RREEVES

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Plan on removing the tank, doesn't leak unless the tank is about half full.......

Thanks,

Frankie the Fink

I'm told, but don't personally have proof, that the newer ethanol-based fuels eat away at the lining in these old tanks....so if its leaking in one place its probably weak in others.

I don't mess around with flammable liquids or vapors so I'd personally replace it. wmf62 (Bill) on this forum has replaced his and he can tell you where he got his from if you will consider that...

Frank

wmf62

Frank
he said 'fiberglass' tank.. and the only OEM fiberglass tank i know of would be the BIG tank.

if it is a fiberglass tank and it is leaking from something other than a obvious hole, then i would suggest one of two things:

1. replace the tank. there are supposedly repros available

2, get some of the 'pour on the tank' sealer stuff they use for metal tanks and work it around the entire inside of the take so that it is completely lined with the sealer.

if it is a metal tank, then there are replacement metal tanks are available from a number of sources other than the corvette vendors. just do a Google search. mine was made by Spectra and is available many places.
Bill

Bill

Frankie the Fink

Good advice - if he has the 24 gal 'big' tank he has a rarity indeed...

GCD1962

Bill - I don't think the sealer would work in a fiberglass tank. If the tank is leaking it means it has a crack or split which will only keep getting bigger in time. The sealer would not flex enough to prevent that. Only correct way to fix a fiberglass tank would be to repair it with fiberglass.

If a metal tank, then just buy a new one, its more cost effective in the long run. I bought mine from Corvette Central

RREEVES

Yes, this is the 36.5 gallon fiberglass tank, I just wondered if someone
locally has experience with this type of repairs.....
I thought about checking for over the counter sealants.....not sure if that would only be a temporary fix........

Pop Chevy

My 66 Racer had the big tank in it. It was notched out to clear the roll bar and fiberglassed back together. No big deal, just looked like regular fiberglass mat and resin. I ran high octane racing fuel in it.
Pops

RREEVES

Thanks for the information, since the mating and resin worked on your tank...i suppose it's worth a try.......

P Knopp

fix what you can with glass then use the epoxy sealer from these guys http://www.caswellplating.com/

Ron Miller

Can you tell if it's leaking at a seam, or at another damage point where it has a crack or split?

If it's leaking at a seam, it might be worth trying to see if it will come completely apart at the seam. That'd let you properly re-bond the whole thing at the seam without messing up the tank. If it's a seam, I'd think chances are good that it'll continue to separate at the seam over time.

If it has a hole or other damage, you might be able to repair just that area.

If you should choose to use one of the coatings for the interior, be sure you get the type compatible with ethanol gasoline, there used to be two types available. My experience with this stuff (Por 15, specifically) is that it's pretty flexible and durable, it'll seal some pretty good sized holes, up to at least 1/8" diameter. I've used it on old motor scooter tanks that have been rusted through, not a leak to date. But, once you put the stuff inside the tank, it's there to stay. Be sure you take that into consideration.

(They even tell you in the instructions that you may have to drill out or otherwise open the gas line connection into the tank, as it'll get sealed over as well in some cases. These are 1/4" to 3/8" lines, but a drill bit makes short work of opening these).

Whatever you decide, remember you're working around a potential bomb, an old gas tank with fumes inside. Power tools can cause an explosion or fire from the sparks between the brushes and commutator.

RREEVES

Not exactly sure where the leak is at until I remove the tank, but where do you find someone to coat the inside of the tank......

mike coletta

Just a thought. I think that these tanks were made using epoxy resin. You might want to do some research on that. You can "stick" epoxy to polyester, but not the other way around. Mike Coletta

JohnZ

You might check with a marina - many boat tanks are fiberglass, and they'll know what resins work.

RREEVES

Your the undisputed expert JOHN Z on this forum, I certainly value your advice.........

Ron Miller

Coating the inside of the tank isn't that big of a deal, actually. I'm sure you could do it yourself should you choose to do so. About all it takes is to pour the stuff into the tank (since you don't have a metal tank with rust and flaking to deal with inside the tank) and turn the tank over and around so the coating covers the entire inside of the tank. It would probably help to have a buddy assist in rotating the tank.

Once the inside is thoroughly coated, pour the excess out and let it cure for a period, about 24 hours as I remember.

Eastwood is one of the suppliers that handles the stuff, there are plenty of others as well. I'm sure you could go to the "Hemmings" online site and find some advertisements for suppliers as well.

RREEVES

My only concern is the fuel line fittings being pluged with the coating inside the tank, since i can't remove them without doing damage to the tank.........

bigredbrad

I dont quite understand this one. You have a tanker and you are looking for a cheap way out to do this repair??? Splash around an inside the tank sealer and cross your fingers?

No offense, but get real. Is it worth taking a chance on getting it wrong? Whats the worst that can happen - Oh, nothing serious except maybe fuel leaking, catching on fire and your car burning to the ground.

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP NOW!!!

As john z said - get to a professional fiberglass or boat company that does serious repairs. This is no time for shortcuts or cheap fixes.

bigredbrad

Ron Miller

I'm not familiar with how the fittings install into the tank, but unless you have a way to clear them they'll certainly be plugged. If they go straight in a drill bit, turned by hand to preclude sparking a fire, will work. If they're curved, I don't know.

Sean Dunshee

The fittings just thread into the tank so they should be able to be removed with no problem. Once they are out I would install plugs in the holes so the coating doesn't mess up the threads. If you decide you need a whole new repro tank let me know.

65 vette dude

The boating industry in South Florida are having a lot of problems due to ethanol,and fiberglass tanks. Boat owners have been told to remove the glass tanks,and replace with metal. Its a serious problem,that could lead to engine failure. I would get with a marine store and see if there is a sealer that's available that will work on fiberglass,and is impervious to ethanol. Either that,or change to racing gas,or av gas.