Fuel tank guage painting

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user 7806

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I have an old metal gas tank, it's a nice old Mercury tank I bought off CL. The site glass was all cloudy but I have a new on coming. When I took it apart the paint is coming off the guage face. It's only 2 colors, black & red. Any suggestions on what paint to use in this enviornment.
 
Depending on what guage is made of. If could disassemble or all metal parts could handle some heat I would use powder coat paint. I think it would be the most durable and chemical resistant.
You can buy small quantities of it for jig paint.
You can put piece in oven to heat it up. sprinkle powder coat paint over it, and put bake in oven for bit to cure. Directions are on bottle

https://www.csipaint.com/products/powder-coatings/pro-tec-powder-paint.asp
 
The guage face is metal and I think I can get it apart or at least sprinkle it on. Order some from BR and will give it a try, tahnks for the tip. I was going to paint it today with auto engine enamel but didn't get around to it. Guess there was a reason for that... ;)
 
The Pro Tech Powder Paint from BP show up over the weekend. So today I took it apart and used my heat gun to here the fuel guage after I wired brushed all the old paint off. I then sprinkled some black on about 2/3's of it. A little more heat and sprinkled the red on the other 1/3. This was the same layout as the original. The directions said to make real durable that you shoud bake it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Because of the cork float I didn't want to put it in the oven so I just let it cool and then reassembled it.

It worked well but I think I put to much on and it appears to be a little thick and you can't read the F 1/2 & E but after looking at the pictures I can see that I need to block sand the high points which would make the F 1/2 E show again. With the new sight glass from Fergerson-Poole Marine I can now see the fuel guage again.

This is what the sight glass looked like before.
DSC04137.JPG
This what the fuel guage looked like with the paint flaking off
DSC04138.JPG

The paint is now all removed
Right now black is from Full to the high side of Empty ( I think I can fix this by block sanding the high spots off)
DSC04141.JPG
DSC04139.JPG

Now it's been powder coated
DSC04140.JPG

When it's Red it's time to head to the ramp your about out of gas
DSC04142.JPG

Installed back on the tank
DSC04143.JPG
 
After looking at the pictures I took of the guage a little light came on and said if you block sand it then you will be able to see the F 1/2 & E Duh!!!

Don't know if it's because I didn't let it dry long enough or what but when I took it apart to sand it the paint was still kind of gummy. I was able to block sand it and then figured out how to bake it to cure it without effecting the cork. Good thing the wife wasn't home to see me use her new toaster oven.

Blocked sanded the face, then baked it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Up close it has a rough texture but in the tank it looks fime.
DSC04146.JPG
 

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