Rusty fuel tank

"Seal-all"

Yep, but I need it by tomorrow, noon, and I was thinking more on the line of a "liquid tank liner" rather than just patching up the holes. If all I needed was to fix pinholes, I'd hard-solder them shut from the outside. I want to seal off and further protect the inside of the tank so I don't have to do this again any time soon.

LLoyd

See if a nearby auto/motorcycle/marine store has some "creem" fuel tank liner.

Dave

Yeah... they don't stock Kreem or the O-13 goo. I can get it all mail-order, but not by tomorrow.

This is the old case of, "The boss wants to borrow the log splitter this weekend" syndrome. The splitter's been sitting idle for more than a year, and the tank's gone to hell.

I did the "Briggs shot rattle" last night with pebbles, then a chain, then roofing nails, but just couldn't get it clean enough to run for more than ten minutes between screen cleanings. If I owned a paint shaker, or could noisy up a local store for about a half-hour, I bet I could get it clean that way .

Still would like to seal-coat it, though.

So, the original question, modified -- Have any of you used any "non-traditional" tank sealer/liner products that worked?

LLoyd

Go to the airport and see if anyone has some Randolph sloshing sealer. Used to seal the insides of floats, and also to seal fuel tanks although it's "Not Recommended" for that purpose. Works fine, and the gasoline catalyzes it to set it. If you are in a lrage enough city, a local aircraft parts supplier will likely have some in stock.

Dan

Here's a link:

The epoxy you have should do the trick. Damn few solvents on the planet will affect epoxy and gasoline isn't one of them. I have used 'cold cure' epoxy for a similar application with no problem.

Thanks. I have two licensed A&P-equipped FBOs within a half-hour's drive.

LLoyd

Thanks, Ken. That's good news in light of the fact that I have everything already.

(Even a gallon of MEK, Dan )

LLoyd

I have been using "Red-Kote" for years with great results. i get it from my "local" (town is 35 miles away) radiator shop. Rinse with MEK or Acetone and slosh it, set an old computer cooling fan over the opening to create a moderate airflow and speed drying. "Muffin fans" are brushless and won't make sparks. I a time pinch like you are, i would just get a new gas can, solder a tube into the side near the bottom, and set it on a stump with a hose feeding the splitter.

I use old battery acid all the time to clean old tanks... Then neutralize it with baking soda...

Lloyd E. Sp> Guys,

You need to work , instead ( Chemistry ) , with Briggs/Stratton ........ A Honda will outlast it by 100% ! and get better fuel econo .

Gas tanks are lots of trouble . A friend wanted to build his own for a custom , MIG'd it 3 times , still leaked .

I guess thats why they use expensive steel seam welders , and now plastic .....

Thats a crime ....PLASTIC , but it will be OK since the government sues Doctors out of business for liability , not car makers .....

I make shop gas cans from Propane or R-12 or Helium balloon bottles , cause i only have to weld a small hole in top ...

I made a air tank from 6 old R-12 tanks , but i inverted them so all rust would be at the neck ...

BTW anyone know Digi-mikes from ENCO that have 2 memories , so i can switch back/forth effortlessly between ABS and RELATIVE reading ? how about SPI set of 3 for $250 ?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Chuck

Right. The engine is over twenty years old, and runs fine except for my bad of not winterizing it before I put it to bed. It cranked on the third pull after over a year of sitting.

I don't think a twenty-plus year service life qualifies that engine, Briggs or not, as "unreliable".

LLoyd

Put a fitting in the side of a jerry can and stand it up next to the log splitter. Your current gas tank is toast..so get another one ....work around it.

Adapt, improvise, overcome. I one ran a gas genset with a hose connected to a motorcycle gas tank..still on the bike, to give it some elevation. Thats all we had and we needed the genny.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Lloyd, Call B&S dealer. pick up a new tank. Cheaper and more reliable than fancy epoxy sealers and hoping that they work.

Bob

Okay, so I'm late and catching up, but Gunner wrote on Fri, 08 Dec 2006 17:02:24 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :

I saw photographs of a swamp truck with a can of gas on the roof of the cab, and a tube to the carb. Seems the fuel pump had quit, and he didn't have time, inclination or money (anyone or all three) to replace it. And for where he was driving (the swamp) didn't matter no how anyway.