Fuel tank repair

This is a simple fuel tank/handle leak repair I did to a 046 that always was stinky with the smell of gas. After checking the tank vent for faults I removed the tank from the saw and gave it a good cleaning.



Sure enough directely under the impulse hose was a inch long crack. It was impossible to see until the tank was removed and cleaned. A quick check with some soapy water and light air pressure into the tank verified the leak.

Using a deburring bit on a dremel I roughed up the plastic on the crack and about a half inch around.

All cleaned of grease and ready for seal all.

After a quick blast of air to remove the filings I applied the seal all with a popsicle stick. This stuff is for gasoline tank repairs and starts to skin over really fast when exposed to air. I bought this sealant at a local hardware store and had excellant results with it in the past.

After 24 hours it's fully cured. The manufacturer says 6 hours, but since it was put on a little thick the extra curing time could not hurt.

Ready for a new impulse hose and back onto the saw.

skid row said:

After 24 hours it's fully cured. The manufacturer says 6 hours, but since it was put on a little thick the extra curing time could not hurt.

Ready for a new impulse hose and back onto the saw.

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That is good stuff. I have sealed the bottoms on several old Homies that leaked on the bottom seams from gasket failure. You must, like you said, clean and rough. I have one thats held up for at least 5 years with no leaks.

That stuff is the hydrogen bomb of tank sealers. I reused an 025 tank that had been treed...the crack was easily three inches long and zagged all over. I ended up just tipping the saw bar up and pooling this stuff into the back of the tank. I was doing this as a temporary measure 'till I could come up with another tank. Well, now I've got the replacement tank but the fix is working so well there's no real reason to swap out. Guess I'll just have to build another 025!!

I will say the material is not that easy to work with.. it's sticky/tacky in most unworldly way, and stops being workable VERY quickly. Having said that... GREAT stuff.

When repairing cracks you should drill very small hole at both ends of the crack to stop it from running, do this before the repair.

John R said:

When repairing cracks you should drill very small hole at both ends of the crack to stop it from running, do this before the repair.

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Touching the crack or not?

Yes. ~2/3 outside and ~1/3 touching the crack.

7

I don't understand

jtc16 said:

I don't understand

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As long as the hole is touching the crack and as long as the crack does not go beyound the hole everything is ok.

7

Ok thanks. I pulled the saw apart and find out it is not a crack in the tank its, what I think is called, the impulse line coming from the tank that is leaking. Seems to be leaking out around the base but I'm not certain. I'm going to post a new thread

blackoak said:

That is good stuff. I have sealed the bottoms on several old Homies that leaked on the bottom seams from gasket failure. You must, like you said, clean and rough. I have one thats held up for at least 5 years with no leaks.

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What is the name of that gas tank sealer?
If it was showing in his pictures the pictures don't view on my computer.

Also the reason a hole is drilled at the end of a crack: When the crack sees the hole is has a stress relief and will not extend past,
For example: analogy
Kinda similar to a redneck But crack having a hole at the end of it, if no hole the crack would just keep cracking and possibly extend up the front side due to internal pressure stress from being constipated or bloated due to too much green beer and when extended up front the redneck would have to use a transgender rest room so as to be politically correct.