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Bill Bukovec
03-26-2016, 8:22 PM
I'm looking for help to repair a plastic (don't know exactly what type of plastic) fuel tank on an eight HP Tecumseh engine. I found Versachem 90180, but it says it will not bond to polypropylene or polyethylene . JB Weld products that I found won't bond to "plastic" either.

Anyone know of a product that can repair cracks in a plastic fuel tank?

RTV worked for a while, but eventually failed.

Tim Bridge
03-26-2016, 8:27 PM
Maybe Sugru might work.

Bert Kemp
03-26-2016, 8:38 PM
Try "Seal All" found at HD and most hardware stores seal anything:)not effected by gas and or oil:D

Mike Cutler
03-26-2016, 8:48 PM
Any chance you can get access to a plastic welder? They work pretty well, and the fill material would be plastic rod, and not some type of product that would break down with gasoline.
I have two 8HP Tecumseh motors, one on an old Toro Snowblower, and the other on a Coleman Power-mate generator, so I kinda know what you're looking for.

Wade Lippman
03-26-2016, 8:50 PM
What's RTV?

There are places you can get poly welded. That would be your best bet, if expensive.
I have found Scotch 4693H will glue just about anything (as in a repair patch) but I have no idea how it would feel about exposure to gasoline afterwards.

Dave Lehnert
03-26-2016, 8:52 PM
Any reason not to replace it?

Bill Bukovec
03-26-2016, 9:10 PM
A replacement tank is about $90.00, so I'm looking for repair options.

Wade Lippman
03-26-2016, 9:39 PM
Try "Seal All" found at HD and most hardware stores seal anything:)not effected by gas and or oil:D

I've never used it, but according to the reviews on Amazon the package says it doesn't work on PE and reviewers claim is dissolves in gasoline.

Keith Westfall
03-27-2016, 2:17 AM
How big of a hole? A small soldering iron can fix small holes...

Sometimes.

I had a hole in the grey water tank of a small RV and the dealer tried to fix it, and it just getting bigger and bigger:mad:

Took it home and used some 2 part clay stuff that you roll together and mix up. Mushed it in the hole and worked good.

Lee Schierer
03-27-2016, 8:25 AM
A replacement tank is about $90.00, so I'm looking for repair options.

Your replacement engine will be easily triple that. If your patch fails while the engine is running and hot you could easily have a fire. I vote for replacing the tank. There aren't many glues that will withstand gasoline and stick to polyethylene.

Tom M King
03-27-2016, 8:48 AM
3M DP100. My plastic generator tank has been fixed with it for 10 years now. You need a special gun for the little Duo-Tubes. Golfworks is the cheapest place to buy a good gun. Also get some mixing nozzles for the tubes from Golfworks. You can run a little bead right where you need it with the nozzle, but it's not reusable.

take the nozzle off and dispose of it, and put the little cap back on the DP100. It will keep for years.

http://www.golfworks.com/the-golfworks-epoxy-cartridge-gun/p/ESG2/?cn=22

https://jet.com/product/detail/b3d850579d964b8084dba04e62daf6f8?jcmp=pla:ggl:cwin _hardware_a3:building_consumables_hardware_glue_ad hesives_a3_other:na:na:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15&ds_c=cwin_hardware_a3&ds_cid&ds_ag=building_consumables_hardware_glue_adhesives _a3_other&product_id=b3d850579d964b8084dba04e62daf6f8&product_partition_id=156827016780&gclid=Cj0KEQjwid63BRCswIGqyOubtrUBEiQAvTol0ZGrdaiV 6iF99wOk75gSYn2ow_mUM_Ool4Qskls6s9oaAjpI8P8HAQ

Tom M King
03-27-2016, 8:57 AM
wouldn't let me edit to add this link: http://www.golfworks.com/6-static-mixing-tubes/p/VB1021/

Bruce Page
03-27-2016, 12:27 PM
What's RTV?

RTV - "RTV Silicone (room temperature vulcanization silicone) is a type of silicone rubber made from a two-component system (base plus curative; A+B) available in a hardness range of very soft to medium - usually from 15 Shore A to 40 Shore."

Most commonly found in caulking gun tubes. Not to be confused with every day bathroom caulk.

Tom M King
03-27-2016, 5:43 PM
One rear plastic fender on my dually, and the plastic nose piece on my 1980 John Deere tractor have been held together with DP100 for a number of years too. It was applied with the gun and a nozzle. You have to look really closely to see that they have been repaired.

Lee Schierer
03-27-2016, 6:44 PM
What's RTV?

Most RTV is not suitable for use with gasoline. Neither is silicone caulking.

Bruce Wrenn
03-27-2016, 9:08 PM
Tom, if your generator tank was leaking at the seam, search for generator tank recall. I've had two tanks replaced under recall. These were generators I bought used with leaking tanks.

Raymond Fries
03-27-2016, 9:18 PM
I have used A + B Epoxy Putty and it bonds to plastic very well. I used it to fix a broken shelf support in the refrigerator and repaired the handle on my daughter's Wusthof knife that melted in the oven. Both were done several years ago and still holding up just fine.

Not sure about the resistance to gasoline.

Good Luck with the repair.

Ed Aumiller
03-27-2016, 9:21 PM
Can you use a soldering iron to melt the plastic together ??
(Get rid of all gas fumes first !!)

Dan Hunkele
03-28-2016, 9:25 AM
Permatex has a plastic gas tank repair kit sold at auto parts stores. Or Google plastic gas tank repair.

Rich Enders
03-28-2016, 8:17 PM
Most plastic fuel tanks are made from high mole weight high density polyethylene (HMW HDPE). In a general way HDPE is a poor candidate for bonding due to its lack of polarity (something for the adhesive to grab on to). You can improve your chances of getting a lasting bond by oxidizing the surfaces to be bonded with a flame. However considering the safety issues in use it would be better to apply a UHMW HDPE patch and to secure it by welding. The melting during the welding process will overcome any bonding issues, and the UHMW will be more resistant to attack by the fuel than the original tank.

Tom M King
03-28-2016, 8:27 PM
Tom, if your generator tank was leaking at the seam, search for generator tank recall. I've had two tanks replaced under recall. These were generators I bought used with leaking tanks.
It was already 10 to 20 years old. It leaked around one of the bolts that was holding it to the frame. There was a crack radiating up from the bolt hole. We needed to put it to work after a hurricane. It's been holding fine since Isabell, whenever that was, with the DP100/