gasoline spill

[CNP934DC]

Uh oh, dribbled some gasoline down the fender of my P-15. TRied to get it off quick but way too late. Left a haze on the paint. I've tried Maguires cleaner, polish and Mothers pre-wax cleaner. Haven't made the smudge any worse but no improvement. Anyone been successful at restoring the finish after a gasoline spill without re-painting?

[1955 plymouth]

That is really too bad. I can relate. I was driving th '50 Deluxe home the other night, my wife was behind me in her '97 Bravada and I pulled into the gas station, I filled the '50 all the way up, set the hose down, moved my car and went back and filled her car up on the same bill. We drove home, parked the cars and went on about our evening.

The next day I drove the '50 to work, got there, stepped out of the car, began to admire it as I always do and I was shocked to find fuel had seeped out of the cap area, down the side of the fender, under the trim and had bubbled the paint off of everything it touched, I immediatelly scrubbed the fender with soapy water and rinsed, way too late, it will need paint now.

You might try to let the paint harden up again and use a good fine rubbing compound, like tr3 this stuff can be found at schucks auto parts and it will buff the paint, remove oxidation and apply a nice sealed coating after it sets for a while.

Good luck and I am glad you found yours before it was too late like me.

[RobertKB]

My '53 Plymouth has original paint and also has a tendency to puke out gas as it gets nearly full. On the '53 the filler is just above the gravel shield and this has caught a fair bit of gas over the 30+ years I have owned the car. Never damaged the paint. I do keep it well waxed but I don't know how much difference that makes. Go figure???

[Plymouthy Adams]

Robert, have you ever seen the 90 degree filler extension that was fitted to the 53/54 Plymouth? I have never seen one in person, only in pictures..is designed to eliminate the burping of fuel..but is a tad unsighly in itself...

[Reg Evans]

I wonder what types of paint are prone to being damaged by gasoline?

I have spilled gas on fenders of many different cars over the years without any damage to the surface. My brother had his 50 Ford 1/2 ton repainted a while back for lots of money and the first time he spilled some gas on the paint it bubbled up and lifted off the cab. What a crying shame.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Reg Evans

[Jims50chrysler]

I painted my '47 Harley white when I had it, I used ppg base clear and was very happy with the results about a week later there was a big ride planed so the night before I went I gassed the bike up and parked it in the garage. I was so excited to show the guys what a quality job that I did in an old barn....you can imagine my dissapointment when I got out there and all the paint on the left side gas tank was gone where the fuel had ran down it through the night and exposed the high build primer below. kinda looked like a holstien cow.

I talked to the PPG guy at the louisville street rod nationals about a year later to see if I perhaps did something wrong when I mixed the paint and he said that it should never do that....I guess the paint just did not have time to cure.

Jim

[Plymouthy Adams]

the only thing that comes to mind here is the hardener..was the correct amount added to the mix? on motorcyle tanks one usually does not paint the tank all the way up the filler neck..this will help prevent leeching of the fule beneath the paint..

[RobertKB]

Robert, have you ever seen the 90 degree filler extension that was fitted to the 53/54 Plymouth? I have never seen one in person, only in pictures..is designed to eliminate the burping of fuel..but is a tad unsighly in itself...

Tim, I haven't even heard of it, let alone seen one. Sounds interesting but I think I would not want one even if found. I would rather burp a little gas than have that on my car. I do try to be as careful as possible when filling and go slowly but still have it burp once in a while.

[BobT-47P15]

So far, have never had gas lift off any paint.

On the convert, I always put the gas nozzle on the slowest speed

when filling. And I don't fill to the top of the filler tube......

On mine, the joint in the neck with the rubber hose joiner seeps gas

out - until it gets back below the joint.

My car has acrylic enamel with hardner. Don't know if that's any

tougher or more gas resistant than other types.

I remember in the old days when I would fill the tank just a much

as possible.....kept clicking it till the gas was at the very top of

the tube.....couldn't squeeze in another drop. Now, I let it stop

wherever the hose shuts it off.

[Jims50chrysler]

I think the hardener was right I am pretty anal about following the directions on paint products but I probably painted too far up the neck as you suggested.

Jim