Is this fuel tank fixable?

JEEPCJTJ said:
OK Tigerman!!

I think we need a reminder post every few weeks on it staying sealed. Hopefully we'll never get one that says it leaks again, but even then I'd to like know.

How much prep work did you do before applying that stuff? I don't know what should have been done but if I ever ended up doing something like that I would have been temped to drill some 1/4" holes to let the JB-like stuff to fill in to help keep it there.
Click to expand...

So the prep work was as follows...

The good thing about this location is that the area had a nice ridge all around, which served as a natural attachment point, so there was no need to create additional anchors.
  1. Cleaned it with a brush
  2. Blasted it with compressed air
  3. Sanded it the area down with the included sand paper, which was very rough, creating deep scratches.
  4. Blasted with air again and cleaned it up once again with acetone.
  5. Applied the putty and let it sit for a while.
I am very hopeful, and yes, I can update on the condition. I absolutely do get the sentiment by Boinked, but at the same time I think that this kind of epoxy has been successfully used before and is designed for this kind of stuff and should be pretty safe.

Thoughts out loud...
Based on my faint memory of school chemistry... (regarding the glue for aviation use)
The most common fuel used in aviation is kerosene, as far as I know (not including the private aviation). Kerosene is similar to diesel as in the length of the molecule vs gasoline. This means that kerosene should be less prone to evaporation and most likely not as aggressive of a solvent as gasoline. I am just trying to say that just because something is designed for aviation doesn't mean it is stronger or better. It should have higher production quality standards, but may not work well in the automotive section due to difference of its usage requirements.

Cheers
 
Tigerman said:
I ended up using something similar to JB Weld. I cannot exactly remember the name but I think it was "QuickSteel" or something like that. It is an epoxy resin for plastic tanks in a form of putty that you kneed aggressively until it warms up in your hand and than apply. I put a lot to be honest, and all around that area and let it cure for 4 hours (it said at least an hour). It looks good! No smell, no leak, but only time will tell how well it will hold.
View attachment 54846
Click to expand...

Yes, this is the stuff I was suggesting. I've used it on a lot of things including a high pressure leak in my irrigation system. It's been years without an issue and it's held up just fine. If it can hold that pressure, your fuel tank shouldn't be an issue.

I LOVE that stuff. I carry it with me on the trail due to how useful it is.
 
If the repair doesn't end up working or you just want a good tank, I have one. Priced fair if you end up with the need.......
 
I would repair as a temporary fix only to get home. To me the risk of fire isn't worth it. It only takes a few drops of gas to smell it as you found out. If you can smell it, it can ignite. Gasoline is a very good solvent and will eventually eat through most materials. For this reason alone I wouldn't trust any sort of sealer. If I were you I'd still be on the hunt for a replacement tank.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daryl
Nimbley said:
I would repair as a temporary fix only to get home. To me the risk of fire isn't worth it. It only takes a few drops of gas to smell it as you found out. If you can smell it, it can ignite. Gasoline is a very good solvent and will eventually eat through most materials. For this reason alone I wouldn't trust any sort of sealer. If I were you I'd still be on the hunt for a replacement tank.
Click to expand...

In a way, I agree with you on the safety part :). Do you know how it feels to have a jeep sitting around waiting for parts, lol! I am sure you do :) I might just swap the tank out later anyway, but I have a good feeling about the repair. I am willing to take the risk for now, it is small in my opinion.
 
The seal is holding up but I will replace the tank with a good used one. RangerRick had a spare and kindly offered it to me :). Thank you Rick.

P.S. Have you guys seen Rick's build thread? OMG... I am sure many of you are like him, but he is what I would call a "master builder"!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RangerRick
Tigerman said:
Thank you Chris,

I also looked up the diagram and saw no separate part number for it. I was hoping that someone had a similar problem and figured out a way to fix it. The tank you linked looks awesome, and I have no doubt that it offers benefits over the stock one, but the price on it is also awesome, lol $1400!? I am afraid that is a little over budget for this TJ of mine. Are there any other alternatives, any other manufacturers that don't charge that much for a stupid tank
JEEPCJTJ said:
OK Tigerman!!

I think we need a reminder post every few weeks on it staying sealed. Hopefully we'll never get one that says it leaks again, but even then I'd to like know.

How much prep work did you do before applying that stuff? I don't know what should have been done but if I ever ended up doing something like that I would have been temped to drill some 1/4" holes to let the JB-like stuff to fill in to help keep it there.
Click to expand...
Clean it very well until just the metal is exposed and use JB Weld. It will work.
Click to expand...
 
Tigerman said:
The seal is holding up but I will replace the tank with a good used one. RangerRick had a spare and kindly offered it to me :). Thank you Rick.

P.S. Have you guys seen Rick's build thread? OMG... I am sure many of you are like him, but he is what I would call a "master builder"!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the kind words on my build!

It was nice meeting you, sorry I couldn't answer your question the other day I was "mountaintoping" doing radio service at several 2-way repeater sties while I had good weather and some time this past weekend. Cell sites don't work too well when you get into a dozen at a time from the top of a comm site. It confuses them and all you get is data connectivity sometimes.

You must have had good luck with the swap so glad the Jeep is on the road again so thumbs up!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tigerman
Chris said:
There is no seal to replace that one in the factory part diagrams. My guess is they would just want to buy a new tank.

However, that doesn't mean it could't be fixed. The real question is how (if at all) that seal can be replaced. I'm not sure that part is removable (is it?).

This is one more reason I switched to a GenRight aluminum tank. Not only does it offer more room for my rear axle / lift, but it's solid aluminum, so I don't have to worry about these sorts of things with seals, or other effects that ethanol might have on a nylon (I'm assuming it's nylon) tank over time.
Click to expand...

The GenRight Almuinum tank shown here is nice, but for the same cost you can get the 24.5 gal extended range tank. I have it, and love it's range... I typically get 250 mile range in general driving, and over 300 mile range on the highway. At 15mpg average, the "theoretical" range is about 365 miles. https://genright.com/products/jeep-tj-lj-extended-range-gas-tank-skid-plate-24-5-gal.html
 
Thanks Dave,

I know that tank is nice!

At the moment I average out 16 mixed driving and 18.2 pure highway. With my 19 gallon tank, last time, I got 310 miles and filled up 17 gallons at empty. That is a good range for now. I am still on my first Jeep at 4 weeks owning it and still in the process of making it work the way I like. I am gathering intelligence as I go and when it is time to play with the big boys, I will refer to all of your experiences and advice. I know the time for upgrades will eventually come, but not yet :)

Cheers
 
Dave Carpenter said:
The GenRight Almuinum tank shown here is nice, but for the same cost you can get the 24.5 gal extended range tank. I have it, and love it's range... I typically get 250 mile range in general driving, and over 300 mile range on the highway. At 15mpg average, the "theoretical" range is about 365 miles. https://genright.com/products/jeep-tj-lj-extended-range-gas-tank-skid-plate-24-5-gal.html
Click to expand...

True, but that tank hangs lower than stock, and it doesn't have the "stretch" option, so you don't gain any clearance with it. The tank I bought is the same capacity as stock, but it also sits up much lower, and gives you a significant amount of room to stretch the wheelbase.
 
Squatch said:
His gas tank skid is the earlier version, which is what prompted me to check his profile page on the year of his TJ. :)
Click to expand...

Is there a difference in fit for the earlier gas tank skid? I have a 97 Sahara and need to replace the skid. The ones I see available state fitting a 97-06 so wanted to confirm. Thanks!
 
ctcomputers said:
Is there a difference in fit for the earlier gas tank skid? I have a 97 Sahara and need to replace the skid. The ones I see available state fitting a 97-06 so wanted to confirm. Thanks!
Click to expand...
As @Boinked stated, they all mount the same. However, do yourself a favor and find a later skid. The later ones fully encase the tank, and are one stamped piece. The earlier ones are welded together, and leave one end of the tank exposed. Also, the later ones are slightly thicker. I have pics and info somewhere buried in my "non-build" build thread. I'll try and find it for you...
 
Last edited:
*This was taken from my "build thread", such as it is...



For those of you who have never had the opportunity to compare the differences between the early OEM gas tank skids ('97 to '02, though there is some debate about the last year of the early style) and the late-model ones, I offer up some pics for you to see. As far as the material thickness goes, my '98's is .075" thick, while the later one is .085" thick. While the .010" difference doesn't seem like much, I can say that the extra stamped "ribs" or channels in the later ones definitely aid in the rigidity of the skid. Also, the one-piece stamping of the later ones is much stronger than the welded-on pieces the earlier ones had. Additionally, the earlier skids are completely open on the driver's side, whereas the later ones encase the fuel tank. I paid $45 for the later one, including the straps.

img_0198-jpg.jpg


img_0204-jpg.jpg


img_0205-jpg.jpg


img_0206-jpg.jpg


img_0207-jpg.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: KCsTJ
Squatch said:
*This was taken from my "build thread", such as it is...



For those of you who have never had the opportunity to compare the differences between the early OEM gas tank skids ('97 to '02, though there is some debate about the last year of the early style) and the late-model ones, I offer up some pics for you to see. As far as the material thickness goes, my '98's is .075" thick, while the later one is .085" thick.
Click to expand...
At first I thought you were crazy..... its only been a couple of months ok maybe 5. Sense i installed a new skid plate on my 97. I was positive it was 4 sided. Then i looked at the old one i have in the yard. Sure enough it was 3 sided.

They say that the mind is the 2nd thing to go. Now if i could only remember the 1st.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Squatch
Top Bottom
Back