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What happened to my paint??

Bilbo

Bilbo

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Location
Magnolia, Texas
I recently filled my gas tank, and purposely stopped short to allow for thermal expansion. Friday I parked on the street for 'show and tell' for visiting family. Truck was low on the passenger side, and as the afternoon progressed, fuel spilled out the gas cap and ran down the cab. Don't know how long it had been seeping when I came along, but here's what I found. Tell me what I did wrong with the paint job to cause this? Paint has been on for over a year, so I think it should be cured by now?
 

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Really sorry to see that happen Bill, kind of looks like maybe the additives in the fuel have been on your paint.

It looks like what happens to me when I repaint something with the rattle cans.
 
Bill, I'm feeling sick just looking at your pictures.
What brand/type paint and primer did you use?
I've sounded off before on this forum about ethanol, and its harshness to EVERYTHING. Then, beyond ethanol, there is all kinds of additives in modern gas that wasn't in it in years past.
I'm guessing the truck was painted with enamel, no hardener???
I'm really curious about the primer you used. Was it lifted also?
 
I also would wonder about if and how much hardener was used. Some tanker trucks haul other liquids besides gasoline but with what little bit of residue remains from a previous load it is diluted so much by the thousands of gallons of gasoline it is usually a non-factor. A small gas load after say an acetone load could be bad news. No matter what it's really sad with your truck. If it is basecoat/clearcoat then it can be spotted in to match by a good painter. If enamel or single stage then it may be necessary to paint from door opening to door opening and have the break line at the underside of the cab belt molding line.
 
For All, I used DuPont Nason Urethane, single stage with catalyst. I was meticulous about measuring the catalyst, too. Same brand of primer.... Probably the biggest issue is that the fuel seeped out over several hours, bathing the paint continuously for that time. It did lift at least one coat of primer as well. I will have to repaint from the door opening around the back of the cab. Right now, I'm in the process of replacing the ring and pinion gears, new springs all around, and removing transmission/bell housing to replace expansion plug in machined opening in rear of block for camshaft, (oil leak!). Gonna be a few weeks before I get back together, then paint work.
Side note for Evan, Tankers are required to steam clean tanks between loads, so there shouldn't be any residue to influence the gasoline. (emphasis on 'shouldn't).
 
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Obviously~ That sucks! Not that you can't paint it again, but...
At least it sounds like a good time to repaint, what with you taking things apart anyway.
Good luck, Bill.
 
Aaaarrrgggghhh!

Man, that truly sucks Bilbo. :(

I never really thought about this aspect, but it's another good reason to eliminate the in cab fuel tank.
 
Well, Thanks for the sympathy. I'll proceed with the mechanical upgrades and repairs I have planned, then follow up with some paint work ;o) That's about all I can do. I will, however, be extremely careful about how much fuel I put in the tank in the future. If I'm just driving around town, she'll only get about 3/4 of a tank... I can't help but think maybe if I hadn't had a locking gas cap, it might have held without leaking, as the fuel appeared to be coming from the keyhole!
 
Maybe it is contagious??

Same problem on my '52 GMC before yours Bill. Maybe they got together while we weren't looking?

A non-locking cap would not help. Our tanks require a vented cap.
 
Bill Hanlon said:
Same problem on my '52 GMC before yours Bill. Maybe they got together while we weren't looking?

A non-locking cap would not help. Our tanks require a vented cap.
Click to expand...

Well, Bill, That's kinda sucky too! I wasn't aware of your truck having had that issue. Maybe I need to come over now and then instead of asking for rainchecks! I'm thinking the fuel is really the problem here, given the number of Us that have had the same problem. Maybe I can get someone at ExxonMobil to answer that question ;o) I wonder if the base coat/clear coat would fare any better? I suppose I could clear coat the area I'm gonna' re-paint.
 
Sorry about your paint


Reminds me of a something I read on another site.
Guy was doing some welding

He didn't notice the same type of leak you had




You can get vented caps for our trucks in locking and non locking.

I've had the rubber seal fail on one of the gas caps I purchased at auto zone. It's is the rubber that sits against the filler tube.
It cracked after a short while.

Found a small dribble coming out one day. Luckily I found it and the gas didn't damage my paint.

Now I make it a point to inspect the cap also.


Good luck on your repairs.
 
This is caused my the alcohol & ethanol of to - day's fuels .

It's garbage and also is ruining the ground water supply all across America .

Thanx to the bribes our Govt. allows to accept from the Corn Growers Lobby .
 
Lakeroadster, I've given some thought to the problem and all I really need to do is modify the fuel filler neck with a fitting and tubing to run overflow out the bottom of the cab. For those rare occasions like I experienced. What do you guys think?
 
Should work, no harm in trying. If for some reason it doesn't work you can clamp the rubber hose shut.

The roll over valve may not work. They are relatively inexpensive so you could buy one and do a little R&D to see if the liquid level would seal the valve. Probably will, that's what they are designed to do.
 
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John, the ones (roll-over vent valves) used these days on big truck fuel tanks only seal off when inverted. At least the ones I've seen. The ball inside is heavy and does not float.
Whatever cure anyone tries, be SURE it vents adequately, as alcohol vapers quicker and can build a lot of pressure in a hurry. Ever notice how your red plastic gas jug swells up like a beach ball in the sun?
For this reason, Bill, I would want to either inspect your vent line frequently or put a screen end of some sort on it. Mud daubers here in the Midwest can close off things like that in a hurry. You build that kind of pressure in a steel gas tank and you have a VERY DANGEROUS situation.
 
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