Will this stuff seal a gas tank leak?

[JimPghPA]

Loctite makes some really good epoxies that can withstand exposure to gasoline with no problem. Ep-20 is my go-to epoxy for things like that, Ep-60 is a Little Bit Stronger but it stays liquid so long that sometimes it can run too much before it sets up for you so you have to kind of keep moving it around back into the proper location until it sets up, so I generally just use Ep-20 and I've never had an application where it has failed. There's also EP-NS which stands for no sag.

All of these require you to buy the dispensing gun for them because they have two barrels of different diameters that have to have the plungers move down both of them at the same rate. There are also mixing nozzles that you can buy if you really want to get fancy about it but I generally don't use the mixing nozzle and just mix on a clean piece of cardboard with a popsicle stick. Great stuff, a little expensive, but really great epoxy. The only downside to this stuff is that it has a shelf life and after 6 months or more it may not be usable anymore. You'll know it's not usable anymore when it sets up too hard in the tubes for you to be able to use it. If you get this stuff mark the tip that you remove, and beside the tip at the front of the cartridges on the same side that you mark the tip with a sharpie on one side only before you remove it so that when you put the tip back on you don't cross mix the sides of the two-sided tip, it will fit on incorrectly and you could cross contaminate the two tubes if you put the tip back on incorrectly.

If you let the cartridge set for a couple of months you might have to use a pair of pliers to remove it especially if there's been some build up of stuff on it.

Besides being able to handle hydrocarbons such as gasoline and oil, these epoxies are very rugged and adhere extremely well to just about anything, and can handle a decent amount of temperature. I fixed a bubble light that it come loose that sat on top of plastic with a 7 watt night light bulb just below it many years ago and nothing has had a lot of use because it's a light that is commonly used in the downstairs bathroom, and that EP-20 epoxy joint has held up fine with all the heat from the seven watt night light bulb that sits just below the joint.

You can buy the dispensing gun and the epoxy cartridges from the Mc-Master Car, they have an online catalog. McMaster Car has a special deal with UPS because they used to be UPS's largest customer and they get an extremely low price and they have extremely fast shipping. They passed that savings along to their customers. Quite often if you order it before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time it will be on your door before the close of business the next day, and if not definitely the day after that.

I know the dispension gun is a little expensive but you buy it once and it's good for many many years of use.

 

[The motor guy]

Here's a pic:

 

[oldgrayman]

Rough up the area around it and use a two part epoxy , or JB Weld . https://www.jbweld.com/products

 

[sweezy722]

If you use the aviation gasket material it will seal gas but you will need to use a screw in the hole as it never cures hard. Seal All is what I have had best luck with. I had no luck with JB Weld or Quicksteel.

 

[Asterix]

The fun part of fuel today is the added ethanol. Long-term, that ethanol will eat into JB Weld and any other epoxy. Every JB Weld product contains the same epoxy base, be it the standard two-tube goop or a stick product, like SteelStik.

That Permatex aviation gasket maker dissolves easily in alcohol, so will last the shortest time.

Urethane is the way to go if you expect a long-term repair with any ethanol. Options are: Permatex PermaShield, 3M DP620NS.

 

[The motor guy]

The fun part of fuel today is the added ethanol. Long-term, that ethanol will eat into JB Weld and any other epoxy. Every JB Weld product contains the same epoxy base, be it the standard two-tube goop or a stick product, like SteelStik.

That Permatex aviation gasket maker dissolves easily in alcohol, so will last the shortest time.

Urethane is the way to go if you expect a long-term repair with any ethanol. Options are: Permatex PermaShield, 3M DP620NS.

Works great on my not fittings. Never noticed any leaks

 

[Cujet]

I don't know if Aviation gasket sealer will work on that tank. It's not really optimal for such a task, but if applied every day for a week, maybe you could build up enough to seal the hole reliably.

In the end, I tend to fix plastic tanks by screwing something in with sealant. Too bad that's on a corner, as this makes it a little bit more difficult to simply drive in a fastener with some sealant. Even so, I'm more likely to try something like a fastener than simply a sealant. I like a mechanical "fix".

I repaired the (worn through by vibration) windshield squirter tank bottom-corner, on my old Jaguar X-Type, by drilling a 1/2 inch hole, and machining a plug that was a bit oversized. I used a heat gun to just slightly soften the plastics and pushed the plug in. No leaks. I made a part from Delrin, that looked like this:

 

[The motor guy]

I don't know if Aviation gasket sealer will work on that tank. It's not really optimal for such a task, but if applied every day for a week, maybe you could build up enough to seal the hole reliably.

In the end, I tend to fix plastic tanks by screwing something in with sealant. Too bad that's on a corner, as this makes it a little bit more difficult to simply drive in a fastener with some sealant. Even so, I'm more likely to try something like a fastener than simply a sealant. I like a mechanical "fix".

I repaired the (worn through by vibration) windshield squirter tank bottom-corner, on my old Jaguar X-Type, by drilling a 1/2 inch hole, and machining a plug that was a bit oversized. I used a heat gun to just slightly soften the plastics and pushed the plug in. No leaks. I made a part from Delrin, that looked like this:

I'll probably just use that seal all stuff that one guy recommended. Technically I could just leave it because that area, which I guess I didn't show is actually above the filler neck, so it's basically just supposed to be air for expansion when the tank is full, but it does leak after bouncing around on the trailer. Funny it doesn't leak while mowing

 

[The motor guy]

I'll probably just use that seal all stuff that one guy recommended. Technically I could just leave it because that area, which I guess I didn't show is actually above the filler neck, so it's basically just supposed to be air for expansion when the tank is full, but it does leak after bouncing around on the trailer. Funny it doesn't leak while mowing

I think if I the aviation stuff fails, then it will make it hard for anything else to work after that.

 

[Trav]

JB Weld..

There are a few pros and cons to using JB weld for ethanol resistance.


Pros:

• JB weld is specifically designed to adhere to metal and create a waterproof seal. This makes it ideal for use in areas where ethanol resistance is required, such as fuel tanks or lines.
• JB weld can resist high temperatures, making it ideal for use in areas where hot liquids will be present.

Cons:

• JB weld is not as flexible as some other materials, so it may crack if used in areas where vibration is an issue.
• It is also important to note that JB weld is not 100% ethanol resistant. While it will resist most ethanol blends, it is not recommended for use with 100% pure ethanol.
• Another con is that JB weld takes longer to cure than some other options, so you will need to plan and allow plenty of time for it to set before using the area where it is applied.
• JB weld takes 24 hours to fully cure, so it is not ideal for use in emergencies.