Modern Vespa

So my new tank looked great in black (smallframe tank from scooterworks), but when I painted it today, a crack in the side weld popped into view! I blew into the tank and I couldn't feel air coming out of it, and I looked into the light through the hole and nothing showed through in that area. Do you think I should return it, or is it a flaw that doesn't or won't matter? Sorry 'bout the crappy pics

Hard to tell. I would install your fuel tap and place water in the tank to see if anything is leaking. If it does, take it back? I don't know if they would since you painted it. If anything, it shouldn't be too hard to fix.

Make sure you didn't paint over your little vent hole(s)on the gas cap...otherwise you will get vapor lock.

If you're concerned about the paint, put the fuel tap in properly, attach a piece of fuel line
(preferably clean ), make sure the tap is in an "open" position, block the filler hole with the flat of your hand, or something similar, and blow into the fuel line like you're blowing up a balloon.
You can also use compressed air (if there's too much pressure, it will push your hand away from the top with a farting sound).
You should be able to get a few pounds of pressure in there and it shouldn't leak out.
You shouldn't be able to hear or feel (against your cheek) any air coming out through the questionable area.

If you're not concerned about the paint, you could also pour in some lacquer thinner or acetone and see if it seeps out through the crack.

Doesn't look bad, though.

- Eric

Thanks. I think that once the paint is good and dry I'll try blowing air in it again, but this time I'll cover the cap hole with my hand instead of letting air escape through the vent holes in the cap. That will tell me for sure--(it was really hard to tell with the vent air noise). Thanks for the tip on painting the vent holes,too. I'm pretty sure I didn't paint on them. I'll check that later, too. I'll update in a while...

False alarm, I blew air in it with the cap-hole covered and it's completely air-tight! Thanks again.

Send it back ASAP. You paid for a quality product and got junk. I used to work for Genuine Scooters and Scooterworks (sister companies). They have the worst quality control of any company I've seen. we had so many complaints from our dealers of our warehouse sending out damaged parts and missing pieces. They would wrap a turn signal in 10 lbs of bubble wrap and then send out a engine with no packing material.

I liked most of the people there on a personal level but they could not get their shit together and they sucked at their business.

If it would've been a true leak in the tank, not just cosmetic, it would've already been sent back, VEZPA. Since it seems fine, I can deal with it. And honestly, the crack was virtually undetectable until I put the white paint on it. I looked it over like 10 times before I painted it and never saw the crack, so the staff at scooterworks probably never noticed it either.

BUT, I am thinking of doing my next order for parts from another company. Can anyone tell me what they think of www.scooterpartsdirect.com? Their prices are much better than scooterworks, and they have almost everything I want to order, but I've never done business with them...

Try two of Modern Vespa's sponsors:

www.scooterwest.com
www.scootersoriginali.com

Sometimes they don't have parts listed on the website, but give them a call. They most likely have what you're looking for.

Not to bash Scooterworks...they support the scooter community and all...but I won't order from them again and I will leave it at that.

I did purchase a seat from Scooterpartsdirect a while back...it came with a little rip in the seat..gave them a call and sent me a new seat with pre paid postage to send the other one back. I really don't know much about them other than they had the seat I wanted at the price I wanted. Make sure to contact them first to see if they have stuff in stock.

You can almost never go wrong with Scooters O. Gene and Andrea know their stuff really well.

Since I'm on the West Coast I call Max at Motorsport...the guy has never failed me and he's very helpful.

my 2 pennies...

Thanks, guys. I've bought from both Scooters O and Motorsport, and they have been nothing but great. Scooterpartsdirect only came up because they have a lot of the stuff I need and the savings is huge. And although I respect quality over savings, if I can save a few bucks in this economy and get the same product, I'll do it...