General Petrol tank hole - fixed?

[ScottT]

A while ago i posted about problems i had with my Seicento Sporting, well today i finaly got around to trying to sort out the leaking fuel tank.
When i cleaned the area the leak was coming from i found this tiny little hole, its about 1mm dia.

Its to big to just ignore, i'm not keen only only ever putting £15's worth of petrol in every time i fill up but i dont think it warrented buying a new tank. In the past i've fixed holes sucessfully in petrol tanks using a product called Petro-Patch, i'm not sure if its even still available. Looking around a few forums (Bike & Car) a product called JB Weld seemed to be recomended, its a metal based epoxy resin and its not effected by petrol, so i tried ebay and it cost me £5 with postage.

So today after cleaning around the damaged area i've put a layer of JB Weld over it, i'll give it a few days to harden fully and hopefully i'll be able to report back that its worked.

 

[randomizered]

It'll work fine

 

[fingers99]

On a hole like that, I think it'll do it (but that damp patch just down from the arrow looks suspicious!).

It's not where they normally fail, though -- generally it's along the welded seams which are pretty much impossible to plug with epoxy.

 

[BlueDan]

It's not where they normally fail, though -- generally it's along the welded seams which are pretty much impossible to plug with epoxy.

This, if your fix works and it's not leaking anywhere else get some hammerite on asap, at least around the seams.

 

[fingers99]

There's also stuff called petseal, which I've never used (it's in the FROST catalogue, for example) which you slosh around inside the tank and, 'tis said, forms a second skin.

 

[ScottT]

There's also stuff called petseal, which I've never used (it's in the FROST catalogue, for example) which you slosh around inside the tank and, 'tis said, forms a second skin.

I did think of something like that but you need to take the tank off to do it properly otherwise it blocks the fuel pump as well.
And from what i've heard from vintage motorcycle owners, modern petrols do damage the skin after a very short time and it statrs comming off leaving bits floating around in your petrol.

That second dmap patch as you put it is possibly another smaller hole, so i made sure that was also covered.

 

[craigb244]

you can fix it with fiber glass or even normal arildite. (basically any epoxy resin)

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

I'd be tempted to pop a self tapping screw into the hole with a washer underneath to help with sealing.

Ian.