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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Petrol tank sealant

Not really spridget related but it could be as it relates to leaky petrol tanks. I've been asked by a neighbour to modify a couple of petrol tanks for a Land Rover as the originals have small leaks. The vehicle is an ex military one and the new tanks are about £200, whereas the standard one of the same shape with the filler in a different location is £60 so he wants me to move the filler on a new unused tank, I've done that before on my sprite with a new tank as the frogeye tank has no rubber coupling sleeve, just a metal filler and all that was available at the time was the later type.

Anyway that's the preamble so it occurred to me that tank sealers have been around for years so I thought I would ask here if anyone has any experience with them. I note that Frost in the UK has a POR15 tank sealer and not that expensive but are these sealers any good?
David Billington

I did the tank in my Minor around 30 years ago with a can of 'slosh sealant' from Woolies and I've never had any problems with leakage or rust sediment.

I've still got both the car and the can (sad or what!) and the can's contents are still 'sloshing' when shaken. It's labelled as Woolies "Slosh" Tank Sealant but the label beneath that says it's 3M Fuel Resistant Coating EC776. 1L should be sufficient for a 12 gallon tank so there's probably still enough left in the can do do my Sprite tank.

When I bought it I'm sure I read somewhere that it was unsuitable for use with unleaded petrol (which was only just coming onto the market at the time). When I spoke to a chap on the Woolies stand at Stoneleigh I'm pretty sure he said it should be OK with unleaded once the sealant has cured properly. Any product sold now must surely be suitable for unleaded but it would be worth checking before sloshing.

From personal experience, I would also recommend removing the strainer from the fuel pick up as the sealer will seal it very effectively!

A good excuse to get sloshed for once!

Cheers

COlin

Colin Mee

The modern ethanol fuels can melt older types of sealant. I've heard stories of sealers peeling away into a mushy mess in the bottom of the tank! It also attacks solder which is evident on my leaking motorbike tank and is known to affect older floats in carbs that are soldered brass.
John Payne

Two part epoxy putty on the outside has worked for me
Bob Ketcham

David

I used the American sourced stuff from Frost - quite expensive as I recall (well over £50 I think) after I modified my tank and the fuel was seeping through the mig welds.

Part of the kit was the metal cleaner stuff that cleans the surface up to make the sealer adhere properly.

Did it all very carefully, followed the instructions as closely as possible.

Lasted about a week before the whole lot flaked off and filled the tank with a mushy flaky mess. Only realised when the car packed up. Couldn't work out why it appeared to have run out of petrol with plenty in it - pick up was basically blocked with all the crap.

For the cost of the kit, and the chance of getting it wrong, I wouldn't bother with it again.

In the end I bought a new tank, fabbed up what I wanted doing, and got it Tigged by a mate.

HTH, Lloyd
L McInally

I haven't tried it, but Fertan have a fuel tank sealant...

http://www.fertan.co.uk/item-Tapox.htm

http://www.classic-oils.net/Product-342/Garage-and-cleaning/Rust-Protection/Fertan-Tapox-Tank-Sealer

http://villiersservices.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=288
Dave O'Neill2

This thread was discussed between 20/09/2013 and 23/09/2013

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