Fuel tank repair

[orangekuby]

Previous owner punctured the fuel tank leaving about 1/8 hole in the back behind the tail light. Pretty much every fuel tank repair epoxy or fiberglass kit says they are not meant for plastic fuel tanks, only metal tanks.

Anyone know of a good epoxy that would hold up to diesel and works on the polypropylene type tanks? Other thought I had is to drain it and melt the plastic over onto itself to seal the hole.

 

[85Hokie]

Hell - this stuff fixes most things! Might be worth a try - the magic word is fuel resistant.

Good news is you would not need to remove tank, I would sand area around hole and place a patch as large as possible so you have more surface area to bond to.

amazon has it - about $12.

 

[Trimley]

3M 5200 would do it. Clean with Isopropyl or Acetone first. It's available in a squeeze tube, in black. Spendy stuff though. If used, put a big dollop over the hole. About a Quarter size. Wet finger with Isopropyl to smooth out.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Permatex Plastic Tank Repair Kit For Plastic 3.2 oz - Ace Hardware

Complete kit contains everything required for making professional-quality permanent repairs in just minutes. State-of-the-art components and easy-to-follow instructions with photographs. Repairs all types of plastic tanks. The repair resin is designed to harden within 8 to 10 minutes and cures...

www.acehardware.com

 

[number two]

Check out Rapid-Fix.
Watch the video.
Good Luck!

 

[orangekuby]

Has anyone used Marine Tex or Seal-All? Both seem to be impervious to fuels from what I've found.

I bought the permatex plastic tank repair kit above. It says right on the back it's not for plastic fuel tanks, but for radiators and water tanks. That's actually the reason I made this thread.

I think I'll use a small screw to go into the hole, with a bunch of which ever epoxy I buy over it. Thing I'm worried about most is cold and tank flex. I'd hate to have anything crack in the middle of winter and start leaking when I'm least using it and find a gallon of fuel on the shop floor.

 

[William1]

Seal All. Large stainless screw. Sand the surrounding area a little to aid purchase, then a little Seal All slathered in the hole and on the screw threads and under the head. Screw just barely snugged in and some more seal all slather over the screw and surrounding area.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Use a polypropelene 'welding stick' like bumper repair kits have. You plug then melt the stick to the tank.Then, if need be, rough up the area and spread a fuel and plastic rated 'glue' over area.
SInce it's so small a hole, maybe use a 'sheet steel roofing screw' ? They have a gasket,should seal ?

 

[Fordtech86]

I used the plastic welder with PE rods to fix the holes is the gas tank on my zero turn.

 

[The Evil Twin]

PE welded the water tank on the RV. Couldn't find anything else that would stick.

 

[BX'r]

I used fiber flex on a bx tractor tank and many other things.
Apply with a soldering iron.

 

[Thunder chicken]

If theres an airport near you with a shop, theres a product called PRC.... im not sure exactly what it is, but i know itll glue about anything together. The expired stuff seems to find its way home, great for gluing workboots back together.
Its used to seal leaky fuel tanks (loose rivets) and other things like guing windshields in. The AME's put it in a wet fuel tank and it'll stick. It was a common repair flying Meteroliners as they always seemed to have a fuel leak.

 

[D2Cat]

Put a screw in the hole!!

 

[retired farmer]

Bubble gum.

 

[P0234]

Make sure the hole is nice and round and install a petcock for fuel draining.