Plastic gas Tank repair? Got it repaired today!

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Anyone have any Ideas how to patch a plastic fuel tank on a 91 dodge ram 1500? Chrysler is no longer making them and The junk yards laugh when I ask for one. Thanks

[268RTs4ME]

Go to you local parts store or wally world,and buy a tube of Seal All, great stuff. Works well on tanks and is not very expensive. Read the tube and it will tell you how to apply, have used it numerious times, handy to keep around.

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Thanks. The problem is its cracked about 1 1/2 in. on the top and it wont hold pressure when it is emission tested (Arizona air quality laws). Chrysler is not making the tanks anymore and no one is remaking them. So The shop its at that found the leak tried to patch it, it slowed the leak but didn't stop it. A friend told me you can actually melt the crack together with a soldering iron? Anyone heard of that? Thanks

[r_biccum]

A soldering iron (on and empty tank for safety) would work, so would plastic welding. There is a special gun (looks like a glue gun) that uses plastic sticks instead of glue sticks, works the same way, makes one darn nice repair though!

[FLG]

A soldering iron (on and empty tank for safety) would work, so would plastic welding. There is a special gun (looks like a glue gun) that uses plastic sticks instead of glue sticks, works the same way, makes one darn nice repair though!

IMO An empty tank is even more combustible then a full one. Fumes are more likely to ignite then the fuel itself.

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Got it fixed today. The shop it was at used a plastic radiator/gas tank repiar kit and got it to hold pressure. Thanks for your imput. 

[2Gunz]

A soldering iron (on and empty tank for safety) would work, so would plastic welding. There is a special gun (looks like a glue gun) that uses plastic sticks instead of glue sticks, works the same way, makes one darn nice repair though!

NEVER weld on an empty tank.

It would actually be safer completely filled with gasoline.


The recommended way is flushed and cleaned out and empty.
Then blown out so the fumes are gone.
And as welding have an inert gas pumped into it.

[Chatt69chgr]

I wonder what kind of plastic the tanks are made from?  The type of plastic would indicate the correct repair method if there is one.  Some plastics like high density polyethylene are resistant to just about any type of solvents or glues.  The HDPE can be fusion welded I think.  A not inexpensive solution would be to buy a new tank from one of the places that sells the higher capacity fuel tanks for retrofit.  My 2005 Dodge Ram has a 26 gallon plastic tank in it.  I have no intention of ever getting rid of the truck but I wonder what the parts situation will be down the road for it or for that matter my new 2009 Challenger.  I don't plan on getting rid of it either.  Heck of a note when you can buy a new gas tank for about any 60's car but not for a 91 Dodge Ram truck.

[2Gunz]

Even more funny is plastic will live forever.
Metal will not.