Fuel tank repair

[rtp1984]

Hi all.

The sender on fuel tank is leaking.
It is a plastic tank, the sender is ally I think.
The socket the sender screws into has let go and is spinning. So I can't remove the sender, and it leaks. I would need to cut the flooor out to remove the tank, so I am hoping to seal the sender to the tank from the outside with a sikaflex or similar product.
What do you think I could use.

let me know what you think, open to all suggestions.

thanks
rob.

[littlejim]

Your proposed fix sounds OK to me.
I guess a read of the instructions to make sure it is OK with fuel, but would only get the odd splash when the tank is full.
Have this vague feeling I had to put some round my gauge, but can't remember.( I blame old age.)

[scottar]

Petrol does break sika but it takes a while. I had a plastic irrigation fitting and cap sika'd into the alloy tank in my previous tinny courtesy of a small issue with a peanut and a shifting spanner (never do alloy threads up any more than hand tight - ends badly). Your big issue will be getting it to stick to the poly tank. Very few substances stick well to it. 3M 5200 sealant is a bit better than sika but is absolute shite to work with and will let go from poly with persuasion. Might be worth consulting a plastics expert.

[rtp1984]

Is there an epoxy or a "knead it" style product that would do the job?

[scottar]

Not sure. Got a pick of the sender at all. The one in my poly tank is held down with 5 screws. Yours is obviously very different.

[Chris Tucker]

Investigate "nurtserts" or "rivnuts" to create new threaded holes then use a soft petrol friendly "rubber" to create a gasket and ensure a seal.

[rtp1984]

114448
Here is a pic.

[scottar]

Didn't work mate.

[Noelm]

You will be lucky to find anything that will stick properly to that sort of plastic.

[rtp1984]

ill try again.

[inveratta]

I would try and find a new sender that matches the seating of the old one,but can be installed with screws and a gasket..Trying to seal off a leak without solving the underlying issue will probably lead to you being in the same position as you are now, all too soon. Removing the original sender might take some ingenuity .

[rtp1984]

I would try and find a new sender that matches the seating of the old one,but can be installed with screws and a gasket..Trying to seal off a leak without solving the underlying issue will probably lead to you being in the same position as you are now, all too soon. Removing the original sender might take some ingenuity .

i would be happy to remove the sender, any ideas on this would be great.
I think that would be best result.

[Fed]

Vice grips clamped on by a gorilla then turn & pull at the same time.
You may have to do half a turn at a time if you're short on space.
If the wire is not dis-connectable cut it & solder/heat shrink back on later.

[ozynorts]

Mate look up Sant Marine online. They make plastic tanks and use a sender like that. Dave should be able to offer some advice also regarding a sealer.

[scottar]

So am I correct in thinking that there is an alloy socket molded into the tank that the sender screws into and the plastic that holds that alloy socket has let go during an attempt to remove or tighten the sender.

[rtp1984]

So am I correct in thinking that there is an alloy socket molded into the tank that the sender screws into and the plastic that holds that alloy socket has let go during an attempt to remove or tighten the sender.


Spot on mate.

[Fed]

It's hard to see scottar, looks like the sender is screwed straight into the plastic to me.
Also looks like a crack around the plastic on the right hand side of the sender?

[scottar]

That aint coming out any time soon then short of using a hole saw. I would give the guy's at Saint Marine a call as you certainly wouldn't be the first to have this happen I would think.

Maybe this stuff

http://clampline.com.au/product/read/dynagrip-plastic-tank-repair-kit-56g/6501/

[scottar]

It's hard to see scottar, looks like the sender is screwed straight into the plastic to me.
Also looks like a crack around the plastic on the right hand side of the sender?

Don't think it's a crack Fed - looking at the top of that line (that looks like a crack) it doubles back right next to the sender - possibly a "high tide line" from water etc sitting there at some stage.

[Aussie123]

That looks like an older Sensotex sender unit.
It probably has an nylon, alloy or stainless threaded fitting below it that is molded into the tank and then the sender screws into it.
You could probably look at getting the sender unit and threaded fitting out and then getting a piece of stainless or alloy cut out to fit that entire recess and re fitting the sender back into the round plate.
There is plenty of tank area inside that recess to seal and screw down the plate to get a good seal.
There is weld in tank fittings available in both stainless and alloy as well as nylon ones so you have a few choices if you need to make a new sender setup.