found all the holes?

[Anonymous]

Wish me luck fellow GSers will be putting the fuel tank petcock and gauge together this week, patched the tank (temporaraly) with JB weld and put some new paint on........hopefully will get some summer riding soon...........

[AOD]

JB Weld worked good for a pin-hole size hole on the bottom of my tank.

[Anonymous]

Hope you've sealed the inside of the tank. There would be a lot of rust where it ate through to the outside.

[Anonymous]

fuel tank

JB weld sealed up holes I could see but not the ones I couldn't going to try again srip paint sand down re seal with something.....

[cbxchris]

Go to a marine dealer and get some marine tex (spelling?). It is especially made for gas applications.....best stuff in the world for sealing a gas tank...you can even apply it with gas dripping out of the tank but I wouldn`t. Its also great for fiberglass repairs or plastic. Very sandable and you can paint over it.

[argonsagas]

Re: fuel tank

JB weld sealed up holes I could see but not the ones I couldn't going to try again srip paint sand down re seal with something.....

Since the JB is not doing the job, (presumably the holes are too big and/or too many) and you have made the decision to strip and sand the tank, you get to learn a new technique: Fiberglass installation. Guaranteed you will have no leaks when done.

(Note....if you have a lot of tiny holes, the rust has done extensive damage, and you now have a weak bottom in your tank. Only a full coating will give long-term results)

Fiberglass comes in a loose, stranded version, like a shedding blanket, and in a woven cloth. Stay away from the blanket and use the cloth only. Work in the shade as you want the resins to set up evenly, with no hot spots.

Remove the petcock, and fuel sender (if you have one). If you have dents, leave them there; they can be dealt with later.

Cover the entire bottom of the tank, to about half-way up, which should be well above the point where you have the holes.

Cut the cloth with a big pair of scissors or shears, not a knife.

Cut it to fit the tank as well as possible, and, when ready to continue, put on a pair of disposable plastic gloves, (have a bunch of them ready...one pair will not be enough) mix up your resin according to directions. Using a brush, paint your liquid resin liberally onto the tank, making sure there are NO bare spots, then immediately place the fabric over it.

DO NOT wet the fabric first.

No matter how careful you were in cutting it, and adjusting it, it won't fit now. :P

Since it sticks immediately to the resin, you will have to push, prod and pull the cloth until you get the fit you need.

The moment you start this process, you will see that you don't have enough resin, and feel an overwhelming urge to put MUCH more on the tank before continuing with the cloth. Resist that urge.

Mixed resin is fairly thick, and if you covered the repair area well, you have enough.

Press it down throughly. Do not leave air bubbles. If it is a bit rough, don't worry about it, as it will sand out later.

By the time you have the cloth in place, the resin should be starting to thicken just a bit. This is perfect as you want it to completely cover and penetrate the cloth, but not run everywhere. Each brand is different, and the catalyst sometimes works faster than you expect.

(Note: If it has started to set up and gel, you will need to make a new batch, but follow the instructions on your brand of resin. If the stuff has started to set-up, it may tell you to wait for it to complete that process before putting on a second coat.)

As long as the resin is liquid, brush it over the entire cloth, carefully, so as not to displace your newly-positioned work.

Have a beer (mmmm.....mmmmore)

Your tank is now sealed, but, to do a superior job, you should put on a second coat, cutting the cloth just a bit short of the edges of the first application. Follow the directions of your brand of resin for putting on a second coat.

Sand it well before putting on the second coat, wash it down, and dry it off. It must be absolutely dry before contining.

Cutting the second cloth short will allow for less bulk to deal with , so you get easier sanding and finishing.

Sand it and paint it. Check out the painting tips on the GS site.


...regarding the rust inside....

Clean out as much as you can before doing the fiberglass work....put in a bunch of bolts, nuts, etc and shake it around VERY well, then dump the pieces, turn the tank upside down, shove in a hose and wash it well.

Preferably do this on a hot, sunny day, so it will dry quickly and not allow more rust to build after washing. Some "flash" rust will form, but don't worry about it.

After the tank is fiberglassed, you can coat the inside to prevent more rust forming. You can bypass this step, but I recommend you take it, as your tank is in bad shape, and it will continue to rust away and clog up your petcock, fuel line and/or fuel filter. You will DEFINITELY need a fuel filter.

Do the interior coating before painting the tank.

If you did the job well, or even fairly well, you will have no more holes for the next decade or more.


Earl: did I miss anything?