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Author Topic:   Plastic gas tank repair

fabricator posted 11-27-2008 08:16 PM ET (US)
Had a piece of metal fall on my 6 gallon plastic gas tank, and it left a 'T' shaped cut in the top surface about 1" in each direction. I'm cheap and don't want to buy a new one as this is a spare tank. Has anyone successfully repaired something like this before? What methods have you all found that will and won't work? Thanks.
jimh posted 11-27-2008 08:59 PM ET (US)
A six-gallon plastic fuel tank whose walls have been punctured is not a repairable item. If you really cannot afford a new one, use duck tape. It is very difficult to form a secondary bond with an adhesive to the plastic used in those tanks.
Newtauk1 posted 11-28-2008 12:06 AM ET (US)
Tempo 6.5 gallon tanks at Boaters World for $19.99.
pglein posted 11-28-2008 03:38 PM ET (US)
I can be repaired, but I wouldn't reccomend it. You won't be DOT compliant when trailering, and you might be risking your safety on the boat.
You would need to obtain some plastic of the same type that the tank is made out of. Then you could just heat it up and pour it into the crack, using something on the inside as backing (heavy duty packing tape, probably).
This is extremely dangerous and messy work, and still would not be a suitable repair for long term use.
$20 is a small price to pay compared to the effort required to repair the tank.
deepwater posted 11-28-2008 08:41 PM ET (US)
marine tex,,we used it to fix a tear in a polly tank (36 gal gas) on my buddies rv and it never leaked ,,it was still solid when he sold it 5 years later and his tear was on the bottom yours is topside
oysterman posted 11-30-2008 12:16 AM ET (US)
On our smaller boats, we go through gas cans quite frequently. Until the tank is deemed unusable, a good repair has always been Marine Tex. It it easy to use and lasts in all kinds of rough use.
fabricator posted 11-30-2008 07:33 PM ET (US)
"You won't be DOT compliant when trailering"
How so?
jimh posted 12-01-2008 09:39 AM ET (US)
I think Marine-Tex repair kits cost more than a new tank. Just how important is preserving a $20 fuel tank. Is there some sort of sentimental value in it?
If you want to get some new material to use for melting and repairing the old tank, maybe you could buy a new $20-tank and cut it up to get some plastic to repair the old tank.
towboater posted 12-01-2008 11:37 AM ET (US)
2 part expoxy repair kits for RV holding tanks (pvc) will cost around $14.95, NW. Will only cover 6" x 6" about 1/4 thick.
I have successfully bonded this stuff to PVC tanks. It works like bondo but has more adhesive properties. I had a water tank that had a 4" rip in the top near the bend.
Because of the expansion factors, I needed several kits to finally seal the damn thing.
Fortunately, I had found kits on sale for $4.00 ea and purchased 10. The effort turned out to be a large saving over ordering a new tank.
Unless you have pin holes in your fuel tank, because of the expansion properties, I would not mess with trying to fix it. Buy new, or...
These past 4 months Ive been searching NW craiglist for a 4k gal double wall fuel tank almost daily. I see these little boat tanks listed all the time.
fabricator posted 12-01-2008 08:47 PM ET (US)
Easy guys, I was just ASKING..... I've got more sealers glues and epoxies than you can shake a stick at. I figured maybe I could throw something at it and keep using it. Yeah, replacement tanks are cheap, but there's something about fixing broken stuff that's more satisfying than throwing stuff away before it's time.......... they haven't been calling me the fabricator all these years for nothing.

I'm going to Boaters World this weekend.... my newly finished Whaler needed a pretty new tank anyway!
towboater posted 12-02-2008 01:13 AM ET (US)
I dont think the replies are over-stated fab.
Yeah, I could give Tool Time AND McIver a run for their money as well...there's just something about fixing things that blow up and/or burn that causes me to pay special attention to. Hehe. Wrap the new tank, give it to the ol Lady for Xmas.
mk

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Author	Topic: Plastic gas tank repair
fabricator	posted 11-27-2008 08:16 PM ET (US) Had a piece of metal fall on my 6 gallon plastic gas tank, and it left a 'T' shaped cut in the top surface about 1" in each direction. I'm cheap and don't want to buy a new one as this is a spare tank. Has anyone successfully repaired something like this before? What methods have you all found that will and won't work? Thanks.
jimh	posted 11-27-2008 08:59 PM ET (US) A six-gallon plastic fuel tank whose walls have been punctured is not a repairable item. If you really cannot afford a new one, use duck tape. It is very difficult to form a secondary bond with an adhesive to the plastic used in those tanks.
Newtauk1	posted 11-28-2008 12:06 AM ET (US) Tempo 6.5 gallon tanks at Boaters World for $19.99.
pglein	posted 11-28-2008 03:38 PM ET (US) I can be repaired, but I wouldn't reccomend it. You won't be DOT compliant when trailering, and you might be risking your safety on the boat. You would need to obtain some plastic of the same type that the tank is made out of. Then you could just heat it up and pour it into the crack, using something on the inside as backing (heavy duty packing tape, probably). This is extremely dangerous and messy work, and still would not be a suitable repair for long term use. $20 is a small price to pay compared to the effort required to repair the tank.
deepwater	posted 11-28-2008 08:41 PM ET (US) marine tex,,we used it to fix a tear in a polly tank (36 gal gas) on my buddies rv and it never leaked ,,it was still solid when he sold it 5 years later and his tear was on the bottom yours is topside
oysterman	posted 11-30-2008 12:16 AM ET (US) On our smaller boats, we go through gas cans quite frequently. Until the tank is deemed unusable, a good repair has always been Marine Tex. It it easy to use and lasts in all kinds of rough use.
fabricator	posted 11-30-2008 07:33 PM ET (US) "You won't be DOT compliant when trailering" How so?
jimh	posted 12-01-2008 09:39 AM ET (US) I think Marine-Tex repair kits cost more than a new tank. Just how important is preserving a $20 fuel tank. Is there some sort of sentimental value in it? If you want to get some new material to use for melting and repairing the old tank, maybe you could buy a new $20-tank and cut it up to get some plastic to repair the old tank.
towboater	posted 12-01-2008 11:37 AM ET (US) 2 part expoxy repair kits for RV holding tanks (pvc) will cost around $14.95, NW. Will only cover 6" x 6" about 1/4 thick. I have successfully bonded this stuff to PVC tanks. It works like bondo but has more adhesive properties. I had a water tank that had a 4" rip in the top near the bend. Because of the expansion factors, I needed several kits to finally seal the damn thing. Fortunately, I had found kits on sale for $4.00 ea and purchased 10. The effort turned out to be a large saving over ordering a new tank. Unless you have pin holes in your fuel tank, because of the expansion properties, I would not mess with trying to fix it. Buy new, or... These past 4 months Ive been searching NW craiglist for a 4k gal double wall fuel tank almost daily. I see these little boat tanks listed all the time.
fabricator	posted 12-01-2008 08:47 PM ET (US) Easy guys, I was just ASKING..... I've got more sealers glues and epoxies than you can shake a stick at. I figured maybe I could throw something at it and keep using it. Yeah, replacement tanks are cheap, but there's something about fixing broken stuff that's more satisfying than throwing stuff away before it's time.......... they haven't been calling me the fabricator all these years for nothing. I'm going to Boaters World this weekend.... my newly finished Whaler needed a pretty new tank anyway!
towboater	posted 12-02-2008 01:13 AM ET (US) I dont think the replies are over-stated fab. Yeah, I could give Tool Time AND McIver a run for their money as well...there's just something about fixing things that blow up and/or burn that causes me to pay special attention to. Hehe. Wrap the new tank, give it to the ol Lady for Xmas. mk