Leaking fuel tank - again

[Waiex191]

Perhaps someone melted the screen when they etched the tank in prep for the Kreem?
Gas wouldn't do it...it had to be something nasty.

That's the odd thing.  I did the etch/Kreem back in '91 or so.  I've had the petcock out when I brought the bike back to life a few years ago.  So - there has been nothing in that tank but gas.  Initially I was using the ethanol contaminated gas, but after having to redo the carbs again I decided never again.  I'll pay the extra $2/gallon.

It's a mystery.

[Waiex191]

Ok, this has been dormant for a long time but here is an update.  I really didn't want to MEK out the KREEM as my first go.  And I believe that ugly but ridden is better than a garage queen.  So first I sanded off the area to expose the hole:


Next up I formed a tight-ish fitting external patch out of 6061-T6.


To get that shape I annealed & quenched the part and kept fiddling until I was happy with it.


Next I bonded it on with a product called pro-seal.  Actually it was an equivalent I bought from Aircraft Spruce.  It's a 2 part rubber mix used in aviation to seal fabricated gas tanks.  We use it on homebuilts and it was also used at Sikorsky where I used to work.


I masked it off and pulled out the can of black paint I had in the cabinet.


So I have achieved ugly, now I need to put it on for the leak check.  And, hopefully get back riding.


The poor FJ (and my GN400) has been on the back burner for airplane stuff.  I got the GN going and am finally back to the FJ.

[fj1289]

I'd ride that!

Creative solution!

When were you at Sikorsky?  Were you at the heliport north of Bridgeport/Stratton?

[Waiex191]

I'd ride that!

Creative solution!

When were you at Sikorsky?  Were you at the heliport north of Bridgeport/Stratton?

I was in Stratford north of the city, right by the Merrit Parkway bridge over the Housatonic. Security guard in '85, coop until full time employment in '89, moved to the Elmira NY area when we bought Schweizer, left when they closed Schweizer in 2012.

[Waiex191]

Bike is back together and ridden for the first time in a long time - whenever I started this thread. Rode both bikes at lunchtime. Was debating between flying and riding, and I've been flying a lot.