Noel Maule Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Number two son has been asking me if he could help with some jobs on the TR4A. I was glad of some assistance. I'm getting old and my health isn't good anymore. Alas he has drilled a lovely neat little hole in the fuel tank whilst fitting speakers in the back panel. Can anyone recommend a good product to seal it in situ as i don't want to take the tank out and weld it. There must be some modern product up to the job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tr4hg Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Small screw and a rubber washer. or clean it and fiberglass or gas tank epoxy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Noel appreciate you don't want to pull the tank but if you have to in the end and you need a replacement just seen this, no connection but thought it might be of interest. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-TR4-Fuel-Tank-steel/283865683875?hash=item4217b697a3:g:lzgAAOSw6qherV-A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noel Maule Posted May 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Cheers Graham, but the tank i have is only 18 months old. Bummer isn't it lol. I've stripped the back out and cleaned the paint off around the hole so i just need someone to recommend the right stuff to seal it with. I'm wondering if epoxy if epoxy resin might do the trick as tr4hg suggests. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 This stuff should do it. They say proof against petrol. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RN7CT2U/ref=dp_cerb_3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noel Maule Posted May 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Yes Rob thank you, it looks some decent stuff. I may give it a try. Be worth a go wouldn't it. Cheers. Noel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Some 7 or so years ago I used JB weld on a radiator water leak near the filler neck. It's still holding just fine so I have confidence in it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harbottle Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Noel, be careful not to let any fall through the hole!.Once inside the tank can be a bugger to get out again , and will find its way to fuel line supply you can bet. Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Good advice above. I'd use a self tapper with a washer and plenty of sealant around the washer.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John L Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Wouldn't a blind pop rivet work? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david ferry Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 I appreciate that your tank is fairly new. However, if you decide to remove pending repair, I have a couple of original tanks in my workshop. I’m in Warwickshire too. David Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Like RobH, I sealed a minor radiator leak several years ago using JB Weld, which Glen Hewitt recommended to me. Perhaps a self-tapping screw, combined with a washer and JB Weld, would effect a permanent repair. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie D Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 I’m afraid that I’m going to disagree with most people who have replied with quick fixes and say the only thing I’d do is take the tank out and get the hole brazed up. (After first filling it with water just to make sure there were no fumes left inside.) Maybe epoxy would work. But if it failed you would end up with several gallons of petrol peeing out with no easy way of getting to the tank, let alone stopping the flow. If the tank was full there may well be a fair bit of pressure pushing against the repair. Picture yourself in the fast lane of the M1 standing next to the car with your finger over the hole and waiting an hour for the AA to arrive. They would then have to call the fire brigade. The motorway would be closed for a couple of hours. Someone would no doubt be filming it on their mobile phone and the video of you and your car would be trending on You Tube for the entire world to see. I do feel sorry for your son though. Hopefully it’s not put him off helping again. Charlie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Noel Maule Posted May 4, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2020 Well, after deliberation, we have decided to pull the tank out. I must admit the JB Weld suggestion is very tempting. It seems to be a very good product. But really, i have to agree with Charlie D. At the end of the day i need 100% confidence in the repair and since the tank is a fairly recent one and is very sound otherwise i have just contacted a local engineering firm who are willing to steam it out and weld the hole. They won't give me a price over the phone but i suspect it won't be cheap lol. Nevertheless i think this is the way to go. Number two son is going to do the hard graft for me. It will help ease his conscience . Thank you all for your suggestions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Read Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 (edited) JP weld works, I have used milliput in the past for small tank leaks. Any of the apoxy putties that are oil/fuel resistant should do e.g Pro Seal Fuel Petrol Tank Repair. Plent on ebay. Edited May 5, 2020 by Phil Read Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bleednipple Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 Bush mechanics will tell you that chewed up Starburst sweets (Opal Fruits, as was) are known to work surprisingly well for fuel tank leaks. Just sayin... Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 On the subject of bush mechanics Back in the seventies while living in a remote little village in northern Norway my petrol tank started seeping petrol, so I took it along to the village garage and we took the tank out and drained the fuel. The old boy that ran the garage cleaned up the leaking area with a wire brush stuck an air line in the filler nozzle and went to collect his blow torch. This is when I went outside! He came back and without any attempt to flush the tank set to and tinned the surface of the tank and soldered a patch over the area of pin holes, his theory was that all the time the air line put air in it would not go bang. I'm definitely not recommending anyone try this by the way just telling the story I should add that I had that car for about 5 years after the repair and it never leaked again. George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bleednipple Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, harlequin said: On the subject of bush mechanics Back in the seventies while living in a remote little village in northern Norway my petrol tank started seeping petrol, so I took it along to the village garage and we took the tank out and drained the fuel. The old boy that ran the garage cleaned up the leaking area with a wire brush stuck an air line in the filler nozzle and went to collect his blow torch. This is when I went outside! He came back and without any attempt to flush the tank set to and tinned the surface of the tank and soldered a patch over the area of pin holes, his theory was that all the time the air line put air in it would not go bang. I'm definitely not recommending anyone try this by the way just telling the story I should add that I had that car for about 5 years after the repair and it never leaked again. George A couple of rally sweep mechanics told me (okay, it was over a beer) of a ruptured fuel tank being welded up in Mongolia on the Peking-to-Paris. The method reportedly involved (a) dragging the tank some distance out onto the steppe, (b) ensuring it was completely brimmed with petrol, and (c) sticking a rag in the fuel filler and setting light to it before starting the hot work. Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 7 minutes ago, Bleednipple said: A couple of rally sweep mechanics told me (okay, it was over a beer) of a ruptured fuel tank being welded up in Mongolia on the Peking-to-Paris. The method reportedly involved (a) dragging the tank some distance out onto the steppe, (b) ensuring it was completely brimmed with petrol, and (c) sticking a rag in the fuel filler and setting light to it before starting the hot work. Nigel That mechanics name wasn't Molotov was it ? Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Salisbury Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 It's quite simple really, with the tank empty of petrol leave it flushing with water for half an hour, then with plenty of space around carefully apply a flame to the filler mouth, there will be a whoosh and a bang and the tank may jump 3 feet in the air (mine did anyway!!) and from then on you can weld or solder to repair any damage without having to worry. Cheers Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony_C Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 On 5/3/2020 at 10:58 AM, Charlie D said: I’m afraid that I’m going to disagree with most people who have replied with quick fixes and say the only thing I’d do is take the tank out and get the hole brazed up. (After first filling it with water just to make sure there were no fumes left inside.) ... I do feel sorry for your son though. Hopefully it’s not put him off helping again. Charlie. This is all good fun but well done Charlie..... This has to be the correct way... I’ve not drilled one (yet!) but taking the tank out of a 4 and getting it properly repaired really can be done at anytime and anywhere... 40+ years ago in rural Portugal a mad dog, big as a donkey, heard the TR and decided to charge head-on, making me ram on the brakes with such force that the tools and spares I’d cleverly stored in the crevices came up against the fuel pipe connection at tank leaving me and increasingly snotty girlfriend on the side of the road with petrol leaking down onto hot exhaust... Once all of her luggage was out the way it was relatively easy to get the tank out, flagged a passing bus down to nearest town/village, bit of sign language and pointing later the guys brimmed the tank with water and carried out permanent repair as good as anything that originally came out of factory, just had time for cold beer before the bus back arrived. That ‘proper repair’ did and is still doing many 1000’s of hard miles around Europe...... Oh, and rest of holiday was great once she cheered up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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