Patching a round hole in a poly fuel tank

a_kelley

a_kelley

mechanical fixer
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Location
Rutherfordton
I've got a 3/8" round hole in a poly fuel tank... Any suggestions to patch it? Some thief drilled a hole in someone's tank. Any compounds that will stick? Expansion plug type solution? I tried a pipe plug with tape on it but it didn't ever really get tight and bottomed out, hole might have been a little too big for the size I tried though. Oh and I'm trying to avoid having to drop the tank. (Or I would have put a nut on the inside and bolt outside with o rings.)
 
Make a repair patch, scuff both, prep with acetone. Then glue.
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Or plastic welder, new tank. I have saw this used a few times. Lucky enough to never need it myself.
 
Low surface energy (LSE) plastics are a bitch. Look into 3M DP8010 Blue, which is the best adhesive product I can think of to bond a patch in place (better gasoline resistance than DP8005). It will be expensive by the time you buy a cartridge (probably $45) and buy/borrow the proper dispenser gun and disposable mixing nozzle. You're probably looking at $100 or more for a complete adhesive solution to bond a patch in place and have it work properly..

There are some LSE patch products for auto body repair (bumpers, etc) but have no idea about solvent resistance as they're not really designed for that. 3M and Lord Fusor auto body product lines may have something that will work.

A plastic welder is the cheapest option that will actually function, most likely. Again, LSE plastics are a bitch, especially when holding a solvent like fuel. This would be a little easier for something less critical like a water tank.
 
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How fast will they be going? If it's under 100mph, regular duct tape will work. If it's over 100mph, you need the high speed stuff.
 
I'm going to have to suggest that since there is obviously no fuel in the tank to go ahead and drop it and replace it. If you do not, it will eventually leak no matter what you use to patch it.
 
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