gas tank pin holes

[rusty boltz]

I was sanding the rust spots down on my tank and came across some pin sized holes from pitting . The rust cleaned up good but how do I plug these holes? They're very small toward the bottom of the tank. I was thinking of gobbing some JB weld on it then sanding it down some or some gas tank epoxy from Auto zone. Anyone done this before with good results. I dont want to get another tank, I'm broke! Thats the only problem with the tank, it seems fixable. Whudaya think??

 

[posplayr]

Sounds like a plan

Sounds like a plan

However, I would use something sharp like an ice pick and agressively look for any other weakness in the metal in the same areas. Those pin holes may just be the ones that are starting to show and there are other areas just about to go.

Do a search on Gas tank repair to see what works with Gas. I think some pepole have repaired carb float stays with some form of epoxy if not JB weld.

Good Luck Posplayr

 

[Nessism]

Caswell tank sealing epoxy is pretty thick. You could use that stuff to coat the tank up good. Wouldn't hurt to do the JB Weld on the outside as well.

Good luck.

 

[andrewclaycomb]

A while back guys were recommending taking your tank to a radiator shop and for $35 or so the shop would seal it up completely.

It's called Hot Tanking

 

[spyug]

The Caswell epoxy will likely work very well. I don't know about JB weld,s ability but I have used plumbers epoxy putty ( available at Home Depot and the like) with very good results.

My GS gas tank had holes but was fixed professionally with metal by the PO. There were a couple of holes in the weld which I plugged with the putty. I sealed the tank inside with Caswell's kit ( which I think is an excellent product).

On my XS tank I removed the clips holding the badges and managed to pull out the spot weld leaving a 1/8" hole. I did it on the other side as well. Again plugged with the putty and tank sealer.

Prior to using the putty, I made up a sample "pebble" and left it immersed in gas for over 6 weeks. There was no deterioration so I feel it is safe to use.

The XS tank has held gas now for getting on 2 years and I don't see any problems. This approach would not be as good as a pro repair but it will be cheaper.

I carry a lump of the putty in my tool roll as it would be good for any emergency hole plugging.

Let us know what you decide to do and how it works for you.

Good luck,
Spyug

 

[Eli69]

Devcon

Devcon

okay this may be premature but i have to mention this stuff i used. it's called devcon. it's an epoxy type goo that comes in a caulk gun like tube and mixes in a special tip. i recently repaired a gs1000 tank that had several rust holes along the bottom edge. i haven't used the tank yet but filled it with kerosene to clean it out and test the repair. it's been three days and there are no leaks.

this stuff is really strong. we used it in a machine shop to anchor an old centrifuge to concrete. this machine would jump right through the wall if not held down and broke or loosened all regular concrete anchors until we used the devcon on 3/4" threaded rods. after that it didn't move.

i don't know what it costs cuz i stole it from work but it's probably more than jb weld and stuff like that. i will update when i actually start using the tank. it's getting painted first.

 

[rusty boltz]

Where can I get this Caswell epoxy?

 

[sdbuchert]

About this time last year I was looking at options for sealing a very rusted GS1000 tank. I decided to use POR-15's tank cleaner/sealer kit, which used an acid to dissolve the rust, and then sealed all the small pin holes quite well. The larger holes (none of which were larger than .75mm) I filled with JB Weld after the tank sealer was totally cured. I sanded the JB Weld smooth, but made sure to leave enough to ensure a good bond to the tank. I used a little Bondo as well to feather away from the JB Weld. The tank held gas for several days before I had it painted, and now after a new paint job, looks great and it has held gas for about a year with no sign of leaks or the new paint bubbling. The POR-15 motorcycle tank restoration kit can be bought straight from their website for about $40...not cheap, but it beats buying a new tank. Good Luck!

http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?grp=CTRK&dept=11

 

[Nessism]

Where can I get this Caswell epoxy?

Google "caswell"... http://www.google.com/search?q=casw...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[rusty boltz]

Ok, got the tank stripped down to the bare steel found of couple of small rust spots but overall not bad for a 30 year old tank. I bought that plumbers epoxy from home depot and it says right on the package that is seals gas tanks. I will use that on the outside. Where can I get some caswell epoxy for the inside that I keep hearing about? Ive never used it but I know that there is some rust in the tank so I want to take care of it now while the tank is off and bare. Also how long does it last?

 

[Nessism]

Where can I get some caswell epoxy for the inside that I keep hearing about?

I provided the link for you already. Check above.

Ive never used it but I know that there is some rust in the tank so I want to take care of it now while the tank is off and bare. Also how long does it last?

You need to remove the rust first using phosphoric or oxalic acid. Patch and seal after the metal is clean.

 

[rusty boltz]

sorry I totally missed your post. thanks for being patient.

 

[vur]

I have use JB weld to repair pin hole leaks on gas tanks with great success. Repair some pin hole leaks on my CD175 two years ago, has not leaked since...

 

[rusty boltz]

Different stuff

Different stuff

So I picked up some tank sealer this week. Gonna use it tonight if it doesn't rain. Its called Kreem and was recommended by a shop owner. I plan on using this to seal the inside and jb weld to fill the outside. I decided not to use the plumbers epoxy since the hole is soooo small. Anyone heard of or used this Kreem stuff before? It seems like its good and the shop owner swore it would work perfectly if the directions were followed correctly (like anything else). It cost the same as the other stuff and I didn't have to wait for it to be shipped or pay for shipping! Plus it came with an etching acid to clean the rust out as well as a moisture removing agent to prep it for the coating. If no one can give me a reason not to use it I will post how it worked. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Nessism]

Sorry to say but Kreem has a medium to poor reputation compared to Por-15 or the other products mentioned already. This is not to say it won't work mind you, only that there are more positive comments about the other products.

 

[rusty boltz]

did not use the kreem

did not use the kreem

decided after research on here not to use the kreem, also because while trying to clean out the tank I couldn't for the life of me get all the rust out. I coulnt see any rust but when I shook it I sure could hear it rattling around. SO... I took it a local well known radiator repair place and let them deal with it. They cleaned it out good and used the red kote stuff. Only complaint I have is they did not let the excess drain out so it wouldn't dry. When I picked it up they said it was done so I stuck it on the bike just so it would be out of the way until I paint it and it leaked out all the excess (about 4 ounces!!) onto my bike and newly rebuilt carbs!! Luckily it cleaned up with some acetone and I started turning the tank to spread whatever was left. Shoulda did it myself, thats what I get for being lazy and letting someone else do something I could have done a better job if I did it myself. Another lesson learned. Man there are some crappy shops around here, no wonder no one trusts mechanics in chicago.

 

[Eli69]

devcon

devcon

i've been riding with the devcon repaired gas tank for a couple weeks now and it's working fine. there were a bunch of holes measuring from 1/16" to 1/4" along the seam. devcon dries almost clear, barely noticeable.

 

[Sandy]

I've used the POR-15 motorcycle tank repair kit with great success as have some others here. The kit comes with everything you need including patch material for the larger holes. If you don't get the rust problem totally uinder control by sealing the whole inside of the tank more pinholes will appear in the near future , especially along the bottom. If you're painting the outside of the tank these pinholes will ruin all your hard work. Do a forum search on POR-15 for lots of info. Just make sure you leave lots of time between each procedure.

 

[buttonhook]

A while back guys were recommending taking your tank to a radiator shop and for $35 or so the shop would seal it up completely.

It's called Hot Tanking

Did it!! They even fixed the hole for that price!!

 

[J_C]

Sorry for bumping this old thread but I wanted to ask you guys who did the hottanking.... buttonhook and rusty boltz.... How the radiator shop did with the tank. IE) If I have a nice paint job on the outside, no leaks, but a ton of rust, would they be able to clean and seal the tank without damaging my paint? Any advice welcome