Which chemical to use?

[placidfemme]

Hi

I ride a ZXR250C (as you know), and on the tank near the seat there is foam kind of padding (for comfort or to stop the tank being scratched) and I think it's been on there for a few years, it's starting to look kind of crusty and is slightly peeling off around the edges.

I'd like to remove this foamy stuff to place on just a random sticker jobby tank protector but the foamy crap isn't peeling off that fast. Do anyone know what chemical I could use that will peel it off without damaging my paint job?

Thanks in Advance

[bugjuice]

nail polish remover or degreaser (couple of bucks for a huge can at Repco etc), then soap and water to wash it all off.. then carry on with the rest of the bike, cos that'll be the cleanest bit! :bleh:

[vifferman]

Petrol will also be OK, especially as NZ's petrol contains heaps of xylene and toluene, which are both great for removing stuff like this.:yes:

[John]

DO NOT USE NAIL POLISH REMOVER. THAT CRAP SCREWS EVERYTHING (mainly plastic)...

As viff says, petrol is fine (and readily avalible!) just avoid having any of the 'juice'/'runoff' running off the tank onto the seat or plastics, I learnt the hard way, what ever you use make sure that wipe it off clean and when finished wipe perfectly dry with a new clean rag to save the paint from peeling/removing clear coat...

[gamgee]

one thats got me stumped is my engine before i bought it was cleaned with some weird stuff and not washed off, and now it's almost impossible to get off with soap and water (and elbow greese) my uncle said it oxidation or something, it's like this white stuff thats a bit lumpy in places i scratched some of it off but i don't want to do the whole tank like this as it would take two full days that way

[placidfemme]

DO NOT USE NAIL POLISH REMOVER. THAT CRAP SCREWS EVERYTHING (mainly plastic)...

As viff says, petrol is fine (and readily avalible!) just avoid having any of the 'juice'/'runoff' running off the tank onto the seat or plastics, I learnt the hard way, what ever you use make sure that wipe it off clean and when finished wipe perfectly dry with a new clean rag to save the paint from peeling/removing clear coat...

Sweet thanks, I will give this a try once I find the exact sticker thingy I want to put on the bike...

lol my partner will come outside and see me pouring petrol over the bike, with a smoke in the ashtray and think I've finally lost the plot... :devil2:

[John]

one thats got me stumped is my engine before i bought it was cleaned with some weird stuff and not washed off, and now it's almost impossible to get off with soap and water (and elbow greese) my uncle said it oxidation or something, it's like this white stuff thats a bit lumpy in places i scratched some of it off but i don't want to do the whole tank like this as it would take two full days that way
Yea sure its not just surface rust or oxidisation, you will need to get a fine wire brush/brillo pad to get rid of that crud, then paint your engine to keep it at pay, once oxadisation starts there be no stoppen ye!

[sels1]

There is a product called "De solve it" comes in a squirter pack thingy probably from hardware store or supermarket. Great for getting sticky stuff off all sorts of things without damaging anything. Safe and orange scented too.

[bugjuice]

DO NOT USE NAIL POLISH REMOVER. THAT CRAP SCREWS EVERYTHING (mainly plastic)...

As viff says, petrol is fine (and readily avalible!) just avoid having any of the 'juice'/'runoff' running off the tank onto the seat or plastics, I learnt the hard way, what ever you use make sure that wipe it off clean and when finished wipe perfectly dry with a new clean rag to save the paint from peeling/removing clear coat...
worked fine for me...
I didn't pour it on, just dabbed a bit on tissue, then wiped over it. No problems. That was on metal and plastic. May be it's brand specific..??
Degreaser cut thru it well tho too, for a real stubburn one

[gamgee]

Yea sure its not just surface rust or oxidisation, you will need to get a fine wire brush/brillo pad to get rid of that crud, then paint your engine to keep it at pay, once oxadisation starts there be no stoppen ye!

damn i was afraid of that! ah well i'll have to add that to my to do list...
clean the carbs (again)
reset the tappets (again)
sand the rust off the exhaust and repaint it (again, damn rust)
and now clean the engine
will probably just end up doing it all before i sell it at the end of this year (if not sooner) (damn i used a lot of brackets in this post)