gas tank giving me the blues

lambofgod121980

lambofgod121980

New Member
Let me start off by saying - I'm sooooooper pised. I just wanna ride sooooo bad. Been having an issue with my peanut tank. It leakes like a sive from the mounting studs. Tried every thing to fix it. Jb weld, quick steel, gas tank repair kit. I finally gave up trying to fix it and I wanted a larger tank so I copped up the skrilla and ordered a new one. It finally got here yesterday, and was too late when it got here to mount it. So.... I got up early this morning like a kid at christmas to work on my bike and swap the tanks out. Mounted the front on and left the back mount untouched. Went for a ride up the street and it wouldn't stay level so I decided it best to go ahead and put the back bracket on aswell. Tightened it untill I couldn't move the tank by hand and filled it up......
I could cry. Lol. Same as before leaking like a sive from back mounting studs. I think imma be sick..... I just wanna ride:-||
 
I feel your pain, my son's bike has had the same issue on 2 tanks. He's waiting for me to give him my vintage Honda XR80 tank I'm trying restore.
 
Take it to your local muffler shop and see if they can weld the studs for you again. That would seal it better and if you used a tank sealer on the inside it should be fine after that. Just make sure you don't try to over torque the nuts when you install it the next time. If you over torque the nuts they will make the studs leak at the tank again.
 
You might be over tightening. Next time use some old inner tube to wrap around the frame before mounting the tank. Don't forget to wash the talc off the tube first, otherwise it will want to slip. The tank won't slip as easily, the frame won't get scratched, and you won't have to tighten the tank studs as much.
 
I'm almost to the point of - idc anymore and giving up. Have a bunch of people around me talking about how I'm stupid for spending the cash I have on my bike. Caught all kind of crap from the wife about how I was stupid for buying a new tank and not even a day and I'm having problems with the new one.... I hope I can fix this one or find a rear round tank that's super cheap. Its all worth it when I can ride and enjoy my bike but its been sitting up for about 4 mos in storage untill yesterday. Everyone keeps telling me to sell it.
I'm almost there.....
 
NunyaBidness said:
Take it to your local muffler shop and see if they can weld the studs for you again. That would seal it better and if you used a tank sealer on the inside it should be fine after that. Just make sure you don't try to over torque the nuts when you install it the next time. If you over torque the nuts they will make the studs leak at the tank again.
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Who makes a cheap sealer that is guaranteed not to flake off in time and cause other problems? I'm all for sealing, but the good sealers I've read about are really expensive.
 
JimsFelt66 said:
Who makes a cheap sealer that is guaranteed not to flake off in time and cause other problems? I'm all for sealing, but the good sealers I've read about are really expensive.
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I agree. I've looked at sealers before and they seem to be way more expensive than I can really afford to spend. Do they seal the tanks from the factory? I'm kinda hoping I can just weld it.... Lol but probably not. I haven't had any kind of luck fixing a tank yet ( or even getting new one for that matter )
 
Well... Just got off the phone with the company I ordered the tank from and they are having me ship it back to them. Don't really know if that means they shipping me a new one or what? I may still try and weld the first one if it can be done. Crossing my fingers.
 
There is a tank sealer called kreem, its about $20 for I think a pint, or maybe its a quart I dont remember aymore, but the $20 bottle is enough for two tanks if you follow the instructions on the bottle. There are some who will see that Kreem can flake, but I never had any issues with it. lambofgod, I think the reason your back studs are leaking is because of the way you are mounting your tank. I could be wrong, but the way you described it, you put the front bracket on first and tightened it all the way, and then put the back bracket on later. This is why it leaks, you are breaking the rear studs because there is already pressure from the front bracket being tight. You should be putting both brackets on at the same time, and tightening each nut a little at a time until all 4 nuts are evenly torqued down.
 
I've heard of using a piece of inner tube on the top bar, under the tank, but I have another suggestion. This one I've used on several bikes and it seems to work well.
Go to an automotive windshield/glass shop and ask for a foot of glass setting tape. It is a rubberized compound that when wet with water, WD-40 also works, then allowed to dry becomes sticky. It will hold the tank in place with very little pressure on the studs. It's easily removed if you ever need to take the tank off.

Thick double sided tape will also work. And do not tighten those little 5mm fasteners as if they were lug nuts on your car. Overtightening the tank mounts is one of the most common mistakes made and results are where the OP is now.

Tom
 
bigbutterbean said:
I think the reason your back studs are leaking is because of the way you are mounting your tank. I could be wrong, but the way you described it, you put the front bracket on first and tightened it all the way, and then put the back bracket on later. This is why it leaks, you are breaking the rear studs because there is already pressure from the front bracket being tight. You should be putting both brackets on at the same time, and tightening each nut a little at a time until all 4 nuts are evenly torqued down.
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The tank doesnsit flat on the top tube b/c the top tube is curved. With the first tank I tightened the nuts all the way and that's what caused the leak on that one. Way over tightened. On this one I deciced not to use the rear bracket so I could tighten the front up enough so it wouldn't shift. Upon seeing that it didn't stay put I had to undo the front to get the back strap on. Then like you said all four a little at a time till it would stay put.
I didn't use any kind of rubber or anything inbetween the tank and the top tube and I think that's where I made my mistake. I deffinately bent one of the studs at the back end attempting to make the tank solid.
I got lucky on this one as the place I ordered the tank is replacing it and gave me a $15 store credit for the inconvienence even though it was my fault.
I'd really like to do away with the peanut tank all together and do a rear mount set up like the tank on the sportsman site. I just don't have an extra $150 to spend on a gas tank. Money is super tight atm as I'm looking for a place to live and my bike has been on back burner for some time. I consider my bike as my second major form of transport (even though most people close to me see it as just a toy) and its a major help with gas for the errands I need to run here in town. For the most part my ride is reliable till I start messing with it loool. Just super frustrating to be soooooo close and yet miles away, if ya get me.
 
2door said:
I've heard of using a piece of inner tube on the top bar, under the tank, but I have another suggestion. This one I've used on several bikes and it seems to work well.
Go to an automotive windshield/glass shop and ask for a foot of glass setting tape. It is a rubberized compound that when wet with water, WD-40 also works, then allowed to dry becomes sticky. It will hold the tank in place with very little pressure on the studs. It's easily removed if you ever need to take the tank off.



Tom
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That's a great idea tom - bows down - this is the reason I love the forum. It had never occured to me to try that. When new tank gets here ill be sure to try that.
 
lambofgod121980 said:
The tank doesnsit flat on the top tube b/c the top tube is curved. With the first tank I tightened the nuts all the way and that's what caused the leak on that one. Way over tightened. On this one I deciced not to use the rear bracket so I could tighten the front up enough so it wouldn't shift. Upon seeing that it didn't stay put I had to undo the front to get the back strap on. Then like you said all four a little at a time till it would stay put.
I didn't use any kind of rubber or anything inbetween the tank and the top tube and I think that's where I made my mistake. I deffinately bent one of the studs at the back end attempting to make the tank solid.
I got lucky on this one as the place I ordered the tank is replacing it and gave me a $15 store credit for the inconvienence even though it was my fault.
I'd really like to do away with the peanut tank all together and do a rzptear mount set up like the tank on the sportsman site. I just don't have an extra $150 to spend on a gas tank. Money is super tight atm as I'm looking for a place to live and my bike has been on back burner for some time. I consider my bike as my second major form of transport (even though most people close to me see it as just a toy) and its a major help with gas for the errands I need to run here in town. For the most part my ride is reliable till I start messing with it loool. Just super frustrating to be soooooo close and yet miles away, if ya get me.
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Check craigslist or ask around and see if there is anyone near you that deals in used parts. I got a plastic 2 gallon yamaha 3 wheeler tank from a parts guy for $15. I had to get a little creative with the mounting, but I found a way to make it work, and I've had this tank for over 2 years now. Its gonna go on my next bike as well, a Schwinn cantilever frame with a 49cc Lifan 4 stroke engine.
 
i used 2 lines of RVT on the bottom of the tank where it would be on ether side of the frame tube and let it almost dry before i put the tank on and the installed it and let it finish drying so it formed to the back bone and it keeps it from moving
 
Flush out the tank with water before welding or even fill the tank while welding (but be sure it's not sealed or pressure will build up). You MUST get rid of the fumes before welding. If you can smell gas, DON'T WELD ON IT! A muffler shop MIG can fix this if you can find one near you, and it should be fairly cheap. Good luck!
 
maniac57 said:
Flush out the tank with water before welding or even fill the tank while welding (but be sure it's not sealed or pressure will build up). You MUST get rid of the fumes before welding. If you can smell gas, DON'T WELD ON IT! A muffler shop MIG can fix this if you can find one near you, and it should be fairly cheap. Good luck!
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Will I need to seal the tank or can I get away with no using sealer.
 
If the welds are good there's no reason to seal it. If the welds are questionable you might want to check out KBS Coatings. http://www.kbs-coatings.com/cycle-tank-sealer-kit.html They're not cheap but guaranteed to seal and their product is compatible with alcohol based fuels. Some of the others mentioned have been reported to break down when subjected to alcohol over a period of time.

Tom
 
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A lot of these tanks have the same problem due to poor quality control by the manufacturers. Here's what I did to fix mine and it has been leak free for three years. First I removed the tank and drained the gas. Then I let it air dry with the cap off overnight. Third, I put water in the tank and sloshed it around and drained it to make sure there were no residual gas fumes left. Next I cleaned the area where the studs come out of the tank with a Dremel tool and wire wheel. Finally, I used a small propane tank (mapgas will work too) and general purpose rosin core solder on each of the studs. Solder the tank upside down so you don't get solder too far down the threads. The two rear studs on my tank were not soldered at all. After the tank cooled I dried the rest of the water with a hair dryer, filled the tank halfway with gasoline and let it sit for a couple of hours. When there was no sign of leaks I reinstalled it and have been using it ever since. These tanks are very thin metal, if you try to weld it you will likely burn holes in it. Finally, follow everyone else's advice and don't over tighten the nuts. Good luck..weld
 
lambofgod121980 said:
Will I need to seal the tank or can I get away with no using sealer.
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That depends entirely on the skill of the welder who does it. Sealer would be a good insurance policy, but should not be needed if the welding is sound. Test by filling it with kool-aid or some colored fluid after dusting the weld area with talc. Any leaks should show up clearly. You can also use solder or brazing if you have access to a torch. Be sure to clean the area VERY GOOD before any repairs. Clean metal solders MUCH better.
 
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