oh-no! new love has a problum!

i don't know if i'm in the right forum so please move this if i'm wrong. my newest bike (84 1100) has a small pinhole leak at the right lowest corner of the gas tank. i really don't want to kream it because it has a fuel sending unit in it and i'm not sure if i'll mess that up. it seems to be on the seam. is it possible to braise the tank if i drain it and flush it with water or somthing? or does anyone know of a product to install on the outside of it? it is under the seat so it is not visable if somthing like jb-weld is put on it. will that hold up? i don't want to ruin the orginal paint so i'm kinda at a loss. gas dripped on my sidecover so now i need to find a passenger cover.damm! i knew $900 might be to good to be true! damm! and only a couple of riding days left in upstate ny left. damm!

I have used this once 6 months ago and so far so good. I have heard good things about it. Especially in the marine tanks.

www.4secondsflat.com/Fuel_Tank_Sealer.html

Was easy to do too. You have a clean tank it should be a breeze.

I am in no way associated with this product other than I have used it. SHMG

If you have a clean area and JB weld can be applied it will hold up. I used JB weld like 13 yrs ago for a fuel leak and it's still holding.

I've also used JB weld successfully for this kind of thing. The secret is to let it cure for at least 24 hours before putting gas near it.

I can't give any useful advice re fixing a gas tank leak, but that woulda sucked if your wife's cigarette caught your new bike on fire.:ohmy:

Good luck patching it, there are still a few good riding days left to go!

i knew everyone would see that!

kawsakiman wrote:

... is it possible to braise the tank if i drain it and flush it with water or somthing?

It's entirely possible, and if done both properly and carefully, you'll never have trouble with that seam again.

Remove the petcock and gas cap. Stick a hose in the tank, turn on the water and let it go for as long as your conscience and water bill will allow. Flush contents. Repeat. Repeat again.

Take clean shop rags, towels, anything made of COTTON. Soak well with water. Surround the leak area with approx 1 inch clearance around area to be brazed.

Using a SMALL, MODERATE HEAT flame (small blue diamond-shaped flame on a #6 tip, if I recall correctly, apply heat to the seam lengthwise along the leak path. If you have someone you trust around hot parts, have them keep wet guard rags about and near the seam to keep as much heat as possible from seeping into the surrounding area.

Just as the seam starts to glow red, apply the brazing rod. It will start to melt forthwith, and you'll see it suck into any gap/crack in the surface.

You DO NOT need to "bead" or build up the surface.

Once you see the rod melt and suck into the gap, pull the torch away and cool the new braze with the wet rags.

That should do it nicely.

I've also had decent luck with JB weld, but that's more an issue of surface prep. Longevity will be determined by what caused the leak in the first place. If it's a stress crack, then eventually, whatever opened the seem will probably part the JB. Braze, on the other hand, is surprizingly flexible - it'll bend, twist and torque a fair amount before breaking loose if you have a good joint.

Best of luck.

ok, how the hell did you do that? !!!!!!. christ, now if she sees that ,i'm all done! and how did you build my arm up? i really need to figure out the photoshop program.

Post edited by: kawsakiman, at: 2006/10/15 00:23

Post edited by: kawsakiman, at: 2006/10/15 00:23

Lol, I don't have photoshop, I do all my chopping in plain old paint.
Tim

Post edited by: KZ250LTD, at: 2006/10/15 00:38

KZ250LTD wrote:

Oh, and just in case she ever tells you to sell the bike...

:whistle:
Just kidding
Tim

Awesome job Tim. While you're at it, why don't you paint the neighbor's garage, mow Steve's lawn, and maybe give him back some hair?