Plastic Petrol Tank Repair - Now with Pics!

[gtd2000]

Well I'm back over in Florida for the winter once more and our trusty Nissan 240SX (S14) has sprung a leak in the fuel tank - perhaps I'll get lucky and find that it's actually one of the hoses that's failed???

 

I really didn't foresee that the 240SX came with a plastic fucking tank - I expected the completely rust free car to go on forever with a metal tank.....

 

It seems that the 240SX is quite well known for the tank cracking once it gets older (fucking great!) and it's a very hard part to find and potentially a ball aching 8 hours to replace FFS!!!

 

Last time I was over here, I did spy a well smashed up 240SX (S14a) facelift in the local breakers yard that might be an option if it still there....

 

Failing the option of a used petrol tank any feedback for tips on potential repairs to plastic fuel tanks -or is this simply an exercise in futility?

 

Edit:

Well I got the camera out yesterday and this is what I found:

 

Well I had been hoping that the petrol leak might just be a faulty line, so I opened up the inspection plate...

 

 

Didn't look like much was wrong there so I got down to have a look under the car again...

 

 

Noticed that there was something not quite right with the finish of the tank next to the strap...

 

 

 

It would be nice if I was wrong - but does this look pretty much like a crack in the tank to you guys?

 

 

I suppose I'll need to find a used tank now to replace this one.....

 

But after reading that you need to remove the rear sub-frame to get the fucking tank out it'll have a go at some sort of in-situ tank repair first......

 

See here...

 

http://www.240sxforums.com/forums/general-tech/130588-cracked-gas-tank-s14-need-help.html

 

 

 

[Shep Shepherd]

Is a bodging compound like "Petro Patch" available in the States?

 

[gtd2000]

I can certainly check it out - from what I've read it seems that most adhesive type cures are fairly incompatible with petrol and only last a very short time before failing again - naturally, I'd like to get this right before spending 8 hours sorting it out

[Tayne]

Doesn't chewing gum set like concrete when it comes into contact with petrol?

[Fat_Pirate]

JB Weld is my preferred bodging paste, says it's impervious to petrol too.

[nigel bickle]

Playdoo. The kids stuff. Molds easily & sets solid when in cointact with petrol. I used it 10+ years ago and it lasted till the car was sold several years later.

[Volksy]

Playdoo. The kids stuff. Molds easily & sets solid when in cointact with petrol. I used it 10+ years ago and it lasted till the car was sold several years later.

 

Also available in a range of bright colours!

*non toxic, other modeling clays are available

[DSdriver]

Convert to LPG?

[gtd2000]

Convert to LPG?

 

Costs a fortune here in the USA and not really an option

[gtd2000]

Playdoo. The kids stuff. Molds easily & sets solid when in cointact with petrol. I used it 10+ years ago and it lasted till the car was sold several years later.

 

That's an interesting fix

[gtd2000]

I've also been reading about possible fixes that use old bits of soap bars rubbed into the crack...ooh err Mrs!

[KruJoe]

If that pic of your damage is the full extent of it, I'd be tempted to have a go with a soldering iron, if you need to feed in some extra material, I believe you can use black plastic zip-ties.

Erm... some precaution against fire may be required...

[nigel bickle]

Thats not a crack -more like a chasm.

 

Replace it. Too big for a safe mend

[retrogeezer]

Looks like that hinged bit is what has caused the crack, make sure it is not moving around as it will just do the same thing with a new tank.

[Des]

That's a bugger, the whole point of plastic tanks is that you're not hassled with leaks. Looks like its split from the tension of the mounting straps squishing it, and it probaly flexes a fair amount when full which would render any adhesive repair futile when the crack open / closes. For a temporary fix your best hope might be to cut a patch out of an old number plate, batter it to shape and mount with lots of self tappers, use something like a mousemat for a gasket, with good smearing of hylomar or any other petrol resistant gasket snot.

[DSdriver]

With two such drasticly different repair methods on offer I suppose it depends how much you like the car.

If you want to keep it for ever, have the subframe out and give everything a good coat of underseal to protect it from those harsh Florida winters and replace the tank making any modifications that you think might stop it from happening again.

Or plan b: bodge it and flog it.

[gtd2000]

Regarding the soldering iron repair, this chap in Houston was successful with his efforts:

 

 

 

 

[gtd2000]

With two such drasticly different repair methods on offer I suppose it depends how much you like the car.

If you want to keep it for ever, have the subframe out and give everything a good coat of underseal to protect it from those harsh Florida winters and replace the tank making any modifications that you think might stop it from happening again.

Or plan b: bodge it and flog it.

 

That's the irony here - there's not a bit of rust on the chassis/subframe at all on the car...might be some rusty coloured bits on the exhaust but that's it!

[gtd2000]

Looks like that hinged bit is what has caused the crack, make sure it is not moving around as it will just do the same thing with a new tank.

 

Yeah that's the word on the street over here - lots of cars have been affected by the problem - I wonder if it's common with the UK 200SX S14 model?

[gtd2000]

Playdoo. The kids stuff. Molds easily & sets solid when in cointact with petrol. I used it 10+ years ago and it lasted till the car was sold several years later.

 

Also available in a range of bright colours!

*non toxic, other modeling clays are available

 

I think I might try that first as a test - should be easily enough cleaned out if it does not work surely?

[gtd2000]

That's a bugger, the whole point of plastic tanks is that you're not hassled with leaks. Looks like its split from the tension of the mounting straps squishing it, and it probaly flexes a fair amount when full which would render any adhesive repair futile when the crack open / closes. For a temporary fix your best hope might be to cut a patch out of an old number plate, batter it to shape and mount with lots of self tappers, use something like a mousemat for a gasket, with good smearing of hylomar or any other petrol resistant gasket snot.

 

I think if I have to remove the tank the best option will be to actually replace the tank - but due to the amount of labour involved using a second hand tank might not be the best idea.

 

I'm all for a repair of course, if it's going to be successful - I am Scottish after all!

 

Something at the back of my mind is just to do a simple repair to seal the tank then only fill it up half way at most to avoid as much stress as possible.