Leaking Diesel Fuel Tank: Repair or Replace?

[Scup]

Just heard from the OEM supplier...

of course, they don't stock the tank, and a newly fabricated one will take 5-6 weeks (which takes me beyond half the season at this point) and at a cost of $450 plus shipping. Seriously? For an 8 gallon tank? :cussing:

 

[centerline]

I would not:

2. use a "blind process" like the POR-15 technique to coat the inside of the old tank because the coating might result in loose particles that could clog the fuel delivery system.

2. or repair the pinhole in the old tank with Marine-Tex (grey because it's better than the white version). It was a simple and quick repair that stopped a pinhole gasoline (not gasohol) leak in a steel tank for more than five years.

Robert M.

two things here to clarify....
1.... using the POR 15 product is IMPOSSIBLE, repeat IMPOSSIBLE for it to leave loose particles.... anyone familiar with the product will testify to the same. it will coat and seal in any loose particles that may already be in the tank, but will never create any or come loose from the tank if the tank is dry when the POR 15 is installed.

2....anyone that has used epoxy to plug a leak in a metal a tank knows it works wonderfully well..... until the tank decides to corrode around the edge of the epoxy.
marinetex can make a repair that could last a lifetime, but thats not always the case. the tank is still prone to corrosion elswhere...

The POR 15 product creates a polymer fuel bag that adheres to the inside of the tank..... the tank could corrode completely away from it and it would still safely contain the fuel..... its a tough product. i have used it many times in different applications and it has proven to live up to the claims of the manufacture....

 

[anchorclanker]

poly vs aluminum, vs bonding??? I can see the controversy if this were a gasoline tank, gasoline is highly flammable. But this is diesel. Americans want everything grounded and bonded, I dont think the rest of the world cares much one way or the other, at least as it pertains to diesel.

OTOH, water doesnt absorb into diesel as well as gasoline. Water will just roll around on the bottom of the tank and will eventually rust or corrode a steel or aluminum tank, and all the grounding or bonding in the world wont prevent it, though it will probably help it along.

I would install a good poly tank and forget about all of it.

 

[robertsapp]

Also, diesel doen't contain ethanol, nor willl it in the future. It would maka you engine goa kablooey.

 

[Scup]

Source for a small (8 gallon) poly tank?

Since I have a Yanmar 1GM10 that I use for in/out of the harbor, I still only fill up/top off my 8 gallon tank about once per year. My google searching only brings up 12 gallon tanks (or higher) with footprints that are too large. I simply don't need or want a 12+ gal. capacity tank.

Any suggestions?

 

[Scup]

Update on Leaking Fuel Tank

Once I removed the tank and cleaned it really well on the inside, I took it to an aluminum welding shop in the area. Their overall assessment of the tank was that it was in really good shape. The PO apparently sealed up some prior leaks on the bottom with J-B Weld or something similar. One of those "repairs" blew out, causing the leakage. The welding company removed the J-B Weld, then dye tested the entire tank, and found six additional leaks! They spot welded the leaks for a total cost of $50. I have now re-installed the tank (a tight squeeze through the lazarette, and horsing the tank back into place was no easy task while lying on my back--the fill hose is only 8" long and inflexible, so I replaced it), and it's now all good!

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on the project...much appreciated!

 

[Chris Nowell]

Wow, loads of input for this problem. For what it's worth here's our experience with welding repairs. We just finished dealing with the same problem. Me, being the cheap and impatient person that I am, had the local marine certified welding shop weld patches on the pin holes and then pressure test the tank before I reinstalled it. Their bill was under $100.00. Sure enough, after many hours of labor and only a couple of weeks back in service, the tank started weeping again. The second time around I priced out new tanks and ended up having the welding shop fabricate a new one based on the measurements of the old one. I'm sure that without the high tech computer software they have this would have been considerably more time consuming and expensive but they were able to duplicate the original tank in under two days for $400.00 CDN and a flat of Bud. (way to go Excel Metalworks!!!) It's unfortunate that I didn't know about this POR 15 product at the time because it would have saved me the expense plus all the labor of tank r&r TWICE. I wonder if I'll ever learn to do it properly and do it once. Good luck.