My steel diesel tank has developed a small hole due to rust. I can't
take it out of the boat without removing the engine. Aside from this
pin hole the tanks looks in good shape. Have any of you used some sort
of coating on the inside of diesel tank to plug the leaking hole and
prevent further leaks?
Thanks for your recommendations.

On 8/3/2010 11:33 AM, Boeland wrote:
My steel diesel tank has developed a small hole due to rust. I can't
take it out of the boat without removing the engine. Aside from this pin
hole the tanks looks in good shape. Have any of you used some sort of
coating on the inside of diesel tank to plug the leaking hole and
prevent further leaks?
Thanks for your recommendations.

There are sloshing compounds designed for this purpose.
I'm going to guess that the pin hole is at the lowest point in the tank,
where water has collected?
I'd be tempted to stop the hole with steel-filled epoxy or some such
(though getting the area clean and oil free would be a trick), then
place a drain tap in the tank.
In the past, people have expressed outrage at the idea of a tank drain,
but getting rid of water is getting rid of a life-threat in some
circumstances IMO ...

Brian w

"brian whatcott" wrote in message
...
I'd be tempted to stop the hole with steel-filled epoxy or some such
(though getting the area clean and oil free would be a trick), then place
a drain tap in the tank.
In the past, people have expressed outrage at the idea of a tank drain,
but getting rid of water is getting rid of a life-threat in some
circumstances IMO ...

Brian w

Nigel Calder, in a seminar I attended, showed slides of his fuel system. It
included a drain, much like you'd see on an airplane, from which he would
draw some fuel to inspect for water - just like every airplane is supposed
to do, every time - before he started the engine, right before he checked
the oil, coolant and belts.

If you could get to it, not a bad idea. Not do-able in our boat, which has
little to do with why I have a fuel polishing system in Flying Pig...

Of course, overall tank integrity has been covered by others, my biggest
concern for this particular situation.

L8R

Skip, about to have his first go at being a net anchor...

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

On Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:33:58 +0200, Boeland
wrote:

My steel diesel tank has developed a small hole due to rust. I can't
take it out of the boat without removing the engine. Aside from this
pin hole the tanks looks in good shape. Have any of you used some sort
of coating on the inside of diesel tank to plug the leaking hole and
prevent further leaks?
Thanks for your recommendations.

You can probably do an emergency repair with JB Weld and Duct tape but
things are going to get worse sooner rather than later.

In article ,
Boeland wrote:

My steel diesel tank has developed a small hole due to rust. I can't
take it out of the boat without removing the engine. Aside from this
pin hole the tanks looks in good shape. Have any of you used some sort
of coating on the inside of diesel tank to plug the leaking hole and
prevent further leaks?
Thanks for your recommendations.

It really depends on just WHERE in tank the pinhole is located. If it
was Sandpit caused, and somewhere up on the side of the tank, then just
use the fuel to a point that is lower than the leak, and then Dill & Tap
the pinhole, with a 1/4 inch fine thread Tap and screw a bolt and O-Ring
into the Drilled & Tapped hole. You could also just pump the tank out,
and then do that kind of repair, on the tank, as well. If the tank is
OLD, and had lots of water in it, over the years, you may want to get it
tested with a Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge, and see just how much metal is
left, in the tank walls. that is how the BIG Boys do it. Been there,
done that....

--
Bruce in alaska
add path after fast to reply

On 8/3/2010 8:43 PM, Bruce in alaska wrote:
In ,
wrote:

My steel diesel tank has developed a small hole due to rust. I can't
take it out of the boat without removing the engine. Aside from this
pin hole the tanks looks in good shape. Have any of you used some sort
of coating on the inside of diesel tank to plug the leaking hole and
prevent further leaks?
Thanks for your recommendations.

It really depends on just WHERE in tank the pinhole is located. If it
was Sandpit caused, and somewhere up on the side of the tank, then just
use the fuel to a point that is lower than the leak, and then Dill& Tap
the pinhole, with a 1/4 inch fine thread Tap and screw a bolt and O-Ring
into the Drilled& Tapped hole. You could also just pump the tank out,
and then do that kind of repair, on the tank, as well. If the tank is
OLD, and had lots of water in it, over the years, you may want to get it
tested with a Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge, and see just how much metal is
left, in the tank walls. that is how the BIG Boys do it. Been there,
done that....

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.
To clarify the situation the pin hole is at the lowest point of the
tank, where water would indeed collect.
I think I am going to empty it and install a drain, as suggested, where
the hole is.
Doing a search on the net I saw an epoxy GasPruf 130
(http://www.thinfilmtech.net/products...PRUF%20130.pdf)
that is purposely used where water or fuel is present which is cool.
There are other compounds available for sealing the interior of fuel
tanks but the tank has to be totally cleaned before the application.
http://www.flamemaster.com/TechnicalsPDF/cs3204.pdf
http://www.microleak.com/brochnew.htm

Here is a forum where I got the information:
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spa...picID=22121815

Boeland