Beware fuel tank sealer

[The VOC Spares Company Limited]

I have a tank that was lined a long time ago with an unknown sealer and it has failed. It is coming off in thin sheets and thick chunks where it set in the corners of the tank.
Also lot of fine ‘dust’ was found in the carbs which needed cleaning.

Does anyone recognise this sealant? The thin sheets are translucent, the bigger lumps are rubbery and break up in layers. Any removal tips, chemical or mechanical?

I am familiar with Petseal which was red and much like fibreglass resin and the POR system which ended up as a silver coating both of the also failed in my own tanks.

You might tell I’m not a fan of tank lining it may work on a new surfaces but in old tanks no.

Ian Savage

 

[ClassicBiker]

I would say it looks like "Kreem" http://www.kreem.com/fueltankliner.html Which I haven't had any trouble to speak of with but I know others have. I've had it in my tank since the late '70s with no issues. If you don't prep the tank exactly as the instructions say nothing but grief will ensue. The "Kreem" kit has phosphoric acid (same stuff that is in Coca Cola and other soda drinks) and MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) all of which will destroy paint and vinyl floor tile ( don't ask) if spilled on it, also it eats through plastic measuring cups (don't ask about that either). If you don't etch the tank with the acid and then wash the inside with the MEK the sealer will lift very quickly in use.
Steven

 

[Oldhaven]

I have a tank that was lined a long time ago with an unknown sealer and it has failed. It is coming off in thin sheets and thick chunks where it set in the corners of the tank.
Also lot of fine ‘dust’ was found in the carbs which needed cleaning.

Does anyone recognise this sealant? The thin sheets are translucent, the bigger lumps are rubbery and break up in layers. Any removal tips, chemical or mechanical?

I am familiar with Petseal which was red and much like fibreglass resin and the POR system which ended up as a silver coating both of the also failed in my own tanks.

You might tell I’m not a fan of tank lining it may work on a new surfaces but in old tanks no.

Ian SavageView attachment 3125 View attachment 3126

This is exactly what happened to me, except it was both the petrol and UFM oil tank that were peeling inside. I know mine was KREEM since I know the previous owner that put it in many years ago. It is more gray than what the pictures above show. The liner was loose in some areas and almost impossible to budge in others, so Steven's words about prep are very important. I filled the oil tank with acetone and later with aircraft stripper (which is not for aircraft by the way). After two weeks of soaking with increasingly noxious chemicals, there were still pieces left in the tank. While the fuel tank is a problem, the oil tank could ruin an engine if debris gets by the filter or clogs it entirely. I decided to send both off to a (very) expensive professional for clean out, and he says can clean the gas tank and put in a permanent vulcanized liner without destroying the paint, but it has been over two months now and I have lost this riding season and can't even complete my rebuild assembly without the UFM. Anyway, I did not try MEK due to the incredibly serious warnings about toxicity, but I have heard that it may work better than the two chemicals I used. Of course if it touches the paint, it will ruin it. Good luck, and I hope you can get it out without similar troubles.

Ron

 

[Hugo Myatt]

I have had a problem with the silver coloured Frost POR lining. Having had a minute leak in the usual place, i.e. above the mounting plate at the rear of the tank, I had it 'professionally' lined with POR. Unfortunately it is still leaking. No one that I have consulted knows of any chemical that will remove the POR.

Hugo

 

[vibrac]

I think a good rule of thumb is if your tank was lined before ethanol poisioned the petrol then you need to get it redone. I mechanically removed much of mine from a douglas tank but it still leaves a treacle like substance after standing that glues the slides in the carbs. draining out after use is only solution one day it will all be disolved ....

 

[Goffy998]

There were two types of Petseal one red, the other a creamy translucent pale green.
The image looks like what comes out of a tank that's been Petsealed then treated with Methylene Chloride (Paint stripper)
Another go with some of that should move whats left then nuts & bolts.
Petseal sell the remover which is simply Methylene Chloride, but expensive. Nitromors professional paintstripper used to be the same but now may be something more innocuous & not suitable.
Paul Goff

 

[Goffy998]

The Petseal now available is Ethanol proof, is easy to apply, works well & is cheap. I used to sell it but was plagued by leaky containers & users not reading the instruction with predictable results. Now no connection.

 

[davidd]

I cleaned a painted tank with MEK and sealed it with an aircraft tank sealer, but the tank was retired years ago, so I am unable to talk about the long term properties. I have cut apart tanks with Kreem sealer and would never recommend it. I used a highly recommended sealer from my fiberglass resin supplier and it failed. I know people who have had luck with certain sealers, but I am not sure that they will last in the longer term.

I would never use sealer in any gas tank. I would fix the underlying mechanical problem. If I were Ian, I would be wondering if the tank had been repaired by welding years ago and tested, it would be fine today and not presenting another issue requiring the holes to be cut into the tank.

I sealed the racer fuel tank just because I was doing another tank at the time. It failed in both tanks. In the fiberglass tank it went soft, even though I had a control piece sitting in fuel for four years that is still as hard as a rock. It came off the sides of the racer tank (Steel) within hours. I put the tank on the band saw and cut it in half to clean it because I use a tank cover.

You can see the cut just above the bend line in the tank.

I do think the sealers have gotten better over the years, but I think they are a shorter term solution than many would think.

David

 

[bmetcalf]

Somer's friend Bones painted and lined my tank in 1986. I think it was Kreem and is still fine. It is very thin and sort of cream colored. Touch wood, of course!

 

[Martyn Goodwin]

Over the last year I have had 4 leaks in my fuel tank. The first 2 were at the base of the arch over the carb area , along the weld seam in the tank floor - I did a temporary fix by grinding back to bare metal and applying an epoxy paste to the outside of the tank - this worked very well and has remained leak free (in those spots) for at least 9 months/6,000 miles. The third leak was first noticed when there were traces of fuel travelling from the rear of the tank , under the clear coat, following the path of the gold leaf line. This was sealed around 2 months back with POR 15 - I followed the instructions to the letter, especially in regard to drying out the tank.
The final leak was again at the rear of the tank in EXACTLY the same place as leak #3, just 6 weeks after the POR was applied.
I did have an offer of an original , restored tank at a lottery winning prize price - but despite the pristine exterior, who is to say what the interior/welds are like and how long it would last. Instead I have commissioned a local tank builder to make a brand new tank for me - he uses 1.2mm steel so I expect it to last well beyond my projected use requirements. The original tank has/had lasted 63 years and I'm in my 70th year so if I get the same life from the new one that will take me to 133! So - I figure I will never need to be concerned about the tank again.

And before you ask - yes - T38 has always been in place.