JB Weld

Has anyone had good experience with using JB Weld to patch their gas tank? I have a garden hose sized hole in the bottom of my tank (I hate people) that I need to patch at least temporarily, as my truck is my daily. Any wisdom is appreciated.

 

Getting the correct JB weld that will not break down with gasoline.

Getting the tank clean enough for it to bond and cure is difficult !

I have never had good luck !

Look around gotta be something better on the market by now

I hope this works out .

 

Thanks, I'm just trying to get the truck up and running, due to life circumstances, before I can source a replacement. Mainly just don't want to waste yet another 2.5 gallons figuring out that my tank wasn't just siphoned.

 

I don't believe JB Weld is for use on gas tanks, there are various gas tank repair epoxys that may get you by for a bit but don't expect any of it to be more than a temporary repair.

 

Most repair kits / formulas are targeted for pinhole, seam or hairline cracks. I think you are SOL for a hole as large as a garden hose. As soon as your "life's circumstances" change, source a replacement tank.

 

I wonder…aren’t there expandable rubber plugs on the market ? The kind that fits, but you tighten a screw to expand it more?

 

If I were in your situation, I’d try this but consider it temporary and keep in mind I might find my truck on fire.

You could try a plastic welder, yes they exist. I’ve never used one so don’t know anything about them or how much heat is generated. Or hot glue gun.

If you get state inspection and they see it, I’m sure you’ll fail.

I’ve had very good luck using jb weld. Best, I bought a rebuilt carb from a shady place. Got it installed, connected, fired up. Went to put the air filter on, the little stem is stripped on top of the carb. I jb welded it in, no issues since.

 

I've seen cracked engine blocks repaired with JB Weld and used to assemble UAVs, but repairing a gas tank would not be the best option.
Plastic welders do the job with a competent operator. You would need a "weld" a patch using metal screening for strength.

 

I don’t think JB weld is the way to go in this situation. If the hole was smaller I’d say maybe. And as said prepping that area properly for something to stick to it is difficult to near impossible. A rubber twist in plug may be better if the hole is perfectly round which I doubt it is.
This is an extremely dangerous situation. If your repair starts leaking there is a real possibility of catastrophic fire destroying your truck and injuring or killing you or other people. I think your best bet is to find another way to get to work or wherever (friend? Rental car?) and to get the tank properly/professionally repaired or replaced.

 

Sorry this happened to you. I just tell myself that fate, karma or higher power will get these guys in the end.

I'm assuming the tank is plastic? (polyethylene ?)

J B Weld probably won't grip that kind of plastic well, nor will it be able to bridge a large hole.
If the damaged area is fairly flat you might try pop riveting a patch over the hole with a thin layer of J B Weld in between, scuff the plastic with sandpaper first. Pack the JB in the holes in the rivet heads too.

Ethanol fuel will break down original J B Weld, there might be a newer version.

You also might try this kind of plug, I have seen different styles. Try a plumbing supply house where the pro plumbers get parts.
Applied gently I'm confident this will seal the hole, the issue will be if the rubber material is compatible with gasoline.
Buna N (Nitrile) and Viton are listed as the better materials, Neoprene is listed as good, stay away from EPDM, it is listed as poor.

Make the hole in the tank as round and burr free as possible with a round file.




If you do attempt to do a temporary fix be cautious: Put just enough gas in the tank to get where you need to go and park far from others.

 

I used this once to seal up a small pinhole in a diesel tank. Takes forever to dry if it’s cold out. I put some on the tank and found a scrap piece of plastic and glued it on over the hole. It held up for few months until we could get a new tank installed

 

Hopefully your hole is near the top and not on the side or bottom of the tank

 

Flex seal! That stuff is supposed to be amazing, according to them.

 

I watched the dudes from Dirt Every Day fix a gas tank hole by rubbing an apple against it. If JB weld doesn't work, try a nice shiny apple.

 

IMO the best idea would be the expanding plug mentioned, then use some kind of sealer (JB/putty/etc) on the edges. But just a Band Aid at best. Don't gamble with it and get a new tank quick like a bunny.

I had a seam leak on my old Delta 88 and used some kind of putty made for gas tanks, it worked for the short time while I was waiting for a used tank to arrive from the boneyard. That said I also didn't put much fuel in the tank once I found that so I can't swear to it being fully effective.

 

I've patched a plastic dirt bike gas tank with original JBWeld and it's still holding 16 years later.
A garden hose size hole is a little big.

 

Thanks guys. I'm just looking at getting mobile while I source a replacement. Won't be driving much, just I do have to get the truck a couple places ASAP. I'll look at doing the plug and seal the seam.

 

Let us know how it works out & good luck.

 

Look up spin weld fittings for polyethylene tanks. There might be an application there that will work at home with the proper tools.
Just spit ballin'.