1960 Briggs Stratton engine paint dissolving

In April of 2017 I posted wherein I restored a 1961 Eclipse reel mower. The engine was manufactured in 1960. It is now running fine. It has a 2.25 hp B & S engine. When cleaning the fuel tank some of the original paint dissolved. I repainted using Rust Olem semi gloss white paint I purchased from Lowe's. As of this date some of the repainting wants to dissolve around the top of the fuel tank where the gas cap is located. What did I do wrong and what should I do so the paints stays on the fuel tank? Any assistance is always appreciated.
 
If gasoline splashes out around cap some paints will soften up from the gas. Also did you let the paint cure before you used the tank. I think that all paints will soften and come of if gas gets on them before they cure.
 
Hello everyone I did not use a hardener. It was a spray can. Do they make a can of spray with a hardener in it? I let it cure at least 10 days before using it.
 
There are some companies that make a rattle can with hardener in a separate compartment within the can. You break the seal on the hardener, shake it up to mix the hardener with the paint and it's just like automotive paint with hardener from what I understand. Any paint that is not used is not usable as once the hardener is introduced the chemical reaction starts and can not be stopped.
I would just google something like "aerosol paint with hardener" and see what you find.
 
That is a common problem for the gas they make today to eat the paint. For the gas tank it would be better to use an automotive urethane paint.
 
Remember when pick ups had the gas tanks under the seats? Just about every truck that was repainted(60s&70s) the paint would fail under the gas cap.
 

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