water height at this time and then you won't have to guess how much water to use. Just a suggestion. This is the same process used to determine how much oil to use when deep frying a turkey. Hope this helps.

Josh

[HollywoodMX]

Allright! thanks HollywoodMX for the write up good work. wen are u going to ride the bike with the tank?

Well I decided to ge the seat skin professionally applied and get the foam drilled with these weird cones to make it softer. So I dont get the seat back till March 7th, so no riding till then.

I thought about moving the post, but I feel too possessive about it.

GREAT THREAD!!!!!!!!

I hate to move it to general as it might get buried.

That tank is crazy. Looks like it came out of the factory that way. The only sad part about this is now anyone can buy white plastic and end up with the worlds first chartreuse yz 250.

Hahaha possessive!

Good write up, I would add one thing though. You won't have to guess at the water height in the dye container if you start by placing the tank inside the container and test filling it with water prior to the dying process. Remove the tank full of water and then you can mark the water height at this time and then you won't have to guess how much water to use. Just a suggestion. This is the same process used to determine how much oil to use when deep frying a turkey. Hope this helps.

Josh

Ya to me that was too much work, especially with the running back and forth every 5 mins to the bucket with boiled water. It's pretty easy to guess.

[kijen]

one of the very best how to projects I've read, props to your efforts!

[Dr250_rider]

well let us know how she is after the first run.?

[OREGONMX]

That's freakin' amazing- what ever made you think that would work?! That's crazy how it looks like a factory colored tank

[RCannon]

well let us know how she is after the first run.?

My guess is that the wear is not going to bother it much. The dye penetrates the surface quite a bit...not like paint. We'll see, but for now I woudl nto worry about wearing through the finish.

Did you guys notice all the tanks on ebay getting serious action after this?? maybe its a coincidence....

[Rosstopher]

This is the same process used to determine how much oil to use when deep frying a turkey.

Josh

You've deep fried a turkey????!!!!?

Awesome job on the tank. It'll be interesting to know what the gasoline does to it as it sweats through.

[HollywoodMX]

My guess is that the wear is not going to bother it much. The dye penetrates the surface quite a bit...not like paint. We'll see, but for now I woudl nto worry about wearing through the finish.

Did you guys notice all the tanks on ebay getting serious action after this?? maybe its a coincidence....

Ya I agree.

The ebay thing really? Like people are making tanks black and selling them on ebay? Or do you mean people are buying up the swappped out tanks to dye them selves?

[Markopolo400]

You've deep fried a turkey????!!!!?

My dad deep fries a turkey every year at Thanksgiving. One year he had too much boiling oil when he put the turkey in...No one was hurt, but a few choice words were said. ?

[RCannon]

Ya I agree.

The ebay thing really? Like people are making tanks black and selling them on ebay? Or do you mean people are buying up the swappped out tanks to dye them selves?

Deep fried turkey is as good as chocolate...

I think a tank or two may have been sold on the bay for dying purposes......

[Nitroused383]

I can see it now, OEM Yamaha Black YZ250 gas tank! $200 buy it now! I'm sure RCannon will have a few for sale. Nice write up I will be attempting this next weekend. What do you think about not putting any die in the inside?

[Dr250_rider]

u got a good point there rcannon, im going to try this on my tank cuz its my spare now so what the hell.

[Farmerboy132]

Awsome thread:thumbsup: hopefully it can stand up to some beating though.

[Dr.Crankenstien]

Great write-up I hope it last as good as it looks.

Thanks for sharing.

[HollywoodMX]

Awsome thread:thumbsup: hopefully it can stand up to some beating though.

That is not a concern. I actually dyed the tank twice as I was testing out processess. After the first dye I resanded with the micro mesh and it was still black underneath after sanding it. I also gouged it a couple times by accident and it was black underneath.

[Farmerboy132]

That is not a concern. I actually dyed the tank twice as I was testing out processess. After the first dye I resanded with the micro mesh and it was still black underneath after sanding it. I also gouged it a couple times by accident and it was black underneath.

Ok that is sweet. I might have to try his sometime. Thanks for shareing.