Aluminum fuel tank repair?

[blacktip18]

I have some small pin holes around one of the fittings on the top of my 30gal aluminum belly tank. Is there a way to fix this. Like a liquid metal or some sort of sealent. Or is my only option to open the floor and replace the tank. $$$<br /><br />It's a 18ft center console with 88hp Evinrude outboard

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

"JB Weld" will work. Just clean it real well and scuff sand the area for it to hold better.<br /><br />I'd sure check it over very carefully. Those holes may be indicitave of its overall condition. If there is much more than just them, I'd be thinking about replacing it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

Word has it that MarineTex would be a better epoxy to repair gas tanks. Are the holes all the way thru?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

Blacktip, I use Marine-Tex and cloth on gas tank repairs. Clean the area by sanding and wiping with acetone. Cut the cloth to size and then try to work the Marine-tex into the cloth fibers, place the cloth over the area under repair, and use a putty knife to make it smooth. It works very well.

 

[martinmanfan]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

I don't know the economics in your neck of the woods, but wouldn't replacing the tank make sense since galvanic corrosion is present? I just fabricated a 25 gal. belly tank at our shop and the guy was charged $85 which included fittings....I feel this is too good of a price, but I didn't write the work order...<br /><br />As for patching, I would think you will be getting more pin holes in the near future due to the corrosion getting a firmer grip on the material...

 

[Scali]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

Marine tex, once used it to repair a cracked oil pan on a 72 Bronco I used to thrash..<br />repair lasted till I sold it @v least 3 years.<br />My vote is for Marine Tex.

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

I have to go with the new tank. It just isn't worth finding out too late that you had more leaks, just beneath the surface. <br />Martinmanfan, 85 dollars??? I thought about going with a couple of tanks in the floor of one of my boats, and they were basically just obsolete triangles. The price quote, per tank, was 1100 dollars with it's fittings. Send me your shop's phone number before they go out of business.

 

[martinmanfan]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

Yeah, that was last year....($85)...That tank should have cost that guy $250, but that's what the work order read...Maybe he was a buddy or something...That was here in Yakima...ASAP can be reached at 509-453-9143...

 

[cc lancer]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

If these pin holes are from corrosion, it a good bet you also have corrosion on the bottom.

 

[fishtale1212]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

I have some small pin holes around one of the fittings on the top of my 30gal aluminum belly tank. Is there a way to fix this. Like a liquid metal or some sort of sealent. Or is my only option to open the floor and replace the tank. $$$<br /><br />It's a 18ft center console with 88hp Evinrude outboard

If the tank is 12 yrs. or older I think you are bettert off to replace it instead of worring about leakes in the future

 

[dingbat]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

If it has holes in the top it certainly isn?t far from having holes in the bottom as well.

Tearing up the floor to replace the tank now is a lot less of a headache than trying to figure out how to get 30 gallons of fuel out of the bilge when the old tank lets loose.

 

[redfury]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

And when you do, you can replace it with a plastic tank that can't corrode....

 

[Big Keepers]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

And when you do, you can replace it with a plastic tank that can't corrode....

Exactly what I was going to say. The new polyethylene tanks won't suffer the problems aluminum tanks do after time. Plus ethanol doesn't give a hoot about plastic tanks. Cars have been using them for a long time. I'm restoring my MFG and I am lucky that I can unscrew a hatch and remove the tank in about fifteen minutes. Your situation is different if the decking needs to be pulled or possibly cut. Its understandable. However here are the hard facts.

You have got pin holes in your tank. I don't care how big or small they are, they are holes. Even if you patch it, I wouldn't feel safe if the tank wasn't pressure tested afterwards. Save some money and when you have enough replace the tank. For a bit of reference, I got a price quote for a new 45 gallon aluminum tank from a local here on Long Island. He said it would be about $315 for the new tank. How much is your peace of mind worth? A leaking gas tank brings about a slew of horrible possibilites, least of which is gas in your bilge. Perhaps you can temporarily use a 12 gallon above deck tank from Tempo?

Gas vapor + any small spark or electrical surge = Bye Bye Blacktip

 

[rdmmdr]

Re: Aluminum fuel tank repair?

had to replace the tank in a twin console wahoo/ whaler, tank in the glassed in seat hump.. i was about ready to kill my self, cut the hump out, fix the tank ,reinstall, feather edge the glass,epoxy back in, and regelcoat the entire interior to match. for five hundred bucks had a stainless trim cover made to match the hump with backing plates. that wahoo now has a removable tank and got it done over the weekend. no glass work. just alot of 5200. if you have to go to this much hassle to fix the tank replace it.
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