Small Crack In Gas Tank

[The Grebe]

I have an old Polaris 4 wheeler...I believe it is about 261 years old? Anyways, the plastic gas tank developed a leak right about the area where where the name plate is mounted.

I seriously doubt that I will be able to even find a tank for this thing, so I'm looking for something to patch it with....any ideas?

[harvey lee]

I had a friend who had a small crack in the tank.

He used a 2 part epoxy for the tank material and used that and it is holding up after 2 years.

He also used a smaller drill bit and drilled 2 small holes at the end of each end of the crack so it would not crack farther. The round hole at the end of the crack seems to help stop it from cracking farther.

I do not remember the brand name of the 2 part epoxy but he did pick it up at a hardware store.

Make sure to use a sharp new drill bit and drill slow so you do not push any of the cuttings of the plastic when you are drilling into the tank.

[JeffB]

Also scuff the plastic with a coarse sandpaper so the epoxy grips better.

[harvey lee]

Thanks Jeff, I forgot to mention that.

[The Grebe]

Thanks fellas, I'll give it a try. Sometimes it's best to ask someone whose been there and who has had success through trial and error...things don't always work the way we expect them to! I'll let you know if it works....trial and hopefully not error!

[harvey lee]

I am wondering how it would work to have it plastic welded. Might be an option if you have someone that does it close by.

[Gordie]

You maybe suprised what you can find if you search the web I have found alot of parts for my old atv's and all I had to do was spend a little time in front of the monitor.

I have seen plastic patched before on snowmoblie tanks and they seem to hold up so it should work just fine. I have used JB weld before on aluminum and have had great results with it. I'm sure it would work on the plastic gas tank as well.

[The Grebe]

Thanks Gordie. This is a little harder then normal because the machine is like a 1987..or earlier? Runs like a top after having been tuned up, great for ice fishing and pulling stuff.

It didn't even have a title, had been sitting in a barn and then a shed for a long time. I had to guess at the year, after talking to the previous 3 owners, they gave me a ball park and then I jumped through some hoops to get it lic. Had to come up with my own set of serial numbers even....couldn't find any on the machine....even had some people more knowledgable then myself look for it also.

Anyways, buying a different tank might be pretty iffy if I don't even know for sure what year the machine is? I'd rather try the patching first, as I don't want to invest to much money in this thing.

If the patching doesn't work, I'll just put less gas in the tank and be mindfull ofhow far I run it.

[leech~~]

Grebe, PM me I live in BC also and maybe able to help. There are not many glues that will stick to that plastic and hold up.

[The Grebe]

Leech, hey! Forgive me, I'am somewhat challenged by some things, I'm not sure how the Private Message stuff works? By dinking around, I just now was able to find out what PM even meant? I'll mess around with it and see if I can figure it out?

[The Grebe]

Leech, did anything come through to you?

[leech~~]

Nope

Maybe I can meet you some where close to your home? I just got done with my Lake Trout which was Great and could meet you anywhere off Bk Blvd.

[The Grebe]

Do you know where Denny's is behind the bowling alley?

[leech~~]

Yep, I can meet you there in about 15mins.

[The Grebe]

Can't make that tonight Leech, maybe tomorrow evening, waddayasay?

[leech~~]

Ok, I did just go over there and waited for about 1/2hr. But how about tomorrow say 6:30pm or so? I will be driving a Green Vue SUV.

[The Grebe]

I thought about that...I was hoping that wasn't going to happen....6:30 sounds good, I drive a white Dodge truck....might be hard to see in all the snow we have. ;-)

[leech~~]

Ok see you there. If we get her fixed up you may owe me a Grandslam at Denny's!

[The Grebe]

I think I could probably handle that? I'd just have to shift through the lint in my pockets to find enough change. You got some kind of tried and true method for accomplishing fixing a gas tank leak? Special compound?

How we gonna play this? What do you want me to bring, besides the wheeler?

[leech~~]

Going to try a plastic weld process I have used a few times. If it doesn't work then you can throw all the glues you have been suggested on it to see if they will stick?

[The Grebe]

Yoe, Leech, me again....I was outside farting around with the wheeler, drained the gas tank down so nothing leaks out of the crack, I didn't completely empty the tank though.

I think the crack is a little larger then I thought? I can see it leaking along a certain area, maybe 3 inches long, but I really can't see the crack, because someone had roughed up the area before, while trying to repair it.

Leech, you sure you want to mess around with this? I wouldn't want you to waste your time on what might be a lost cause? I could always run over to Harbor Freight and pick up one of the plastic welding kits they have and waste my own time? I plow snow in the winter, I have plenty of time to waste!

[leech~~]

I have no problem running over to see what you have for an issue since we are so close. If you want to try the Harbor Freight fix first and that doesn't work let me know and I can buzz over. I'm always up for a project to help someone out!

[The Grebe]

See you at 6:30 then.

[leech~~]

OK

[The Grebe]

Leech, I just wanted to give you a big thanks for the time and effort you put forth to put the patch on the ATV gas tank. It isn't leaking anywhere that I can see and I shook it up a couple more times.

You have my phone number, so if ya ever need a second set of hands with something, give me a holler. I marked the 25th on the calendar...give me a shout out a couple of days before and we'll see what we can do? Thanks again. By the way, have you stopped shivering yet?