Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

[mech1521]

I have a few small holes in my under deck gas tank, and its not in the buget to buy a new one. Has anyone ever used Aluminox Epoxy Stick for all aluminum marine repairs? I read over a hundred of post, and no one says anything about this stuff. I also have grey marine tex, epoxy and poly resins and fiberglass, and jb weld.I was thinking about using the epoxy stick, let dry, marine tex, let dry, and the epoxy resin and glass to seal the hole bottom half of the tank. Any input on gas tanks and aluminox epoxy stick is needed soon, Thanks

 

[Wildman_fab]

Re: Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

That might buy you some time, but thetank will need to be replaced or repaired. Either way it will need to be removed from the boat.

 

[rbh]

Re: Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

Yup, once the aluminum starts to pit, it is time for a new one.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

Yep, jack up the fuel line and replace what's under it......

 

[45Auto]

Re: Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

Gasoline leaking under your deck is about the most dangerous thing you can have on a boat. As RBH said, if the tank has few small holes, then it's pitted and about to leak in a bunch more places. To me it wouldn't be worth risking my life or my family or friends lives to even think about patching it.

If you can't afford a few hundred dollars for a replacement tank, then you can't afford to go boating right now. Save up your gas, bait, and beer money for a couple of weeks and fix the bomb under your boat's deck.

From
http://marine-fueltank.com/alumbelo.htm

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Help!! Aluminum Gas Tank Repair Materials

If the holes are isolated to a particular part of the tank, likely the lowest part where the water will collect, and you are sure you can get them all, I recommend you use marinetex and fiberglass cloth. Clean (with Acetone) and sand (fine paper) the area to be repaired. Mix up some Marine-tex and cover the entire area. Now embed some fiberglass cloth into the Marine-Tex and try to work the putty into the cloth. Cover the cloth with more Marine-Tex, and let dry.