- 1). Clean the aluminum gas tank with mild soap and a scrub brush. Combine dishwashing soap and cool water in a bucket. Dip a sponge into the soap and scrub the metal thoroughly. Some paint may come off with the scrubbing. Rinse the aluminum tank until you no longer see the pigment from the old color in the rinse water. Dry the gas tank with a towel.
- 2). Scrub any rusted areas with a steel bristled brush. Move the brush back and forth quickly while applying firm pressure. This will remove the majority of the rust. For extremely rusted tanks, spray the metal with phosphoric acid. Allow the acid to work overnight. In the morning, the rust will have turned into iron phosphate. Brush off the crust with the steel bristled brush.
- 3). Sand the aluminum tank lightly with medium grit sandpaper. Add texture to the surface to allow the primer to sink in and grip the slick surface.
- 4). Brush on an oil based primer with a brush. Oil-based paints and primers are good for metal surfaces because they are durable and will resist flaking and chipping. Allow the primer to dry for two to three hours.
- 5). Paint the tank with oil based spray paint. Choose a spray paint formulated for metal. Spray paints made by Rustoleum and Krylon are both good choices. Spray the tank using a steady back-and-forth motion. Let the paint dry to the touch, which usually takes about 30 minutes, and then apply an additional coat. Apply two to three total coats of paint. Allow the paint to dry overnight.
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