Desert Toad

Hi there,

My fuel tank has a very small pinhole in the rear seam that only leaks when it's pressurized (I can't get any air through it even if I blow into it). I'd really like to get a couple more weekends out of the plane before winter comes and I can remove the tank - it's going to be a big job! Is there anyway to patch this hole? I can reach it fairly well, but there is a lot of built up wood around it, which would be a big job to remove.

thanks,

DT

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I've fixed them with a small low heat soldering iron like you would use for small electronics.

Desert Toad

Oh, wow. Melt the seam back together! Great idea, worth a try for sure!

thanks,

DT

PS now it makes sense, read somebody fixed them with a milk carton, probably melted it into the hole. How carefull do I need to be so as not to melt the hole bigger?

Machinegun21

If the Fuel tank is plastic and if the hole is about the size of a pin then i would just use this brand of epoxy called JB Weld and just put a thin layer of that over the hole and let it sit overnight and it should be good.

BillS

The following technique might not work and may make the situation worse since the leak is on a seam.

The fuel lines on weed eaters and such are simply pushed through a hole in the tank drilled smaller than the fuel line. I have never seen a leak at the fuel line.

Drill a hole and push a short section of fuel tubing through the hole. Put a dowel in the end of the fuel tubing.

Good luck.

Bill

Desert Toad

Very familiar with JB weld, but why wouldn't regular epoxy work?

DT

Machinegun21

I have not tried to fix holes with regular epoxy so i do not know how well it would work but i can't imagine that it would work any differently.

Rodney

You may get by by just turning a small short sheet metal screw into the hole as a plug.

asmithnc

Epoxy will not stick to plastics. If air leaks through so has fuel. Jb weld might not hold good b/c of the oil in the fuel. Heat and fuel is not a good mix either. DO it the right way and replace it. It might be a big job and take longer than you want but think of the long term problems.

*JCB*

My Feedback: (9)

jb weld works well on fuel tanks. i repaired a hole in the tank of my rc boat with it and haven't had a problem yet...but asmithnc is right, just replace the tank, they're cheap and it will be a lot less work in the end.

Desert Toad

Well I took a look, and it was easy to pull the tank, but now I need to figure out the right kind of tank for my YS engine. It seems the motor made way too much pressure for the cheap tank I had.

DT

d_bodary

My Feedback: (85)

I have used hayes tanks with great success with my YS engines. Second way more expensive by far is use a tettra tank from central hobbies. About 15.00 depending on the size. I've used both and had great success both ways. zero failure. I have also seen du-bro tanks used with YS engines and some have popped the stopper out. and some have worked great. may or may not be the assembler.
Dennis