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Which sealant for fuel tank gasket?


FridgeFreezer

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On the advice of Jez, I need to find something to make a gasket on my (beautifully tig welded) fuel tank. Normal silly sealant / RTV etc. state on the pack that they're not suitable for constant contact with fuels (this was news to me but it's true!).

The BondLoc stuff that was in the tool shoppe didn't say if it was suitable, and Loctite's website is not very forthcoming about what you can't use their products for <_< closest sounding thing I've found is stuff designed to seal hydraulics which I would expect would resist fairly well, but then hydro oil is a different beastie to petrol. :unsure:

On a different tack, OE fuel tank sender gaskets are made of cork, so am I cool just to buy a sheet of that & get punching? If so, does anyone know where I can get it in less than 1m x 2m sheets as sold by RS :blink: don't fancy paying £25 for something just to make one gasket... <_<

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At work I use Loctite 5900 in Black, also available in Grey 5910 (IIRC) it lasts well with petrol round it as long as the surface is dry to start with

Loctite 5900 is probably what you call RTV though so thats not a great deal of help

Hylomar would probably do the job too

Lewis :)

FYI white bathroom sealant is not petrol proof, as I found out whilst filling my old Polo at BP :angry:

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How about proper gasket material? You can buy it in sheets from decent motor factors.

The only time I have seen Hylomar used in a fuel system it was the cause of more problems than it solved - mostly surrounding small pieces of loose Hylomar in the carb jets.

Chris

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how deserate are you for some sealant ? & PM sent

Ralph,

Ta for the PM, I'm fairly desperate (I could really do with it this week) as it's holding me up from sorting the fuel system - I'd rather fit the tank once than have to take it down again and re-seal it.

Everyone else - RTV/Hylomar is what I would've expected to use but if you read the packet it does say it's not suitable for being permanently exposed to fuel.

I'm not sure I'd trust a cornflake packet or floor tile to be petrol proof, while both are admirable bodges I don't want to bodge it if I can avoid it.

I will see if the local motor factors have any gasket material or suitable sealants.

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make some out of nitrile rubber sheet, i might be able to find some if u want it.

Shouldn't that be - nitrile rubber sheet :moglite::rolleyes:

Fridge - I've got gasket paper in ~2mm thickness if that helps - kinda corky in texture.

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How about proper gasket material? You can buy it in sheets from decent motor factors.

The only time I have seen Hylomar used in a fuel system it was the cause of more problems than it solved - mostly surrounding small pieces of loose Hylomar in the carb jets.

Chris

I got some gasket material of eBay.

I had the same problem with Hylomar, it seemed to dry out and break up. I was using it on a hot surface though.

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Andy - can you bring your corky stuff along to the club meet? Since the geniune parts sender gasket I have is also corky it would seem like the best option.

No problemo - let me have an approx size, and I'll cut you a chunk off.

If you return some of the tools you've previously borrowed ;) I'll lend you a set of hollow punches for the bolt holes.

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Aahhh yes, joggler and rivnut thing I'll fish them out and bring them along. :blush:

I need about 6" by 8" (should be plenty), cheers! :P

FF, if you hadn't found something already I've have said not to discard the idea of cork tiles. I friend of mine had to do a quick repair on his Bedford MW's rocker cover gasket before a trip to France and couldn'd get cork sheet in time. Instead he used a pair of cork tiles superglued together end to end. Very bodgey but it ended up lasting about 6 - 8 months :D

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Ralph,

Ta for the PM, I'm fairly desperate (I could really do with it this week) as it's holding me up from sorting the fuel system - I'd rather fit the tank once than have to take it down again and re-seal it.

Everyone else - RTV/Hylomar is what I would've expected to use but if you read the packet it does say it's not suitable for being permanently exposed to fuel.

I'm not sure I'd trust a cornflake packet or floor tile to be petrol proof, while both are admirable bodges I don't want to bodge it if I can avoid it.

I will see if the local motor factors have any gasket material or suitable sealants.

Reply PM sent. :D

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On the advice of Jez, I need to find something to make a gasket on my (beautifully tig welded) fuel tank. Normal silly sealant / RTV etc. state on the pack that they're not suitable for constant contact with fuels (this was news to me but it's true!).

The BondLoc stuff that was in the tool shoppe didn't say if it was suitable, and Loctite's website is not very forthcoming about what you can't use their products for <_< closest sounding thing I've found is stuff designed to seal hydraulics which I would expect would resist fairly well, but then hydro oil is a different beastie to petrol. :unsure:

On a different tack, OE fuel tank sender gaskets are made of cork, so am I cool just to buy a sheet of that & get punching? If so, does anyone know where I can get it in less than 1m x 2m sheets as sold by RS :blink: don't fancy paying £25 for something just to make one gasket... <_<

Red Hermetite sealant and gasket material from a motor factors should be ok...

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