MrEviLDeD Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) Just about ready to take the truck in for its out of province inspection only to find out that the gas tank is leaking. When I was working on it, it only had a 1/4 tank and never noticed any leaking. Filled it up and pretty steady drip.. Are there any common places I should look first? Will I have to drop the gas tank? It is 3/4 full and will be pretty heavy. Will take a while to siphon and I do not have a container large enough to hold it all.. What are my options? Edited February 18, 2014 by MrEviLDeD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 I filled it a couple days ago and it just sat outside so there isn't a spill someplace that is still leaking. Just to rule that out as a possibility.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiBumBrian Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Remove tank. Replace or seal with Caswell or Blue Lightning sealer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I bought a tank on rock auto for around 100 bucks. Fit perfectly and is way easier than dealing with patching the old one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Check the fill and evap line first. If those are ok, then siphon out the gas and drop the tank. Sell the gas to your neighbors at a reduced price, they can put it right in their car or whatever. Buy one of hose cheap squeeze bulb siphons do you don't drink gas. Drop the tank, inspect it and try to identify the source of the leak, then determine if you should fix or replace it. I have no experience with fixing a tank so I can't help there. Brian, any tips to using those products? Maybe look for Utube videos... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I fixed a hole one time in my old hardbody gas tank after I broke one of the add-a-leaf springs and it went into the tank, I used that 2 part putty they sell, never had a problem with the hole after the putty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiBumBrian Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Check the fill and evap line first. If those are ok, then siphon out the gas and drop the tank. Sell the gas to your neighbors at a reduced price, they can put it right in their car or whatever. Buy one of hose cheap squeeze bulb siphons do you don't drink gas. Drop the tank, inspect it and try to identify the source of the leak, then determine if you should fix or replace it. I have no experience with fixing a tank so I can't help there. Brian, any tips to using those products? Maybe look for Utube videos... B Caswell works the best for metal tanks, Blue lightning for plastic and HLPE and XLPE tanks. Kinda same procedure for both, put something in the tank like drywall screws, nails, etc. and shake and tumble the tank to loosen any "crap" that is in there, i.e. rust etc. After you feel comfortable you have knocked everything out you can, throw a quart or so of Xylol in there and swoosh it around for a while to etch the inside of the tank so the sealer adheres well. Mix the sealer (Caswell is a 2 part formula, BL is one) and pour it in the tank and roll it around coating the entire tank but concentrating on the damaged area(s). Let it cure for 24 hrs, reinstall and you are good to go. Both of those products are awesome. A 40.00 box of Caswell will do a 20 gallon tank no problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Cool, thanks for that, I'm keeping that in mind for the future. I fixed a hole one time in my old hardbody gas tank after I broke one of the add-a-leaf springs and it went into the tank, I used that 2 part putty they sell, never had a problem with the hole after the putty. Do you mean JB weld, or some other epoxy? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Don't remember the name but it was sold specifically to repair gas tanks May have been this one, http://www.permatex.com/products-2/product-categories/specialized-maintenance-repair/professional-repair-systems/permatex-fuel-tank-repair-kit-detail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdj Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I used the Permatex on a metal snowmobile tank before (intregrated tank ,not replacable). 2 part epoxyputty...worked fine on a small puncture. I don't think it would work on a rust hole. If its a rust hole I'd replace it. The tank not the hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 When I pulled my tank it was leaking at the seams...the inside looked brand new otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Probably leaking at the fuel pump or filler hose hook up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Thanks for the feed back. From what I can see, and it isn't easy to see in there at all but it looks like it is leaking from the seam. However the whole area is wet and it could be from anywhere above as well. Do the pathfinder tanks have a screen that will prevent me from siphoning the gas? Bare with me, if I were to siphon enough gas out of it that the tank it self was light enough to lower and did all the protective measure such as disconnecting the neg terminal, etc. Could I lower the tank? Before I read the messages here I picked up something called Tech Steel. It is a two part epoxy that you twist and knead until it is mixed evenly and then applied to the puncture. The goal line right now is to get this thing inspected and passed so I can transfer my insurance. I am going to order a new tank from Rock Auto as suggested by adamzan just time isn't a luxury. I hate not doing things as correctly as I should... Don't think less of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 if it works great! if not you can always try again to pass safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Thanks for the feed back. From what I can see, and it isn't easy to see in there at all but it looks like it is leaking from the seam. However the whole area is wet and it could be from anywhere above as well. Do the pathfinder tanks have a screen that will prevent me from siphoning the gas? Bare with me, if I were to siphon enough gas out of it that the tank it self was light enough to lower and did all the protective measure such as disconnecting the neg terminal, etc. Could I lower the tank? Before I read the messages here I picked up something called Tech Steel. It is a two part epoxy that you twist and knead until it is mixed evenly and then applied to the puncture. The goal line right now is to get this thing inspected and passed so I can transfer my insurance. I am going to order a new tank from Rock Auto as suggested by adamzan just time isn't a luxury. I hate not doing things as correctly as I should... Don't think less of me Not that I know of, but I have not tried. If you get it down to 10 liters, that is only 7kg of fuel. The tank may weight 20 kilos? I can bench press that, and that is not my thing. Using wood blocks to control the mass would be easy. You would be amazed by the things I have managed with a little wood... (Get your mind out of the gutter!) Think less of you buying a part to meet a need? Not everything has to be done the hard way... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Will do it tomorrow. If I do not post tomorrow night well.. Check the news outlets in Calgary for headlines that read out along the lines of "Man dies in fiery home garage explosion!" I JEST! BOOOM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 When I pulled my tank it was leaking at the seams...the inside looked brand new otherwise. ^ same story as mine. I don't think I really could've gotten putty into there if I'd tried. Maybe capillary action would suck epoxy or something into the seam from the outside (that's got to be how water got in and rusted out the seam), but I imagine the leaking gas would prevent it from sticking properly. If you do try to fix the tank, drain it completely and let it air out for a day or two to be on the safe side. Do what you have to, but by the time you've pulled the tank, cleaned it, bodged it, and stuck it back in, you won't want to do it again! You could siphon out the fill hole, but there's a hinged baffle that'll give you a hard time (and I think it's way too narrow for most hoses you'd have laying around). I think it would be easier to remove the fuel pump from the inside (access hatch under the carpet) and siphon the fuel out through there. Remember ventilation! I just drove around until I only had five gallons or so in the bottom, dropped the tank, and poured it out into a gas can for later. I picked up a tank from eBay (the brand was Wiggley's, don't remember the seller) because the shipping cost from Rockauto was as much as the tank for some reason. The bolt holes weren't aligned right, the included O-ring for the pump was too big to fit, and the flange to hold the O-ring was too kinked to seal anyway. I got it in finally (with a lot of swearing, grinding, and Permatex), but only because I didn't want to let it win. Sounds like the RockAuto tank is a much better product. I never bothered with the battery cable, but I did pull the fuel pump fuse (with the engine running at about 2k rpm to discharge the fuel pressure in the lines). Then I pulled the fuel lines from the pump via the access hatch, unplugged the pump, and then dealt with the other hoses (filler and two breathers) however I could get at them. IIRC I ended up removing the filler neck from the fender to help get that tube free. I wanted to pull the passenger's side rear wheel off for easier access, but I had the truck up on ramps, so I had to work around it. I ended up removing both rear fender flares instead, partially because they blocked my reach, and partially because I kept hitting my head and arms on the mud flaps. If you don't have a helper for lowering the tank, make sure you've got something set up to catch it and support it while you undo the last bolt or two (and to hold the new tank in while you bolt it up). I used the factory bottle jack and some boards. Make sure there's a board between the jack and the tank or you'll dent the tank (guess how I found that out). One last thing... be ready to drill out and replace the tank bolts. I think I broke four of the six trying to remove them. They'd pop loose, then bind back up, pop a few more times, and then shear off. Hopefully yours treat you better! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Very detailed thank you. Just what I needed. I will pick up replacement bolts just in case. I would have most likely forgotten to release the fuel pressure, A+ for that one too. It will only be me so I will make sure to take a bunch of boards and a floor jack. I have two bottle jacks as support if needed and will do as you suggest go in through the access panel. With some good fortune maybe I will be able to access the leak or at least have a much better view of where it is leaking from. I didn't even now there was an access panel under the rear carpet Still have a lot to learn even if I can turn a few bolts. Thanks again Slartibartfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 No problem, I wish I'd known this stuff going into mine! Maybe I wouldn't have ended up lying on my back at three in the morning, holding the tank up with my knees and cursing as I tried to get the bolt threads to catch... Speaking of the hatch, here's how to get to it. First remove the rear cargo hooks from the floor (should have two phillips screws each). Then remove the trim piece that the hatch striker sticks through. They're Phillips screws but they're plastic, and they're threaded into plastic, so don't push too hard on them or they'll just skip. I find a flat driver actually works best for them. That piece pulls out, and then the carpet should just pull out from under the side panels and around the jack holder. Push it out of your way and you should see the hatch, held down by four bolts. The wiring coming out of the pump isn't the plug, that's further down the wires (towards the back of the tank IIRC). Good luck. Oh, and get nuts and washers to go with those bolts... it's tough to reuse the capture nuts once you've drilled them out, and the stock washers are attached to the bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I bet if you were to pull the carpet back and remove the fuel pump access plate, you'll find the leak The best way to siphon 99.99% of the fuel is through the big hole in the top of the tank anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Mine leaked at the fuel pump but i discovered it was because someone had put the wrong o ring in there. It wasn't till we took the old tank out that it started to leak at the seams as we tilted it. I will tell you that my tank was way over half full when removed. Didn't have anything to siphon the gas with. I didn't even do the job as I had just had major surgery on my intestines. My stepdad, best friend, and someone from here all helped while I supervised. They used a big piece of plywood and my floor jack. It came out no problem. I believe the bolts were m10. The tank I bought from rock auto was the spectra premium brand. It had made in Canada stamped on it and all holes lined up perfect. The o ring kit was missing but rock auto credited me the difference and I bought one at crappie tire. I used a little white lithium grease on the o ring and it worked great. Make sure you buy new rubber fuel line and clamps for the hoses coming off the sending unit as they will be brittle. Line is 5/16" or 7.9mm. Partsource or crappie tire has what you need. Be careful with thr nipples on the sender they are probably rusty. If thr fuel lines are rusted do yourself a favor and go to napa or some thing but a roll of metal fuel line and replace them all. I did this because mine were just starting to get soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfoley412 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My tank was leaking from one of the spot welds on the bottom and had a bunch of gunk stuck on the tank where the leak was, Don't know for how long(I think before I owned the rig which was like a year or two ago) although I am pleased with how long my tanks last now . I ordered one off of amazon for like 130$ plus it was amazon prime so I got it like 2 days later... WAY worth it and (other than getting all the gas you put in there out) pretty easy to replace as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Ok finally got to the hatch. Looks like one of the port tubes from the fuel pump has a pin sized leak in it. When I cleaned off the rust and turned the key to make sure it wasn't just a weak connection with the hoses (which look close to new actually) and it just streaked this one single stream coating the roof ) I tried the mastic stuff but it would not even bind to the metal. Just hardened and spun off.. Looks like I need to replace the fuel pump unless someone has another idea. Otherwise I believe the fuel tank is ok. No holes or leaks. Was refreshed to see that it was not the tank, but either way I just don't have the budget to replace the fuel pump. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEviLDeD Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) Here is a picture of the area. I clipped it to cut out clutter. As you can see it is pretty rusty in there. Is this just a cover? Is the pump one whole unit? Like all I need to replace is the portlet that is leaking. Can I do this without having to replace the entire pump? Also, doesn't look like any of the pumps I have seen will match this one? Do they not come with the cover? And if they don't how do I fix this? Any suggestions as always are welcomed. Here is a view of the whole area. Edited February 22, 2014 by MrEviLDeD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 You don't need the pump, just the sending unit which that thing is a part of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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