OT: Mopar plastic gas tank leaks;what to do?

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Bill Crowell

Bill Crowell

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This question pertains to a 1977 Sportsman B200 van with the optional 36-gallon plastic (ABS?) gas tank in the rear. My tank leaks, despite several attempts to repair it. Two questions:

1. Does anybody know of any sure-fire way to permanently repair these tanks?

2. Since these tanks are NLA, what kind of steel tank would replace it?

Thanks very much for any help you can give me.
 
you can "weld" ABS. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvV9a3lEe2g"]Plastic Welding: How To Instructional Video by Techspan - YouTube[/ame]
 
Right, Tim, I have done that a couple of times and it did stop the leak where I welded it, but then it starts leaking somewhere else. I think the ABS shrinks or something after 40 years and just starts cracking everywhere, but I am not sure.
 
rub a bar of soap on it. Wonder if you could line it with a trash bag....;-)
 
I just have to say that a plastic tank.........that old..........probably needs replaced. Unlike stuff like small tractors, etc, a tank ---specially in a truck application---has, does, and will see a LOT of road shock and vibration. Seems to me the chance of just plain fatigue is pretty great.
 
Welding its great, until you get hit by someone and it pops, spraying a cloud of highly explosive vaporized fuel everywhere. I would replace it if your life is worth more than $250.
 
magnummopar said:
Welding its great, until you get hit by someone and it pops, spraying a cloud of highly explosive vaporized fuel everywhere. I would replace it if your life is worth more than $250.
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You dont seem too informed. When you weld something, the weld is stronger then the surrounding material. Now a bad weld is something else. The tank he needs is NO LONGER AVAILABLE as stated in first post. He cant just pay 250 dollars and have a new tank. :cheers:
 
http://www.gastanks.com/1977-78-Dodge-Van-Plymouth-Van/productinfo/CR-4C/

Item Number: CR-4C

Unit Price: $217.00

Dodge Van; 1977-78 w/ 22 Gallon Steel Tank
Plymouth Van: 1977-78 w/ 22 Gallon Steel Tank

Capacity: 22 gallons
Dimensions: 34-3/4" x 23-3/4" x 9-3/8"
Free with Tank: Rubber O-ring and lock ring kit for sending unit
Packaging: Boxed
Part Number: CR-4C

Straps - ST-25
Sending Unt - SUFG61B
 
I am just answering his question , if you fully read it

2. Since these tanks are NLA, what kind of steel tank would replace it?

So I answered what steel tank would replace it, he would need new straps and sender but they are available
 
dwire67 said:
I am just answering his question , if you fully read it

2. Since these tanks are NLA, what kind of steel tank would replace it?

So I answered what steel tank would replace it, he would need new straps and sender but they are available
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Ok, I see. I hope he gets it worked out. :cheers:
 
Bill Crowell said:
This question pertains to a 1977 Sportsman B200 van with the optional 36-gallon plastic (ABS?) gas tank in the rear. My tank leaks, despite several attempts to repair it. Two questions:

1. Does anybody know of any sure-fire way to permanently repair these tanks?

2. Since these tanks are NLA, what kind of steel tank would replace it?

Thanks very much for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...

You may be in luck my friend, let me check, I may have that very fuel tank, in good shape sitting in my barn. Srapped a 78 B200 last spring but kept the tank.
 
Mopar Tim said:
You dont seem too informed. When you weld something, the weld is stronger then the surrounding material. Now a bad weld is something else. The tank he needs is NO LONGER AVAILABLE as stated in first post. He cant just pay 250 dollars and have a new tank. :cheers:
Click to expand...

With a Mig welder, yea, but plastic is a very different beast. I have repaired tons of bumpers, valances etc and while if it was a fender liner or something of that nature, poly welding would be fine but NOT a gas tank. Poly breaks down when reheated.

You can buy a helmet for $30, I think my uninformed brain is worth a $500 Shoei. Same as a gas tank, is being a burn victim worth saving a few hundred bucks? What are your kids lives worth?

I have seen guys on here selling FI harnesses that tell you to drill a hole in tank, put wires through and stuff a grommet in place....not on my ****...just because somebody does it doesnt mean its a good idea.

I do love the insult though, very FABO
 
magnummopar said:
With a Mig welder, yea, but plastic is a very different beast. I have repaired tons of bumpers, valances etc and while if it was a fender liner or something of that nature, poly welding would be fine but NOT a gas tank. Poly breaks down when reheated.

You can buy a helmet for $30, I think my uninformed brain is worth a $500 Shoei. Same as a gas tank, is being a burn victim worth saving a few hundred bucks? What are your kids lives worth?

I have seen guys on here selling FI harnesses that tell you to drill a hole in tank, put wires through and stuff a grommet in place....not on my ****...just because somebody does it doesnt mean its a good idea.

I do love the insult though, very FABO
Click to expand...

If it was a diesel tank, I'd be less concerned with it(the drilling part), but a gas tank, I agree with you.
 
No insult intended, I just did not give my reply much thought. Sorry.
 
Thought I would resurrect this old thread for an update.

I thought I had repaired the tank a couple of months ago with plastic welding, and it passed the California evaporative emissions test at the time, but then it started leaking again. The crack had reappeared, now extending past the area I had repaired.

I had already tried a NAPA 765-1546 fuel tank repair kit, which seemed to adhere well at first, but when exposed to fuel it failed.

People told me that 3M 5200 marine epoxy would work, so I called 3M customer service, but they said that 5200 was not rated for use with polyethylene in contact with gasoline.

Other people have told me that Marine-Tex epoxy will work, but its manufacturer told me that it's not rated for polyethylene fuel tanks, either. They do have a polyethylene repair product, but it requires flame treatment of the area to be repaired before the repair material is applied, which you could never do safely with a plastic gas tank.

So I am going to try the "ABS slurry" method (pieces of plastic dissolved in acetone and the resulting slurry brushed on in multiple layers). Having watched several youtube.com videos about the procedure, I am hopeful that it might be a permanent fix.
 
Look up a product called Casewell epoxy gas tank liner
It might do the trick for you
 
Did you drill stop the ends of the crack before making the repair???

Treblig
 
Did you try this plastic tank repair:
Blue Magic Quiksteel Plastic Tank Repair Kit

Pep Boys carries it.

Treblig
 
"Did you try this plastic tank repair: Blue Magic Quiksteel Plastic Tank Repair Kit?"

No, and of course I shouldn't criticize the product without having tried it, but did you notice that the guy who repaired his plastic Dakota gas tank with it in the youtube video:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLdhiiH44Zo"]How To Repair A Cracked Fuel Tank (With Quick Steel) - YouTube[/ame]

didn't really know if it was going to work or not, and didn't post a follow-up video?

He really reminds me of myself, after the last two times that I was so damned sure I had it fixed!! I really doubt that that repair will last.
 
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