gas tank repair

any body have any ideas on gas tank repair. i have a tank that is finished and find it now leaks. i put kreem sealer in it. it held gas for about 2 month and now has 2 pinhole leaks, drips. i dont want to repait the tank but need to fix it. i cant find a web site for the kreem sealer. can anybody help thanks russell

have heard great things about POR-15
www.por15direct.com/s.nl/sc.2/it.A/id.1516/category.172/.f

man its wierd how something breaks or just plain takes a shit on my bike and the next day i find a related post about the same subject on this site.

along with a leaky petcock i found that my tank has a tiny seam leak along the back-underside of the tank.
apparantly it was rubbing right at the y of the frame.
ive tried a few external sealers and the crack is just too small to fill with this type.
thanks for the link bob.

im looking for a replacement tank but most tanks i find are in worse shape than the one i have or dont fit.

russell, pinholes can be slowed or stopped with bar soap.but its a temp fix. i wouldnt trust it for more then 50 miles or so.
someone told me dove works best but i havnt tried too many different brands myself.

looking on z1 i found a cheaper kit.
www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=435

Post edited by: mykznme, at: 2006/01/06 01:07

Moved this thread to the chassis section although it could well end up a paint & bodywork thread.

First, if you have pinholes, the paint will be ruined under the pinholes. You can put a pin in the bubble and then scrape it off. Generally, the pinholes are on the bottom so sometimes, their repair can be hidden and you won't need to repain the whole tank.

I suggest you consider using JB Weld. This stuff is an epoxy that isn't affected by gas. Mix it well and smooth it over the pinholes. Then sand and repaint or put a decal over the area or something along those lines. Except for brazing or perhaps welding the holes with a rod welder, JB Weld is the best way to fix pinholes and is a permanent repair.

you can get a gas tank mender epoxie, made for cars, its a two part ribbon that you kneed together, clean the area and follow the directions, wont last forever but it works

i tried the two part epoxy putty and it was rubbish for the tiny crack.it still leaked, stinks like hell and if you dont get it on there perfect the first time you have to cut a new piece and start over.

i found some seal-all at true value and so far the leak is sealed. this stuff is great for pinholes and its alot easier to work with. the putty is more of a plug filler.
eclecticproducts.com/sealall/home.asp

i plan on putting another coat on but so far all is well.

wg is right about the paint being ruined. i scraped off what was loose but im not really to concerned with my paint at the moment.i just sprayed with with primer

GO to you local automotive parts store and get a gas tank/radiator repair gas resistant 2 part epoxy. My kz700 tank has like 5 pin holes on the bottom due to exxecive corrosion. After I plugged the holes with the 2 part gas resistant epoxy it diddnt leak after that but , there was still a risk that another would appear. So i talked to a friend that i used to work with at a company that makes gas meter assemblies for quite a few utility companies. I had him spray the tank with epoxy primer and a thick coat of epoxy paint. No leaks yet but , now the real problem is all the rust inside the tank. Keeps clogging the inline fuel filters and keeps me cleaning the carbs. Thats why I am looking for another tank for the kz700. Look at the pic in my avatar looks like a gas meter. Good luck sealing the holes.

thanks all, i will try the por-15 first. Kreem came off in sheets. if it doesnt work the jb weld will. am still looking for ideas. thanks all russell

Russell,
If you've got a layer of sealer in the tank already, particularily one that has failed, you won't have good luck if you're going to try to add another layer on top of it. Any sealer requires a clean base to adhere to. If you've got a failed layer of sealer concealing a bunch of fuel you'll never get the adhesion that's required to do the job one last time. I suggest that you figure out how to seal up the tank openings and fill it with acetone. Let it set until ALL the old sealer comes loose and then start over.

KZCSI

WHAT KIND OF A BIKE DO YOU HAVE?IF ITS A FAIRLY COMMON BIKE I WOULD JUST GET A DIFFERANT TANK AND HAVE IT PAINTED ,I DONT KNOW IF I WOULD TRUST A TANK HELD TOGETHER WITH A BUNCH OF PINHOLES FILLED WITH EPOXY I PICTURE A FIREBALL BETWEEN MY LEGS !IVE SEEN TANK SEALER USED TO SEAL SURFACE RUST INSIDE OF A TANK,THAT WOULDNT BOTHER ME BUT PINHOLES ARE USAULLY A SIGN OF IMPENDING DOOM IN MY EXPERIENCE! GOODLUCK,HAPPY WRENCHING!

i agree with wireman in a way,it prbably would be better to get a new tank.
but until then,and i cant stress this enough.
the epoxy putty is more of a plug filler then a pinhole filler(it even says so on the package).

its been a week with a full tank and most pressure at the repair spot(sittin on my work bench)
the seal all has held tight with only one application
the crack was about 3/16 long.

with the j-b weld and two part ribbons you have to put a plug around the hole and these are not sandable.
they are supposedly as hard as steel.
the seal all acts more like a gas resistant caulk then a filler.
wich sounds like it suits your instance better.

I CAN NOT SAY THIS ENOUGH, THE TWO PART EPOXY FILLER IS FOR PLUG HOLES AND IF YOU USE IT ON CRACKS OR PINHOLEs YOU WILL HAVE A RAISED SPOT WHERE THE FILLER IS.
the seal all sits alot more flush with the surounding metal.

there is nothing wrong with surface rust or pinholes in a tank if taken care of properly.

mykznme wrote:

I CAN NOT SAY THIS ENOUGH, THE TWO PART EPOXY FILLER IS FOR PLUG HOLES AND IF YOU USE IT ON CRACKS OR PINHOLEs YOU WILL HAVE A RAISED SPOT WHERE THE FILLER IS.

Yes , you will have a raised spot. In my case the pinholes are on the bottom of the tank where you cannot see them. As for having a fireball between your legs. I have thought of that too. Thats exactly why I am looking for another tank. :pinch: Hurts just thinking about it. It was a temporary fix. It worked. Did u just call me a pinhole? Just joking.