Other Why do gas tanks turn yellow?

[icecoled007]

I pulled the tank in my SJ today to empty the little bit of fuel for the winter. I then tried to clean the outside of the tank. My 97 SJ tank is relatively white, much more than others. Unfortunately, It was whiter when I bought the ski about a year ago. My SXR tank does not have ANY yellow on it. I know its super low hours and the previous owner always stored it without fuel.

What is your theory on why it turns yellow?



Here are my theories... does anyone know for sure?

Gas sitting in it full for too long. More gas (higher hours) ran through. To much oil. Ethanol. Too much sun. Fumes trapped if you leave the hood on all the time. Not leaving the gas cap off during winterization (My SXR manual says to do this?).

None of these theories really explain why it starts to yellow around the rubber straps first.... then it will be whitest under the straps. I might be paranoid a bit, but a white tank looks so much nicer than a yellow tank.

 

[snowxr]

Fuel leeches through the plastic.

 

[icecoled007]

Fuel leeches through the plastic.

What can I do to prevent that? Keep empty as much as possible?

 

[icecoled007]

See like

nice


so yellow :-(

 

[kevbo]

Its just what they do over time. I have noticed that tanks with premix darken faster than with oil injection. I have a 20 year old tank that is brown.

 

[Yellofury]

could it be the plastic? I know the plastics they use on computers will yellow all by itself just due to age.

 

[Wolf Child]

Why do gas tanks turn yellow?

'Cuz I pee'd in it.

 

[Snivilous]

Yea, my 650sx tank is yellow as can be. Never thought anything of it, who cares

 

[Brenden]

ethanol

 

[jetpilot08]

smoker?

 

[Wolf Child]

BZZZZZZZ! I'm sorry that is inccorrect. but thanks for playing.

 

[98gti]

Are you a racist? Is the tank not as good anymore b/c it is not white?

 

[dbattersby20]

I think its the gas vapors trying to escape. Ive heard that using some soft scrub on the outside can clean it up a bit.

 

[Idok]

oxidation

 

[LeftysRule22]

I tried just about every method i could find on whitening with a 550 tank. Nothing even remotely worked, cut the tank open to discover the plastic was yellow all the way through.

 

[ChrisGooch]

Flame retardant in the plastic?

http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/189

scroll down to Nintendo's response

 

[harbor dan]

To all newbe's
White tank = buy it
Yellow tank = pay attention to the man that yellowed the tank when he makes suggestions.
Brown tank = jet ski master (mechanic)

 

[harbor dan]

Fuel leeches through the plastic.

x2

 

[SuperDan]

This is the reason I'm interested in the thrust carbon effect cover.

I just want to see more pics of one fitted before I get one shipped over here. I don't want to be able to see parts of the tank, so want to see what's visible from different angles

 

[special fx]

If the fuel/oil is the cause, why is it the tank maintains its color under the tank straps and factory sticker. It seems to stay white under straps and the sticker.