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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

repair plastic fueltank

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gsjh

06-13-2005 09:41:31




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I have a plastic fuel tank that has a small crack where the neck attaches to the tank. Is there some filler or way to patch it without having to replace the whole tank. It contains diesel fuel if that would make a difference. Is there a substance that would not be petroleum soluble? Thanks for your help.




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Ramrod

06-13-2005 11:34:03




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 Re: repair plastic fueltank in reply to gsjh, 06-13-2005 09:41:31  
Years ago I used epoxy glue and strips of a bed sheet to fix a gash in my gas tank. It was still holding when I sold that car years later to a friend. He never had a leak either. I'm sure that would work on a plastic tank too. Just clean it up real well with alcohol, and scratch the plastic surface to give the epoxy some teeth. Then lay down a small layer of epoxy and press a small patch of cloth into it. Add another slightly larger layer of epoxy and cloth until you have the area covered. Two or three layers should be fine, and fiberglass cloth would be better, but that old bedsheet worked well for me. Top it off with a final layer of epoxy to seal it all in, and it will last a long time.

Ramrod

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Kevin (FL)

06-13-2005 10:19:14




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 Re: repair plastic fueltank in reply to gsjh, 06-13-2005 09:41:31  
If you have any fiberglass resin and chopped strand cloth, 1st verify that the resin & hardner mixture won't "eat up" the plastic. Do a small test patch on the plastic--or maybe there's another component on your machine made from the same plastic? If the resin cures without damaging the plastic, then you can take a 12" (more or less depending on the size of the tank's neck) square piece of chopped strand cloth and tear away small pieces of the cloth and apply around the neck. The cloth I use come in two layers like paper towels. Split the section into the two layers and it's alot easier to work around corners, etc. Again--all this is useless if the plastic reacts (softens up) to the resin-hardner mixture and the curing process. If the resin works OK with the plastic, then apply three to four separate "coats" of resin+cloth around the neck and in way of the crack. Let the 1st layer cure and then do a little rough sanding (40 grit) and then apply the 2nd layer of cloth/resin. Subsequent layers can be applied within a couple hours of the previous, depending on temperature and how hot you mix the batch. (Don't mix too hot though since you're working with plastic.) Forgot to mention also to degrease the area and rough sand (40-80 grit) and thoroughly dry the surface prior to applying the resin and the cloth layers.

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mike brown

06-13-2005 10:40:51




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 Re: repair plastic fueltank in reply to Kevin (FL), 06-13-2005 10:19:14  
It won't hurt to try but I haven't found a resin ( epoxy or polyester) that will stick well to high density polyethylene. Let us know how it works.



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Kevin (FL)

06-13-2005 12:29:15




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 Re: repair plastic fueltank in reply to mike brown, 06-13-2005 10:40:51  
Mike,

I've repaired many a plastic ice chest on my shrimp boat with the polyester resin & chopped strand method, but you're right about most plastics being sensitive to the curing process. That's why I suggested he do a test patch first--chances are good that it won't work so I didn't want him to ruin his tank on my account. Thanks for the comments--hopefully he'll tread with caution.



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Matt Clark

06-16-2005 07:44:23




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 Re: repair plastic fueltank in reply to Kevin (FL), 06-13-2005 12:29:15  
I've gotta "welding" kit for plastic. Nothing more than a wood burning iron, with a flat anvil that heats up. It has a hole in it that you feed a piece of "rod" through and simply melt it back together. HDPE is a great base for this process. Pretty cheap, maybe $40 for the whole kit which came with a bunch of rod. I've used the heck out of it on people's ATV's which always seem to get the plastic cracked...even polishes out deep scratches.

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