Caswell

[jsandidge]

Anyone have a bad experience with Caswell tank liner? From the posts here, it looks like Caswell has more positive reviews than the others. Just wanting to hear if anyone has had problems before I buy this kit. This is hopefully my last thing to fix before my first shakedown ride.

[Nessism]

Caswell's epoxy is uber thick and heavy. Even if you thin it (per directions), you need to be very careful to rotate the tank and flow the material in every which possible direction otherwise you can miss some spots. The hump area in particular is difficult to cover, and since you can visually inspect the liner while coating, there is some risk in missing spots.

Caswell's states you don't need to derust the tank but this is folly in my opinion. Always fully derust (to the best of your ability anyway) before sealing. Metal Prep, sold by Home Depot, is phosphoric acid and will derust the tank quite effectively in a short time, so please do this regardless of what sealer you choose.

Por-15 sealer is thinner than Caswell's, but not thin per say, and is much easier to use. In my experience Por-15 is a better material if the tank has sound metal. If the tank is heavily rusted, has or had some holes where the metal is weakened, then it's Caswell time because it's thicker and will reinforce the metal.

BTW, all this is a rehash from threads now in the archives. There are literally dozens of threads waiting your review, if you care to look.

[jsandidge]

pinhole

In my experience Por-15 is a better material if the tank has sound metal. If the tank is heavily rusted, has or had some holes where the metal is weakened, then it's Caswell time because it's thicker and will reinforce the metal.

I was thinking Por-15 at first, but then developed a pin-hole and decided I would try Caswell. I have looked up many other posts here on tank liners. Just wanting to make sure no one has had problems with the Caswell before commiting to something that would be a real pita to undo.

[tkent02]

POR-15 is fine for pinholes, or bigger holes. They even give you a piece of screen to cover real big holes, once the stuff cures the screen is fuel proof.

It goes on thick as well, just not as thick as caswell's.

Either one would be a real PITA to undo, but the slightly thinner POR-15 is easier to apply, shouldn't need a redo. We have done three or four tanks with a POR-15 kit for one tank, it was easy to cover them all completely. Once you put it in and shake it around, you pour it back out, most of it comes out again for the next tank.

[kymasabe]

I've given up on using that bottled cr*p. I have a radiator shop in town that cleans and repairs radiators, A/C consensors, fuel tanks, etc.
I hand them my tank, they clean and seal the interior. I get it back 3 days later and it's 100%.

[tkent02]

have done a lot of tanks, none have had a problem. Maybe you should read the directions on the bottled crap, or use a brand that isn't crap.

[Kiwi Canuck]

Vote for Caswells

I used Caswells and thinned it with Lacquer thinners as per the directions, piece of cake to do and it turned out perfectly.
I had a pin hole leak so that's why I used a liner in the first place, otherwise would have just used the tank as it was.

Can't go wrong with either product as long as you follow the instructions.