Plastic Gas Tank Repair

[stingray]

Has anyone had any luck repairing a leak in a plastic gas tank? Are there services out there that I can send the tank to or any particular products that I can buy to do it myself?

This is off an 2003 KTM 450 MXC tank. It's got a slow leak where one of the frame tank mounts contacts the tank. It's on a rounded/recessed surface so might be kinda tricky. Really can't even see the hole, fuel just starts pooling up so it is pretty small.

I can buy a Clark tank for just over $200 so don't want to sink too much into repairing the old one but thought it might be worth a shot.


Thanks!

[mcrider]

Scott, Rocketman tried to fix one several years ago. Do not know the outcome.

[ekms377]

If you don't want to try JB Weld or the like. Try Caswell gas tank sealer.

[budzrex]

Yep Caswell Tank sealer or just ride fast enough to keep the fuel below
the level of the hole

[Gravel Guy]

Originally Posted by ekms377

If you don't want to try JB Weld or the like. Try Caswell gas tank sealer.

+1 on the Caswell, the Guzzi guys use them on the older Quotas, etc with great results!

[stingray]

Cool, thanks for the idea guys! Just ordered up a batch so we'll see how it does.

[Irishcoffee]

Originally Posted by stingray

Cool, thanks for the idea guys! Just ordered up a batch so we'll see how it does.

You REALLY want to trust something like that? You won't know if it is failing until its too late and spilling gas over some hot stuff. Then what are you going to do in the field? And it will affect everyone with you also. Think about it.

[stingray]

Originally Posted by Irishcoffee

You REALLY want to trust something like that? You won't know if it is failing until its too late and spilling gas over some hot stuff. Then what are you going to do in the field? And it will affect everyone with you also. Think about it.

Thanks for your input, guessing you won't wanna go on a ride with me any time soon......

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by Irishcoffee

You REALLY want to trust something like that? You won't know if it is failing until its too late and spilling gas over some hot stuff. Then what are you going to do in the field? And it will affect everyone with you also. Think about it.

As long as they get pictures, we won't mind.

[Gravel Guy]

Originally Posted by stingray

Thanks for your input, guessing you won't wanna go on a ride with me any time soon......

I'd ride with you anytime!!

[Patrick]

Depending on the tank it may be able to be plastic welded.

[hizzo3]

It is more than likely HDPE plastic. This eliminates cheap chem welding, however it melts around 260-270 degs F and plastic welding would be pretty easy (kits on the net for 40-60 USD). You can seal the tank, but only down side is that depending on the structural need of the tank at the placement of the hole, chances are it may crack the sealant loose or further the crack. Hope that helps.

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[bobbilly416]

Harbor freight sells a plastic welding kit, I once thought a fellow worker was pulling my leg when he said we had the job of welding up a crack in a plastic holding tank, but that is exactly what we did, the device looks kinda like a giant soldering gun that blows out hot air from the tip and uses plastic filler rods, the weld held great, and that was on a 500 gallon tank about one third of the way up the tank so it had plenty of fluid pressure on it.

[izz]

Some body shops are equiped to do the plastic welding.

[Irishcoffee]

Originally Posted by stingray

Thanks for your input, guessing you won't wanna go on a ride with me any time soon......

Not sure why you would say that? Just offering caution, welding/repairing some plastics may be appropriate. I would not try it on a gas tank considering the potential consequence. Good luck whatever you choose.

[hizzo3]

Plastic welding is totally different than regular welding. You don't suffer from metal fatigue, oxidation and other issues. If done right, plastic welds are very strong. The only reason you don't see it done more often is because blow molding is so much easier and cheaper for production runs.

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[bikedork]

i plastic welded a yami tank my son cracked. the tool from harbor freight is ok but the plastic they sell is different than the tank. i ended up using an iron for laying down lead/solder for stained glass windows. its got a sharp V shape. i gouged a groove down the length of the crack making sure to go past the end of the crack and making a small circle at the end. i then cut out some "weld material" from an old tank i had sitting around. then using two irons i placed the hot material into the groove making sure the tank side and the weld material side were both hot so it would bond. after it was all filled in i used the big flat side of the iron to get the whole area molten and smoothed it out. worked like a champ. my son rode the bike for 2 more years and it never leaked. i would suggest doing a triple rinse with water prior to adding heat to your tank.

[swoody126]

the bottom of snow skis are commonly repaired by dripping molten P-TEX in the grooves, then scraped to shape

the P-TEX comes in sticks that are set on fire & dripped onto the surface, from a close distance, like dripping wax from a candle, held horizontally...

except for slight color differences, the repairs are virtually invisible

never had one fail & the bottom of snow skis take a pretty hard beating

just a ponderment

plastic auto bumpers are welded, regularly

you might try to find a local auto bumper repair facility

bet austin has several

just my 2¢ worth, for this morning

sw

[EnduroRdr]

I had a crack about 1" long on a stock honda xr400 gas tank (pretty thick plastic wall) I just used a soldering iron to melt the sides together like plastic welding - not very pretty looking but made a good conversation scar to talk about. It worked and held together untill I decided to upgrade to an aftermarket 4 gal tank otherwise I'd still be using the patched tank.