Paint Question

[bullmack]

When my sediment bowl recently began leaking the gas that dripped onto the casting took a layer of paint off everywhere it traveled. This was surprising and makes be wonder what type of paint was used. The paint underneath is a bright Farmall red whereas the paint on the tractor is a dull darker red - of course some of this is due to aging.

I don't have the ability or desire to repaint the tractor but it does need some touch up (battery box, headlights, etc.) So far I cannot find even a close match to the paint that's on the tractor.

[Nelson 634]

These tractors are frequently painted hurriedly in an attempt to market them at a higher price. They are painted with what is commonly called rattle cans (spray cans with a ball of some type to help mix the paint when you shake them). They (the tractor) are sprayed off with water or even sprayed with a detergent and rinsed. They are by no means prepared to be "Painted". Ergo the paint does not stick very well. Note:The paint underneath is probably a closer match to the original.

If you will look towards the bottom of this page you will see a blue bordered area labeled SIMILAR TOPICS listed there are past post similar to this post. They can be most helpful with the question " What color to paint? Where can I get this paint? And many other painting questions. Enjoy the read.

[NJ Farmer]

More than likely it was painted with straight enamel. Not a very durable paint when gasoline is allow to soak into it. More exotic paints would be urethane paint like for automobiles but then again at over $100 per quart not including the reducer and harnder (which is like $40 per pint) you can see why tractors get the lower value paints. Lower value = lower durability.

Tractors aren’t meant to shine but they aren’t made to rust away either so enamel paint works well price wise. Show tractors are just that and show tractors aren’t meant for field work….

NJ Farmer

[Stanton]

Would agree with NJ Farmer that the paint on your tractor that peeled away was enamel. Common paint; no hardener.

Related question: Did you get the leaky gas bowl fixed?

[bullmack]

Related question: Did you get the leaky gas bowl fixed?

Yes, within a day of discovery but the leaking gas had already done its damage.

[bullmack]

Is there any possibility of finding a match to the current color? Where, an automotive paint store? All of the Rust-oleum and Krylon red paints are too bright. I have the lid for my battery box as an example.

[Bob McCarty]

An auto paint store could scan the lid and mix a batch. They should be able to get it close. You may have to buy more than you really want to though.

[Rick Spivey]

It reminds me a bit ofIH51 IH50 color, which was an older color used on IH implements. but not the cubs. I bought some of that at NAPA and we painted my son's cub with it; a bit darker than the official cub color, That may be worth a try to see how close a match it is. Someone "might" have used that since it was an IH color; of course, they may have picked up most anything as well.....

CapeCodCubs reminded me that I got the number wrong, the paint color was IH50

[Clemsonfor]

Could be Ford Red or any of the other tractor reds. Someone may have been at TSC or Rural kind or wherever getting their paint and the IH red was out and they grabbed on of the other reds?

[Stanton]

Looks a lot like Case-IH 2150 after a few years of age. It darkens like that.

Whatever paint you put on it is going to stand out due to it being new paint next to old, faded paint.

[Don McCombs]

Looks a lot like Case-IH 2150 after a few years of age. It darkens like that.

Whatever paint you put on it is going to stand out due to it being new paint next to old, faded paint.

And will probably continue to peel, due to the poor surface preparation beneath it.

[Mht]

Rustoleum farm and implement IH red might be a decent match. It’s a little darker red than some of the others. I’ve had good luck with painting a couple of working tractors with it out of spray cans. I’ve been very happy with it and so far it has held up even on hoods where I always seem to splash a little gas when filling up and in the same spot where you have peeling paint when I always spill some when cleaning a sediment bowl

[bullmack]

I went to a Sherwin-Williams auto paint shop today with the old lid from my battery box. At first they didn't think their camera would read it but it did. Got a match within 1%. They will mix it and put it in a spray can for me to pick up tomorrow. Yes, it was expensive!

[JimCub48]

I little tip for preventing gas splashing on your gas tanks paint doing damage. I take a piece of heavy plastic about a 3 x3 foot square ,cut a hole in the center to just fit around the neck of the tank and drap it over the tank. No gas splash gets on the paint. Works great, used the same piece of plastic for years.

[bullmack]

Good to know. My gas problem was a leak at the sediment bowl gasket.