tank problem

Show us your projects and restorations
Post Reply
dunk 1
Posts: 208
Joined: 25 Oct 2007 18:16
Location: cumbria

tank problem

Post by dunk 1 »

Hello -started to get on with the tank so dragged it out from where I had stored it after initial strip down. Cleaned it up and noticed two small brown linear paint lifts under the tank. On removing the paint there seem to be two small cracks in the tank, they are in the same place on either side of the dent for the top frame bar running parallel to the gap and at the rear of the circular cut outs for the air filters. The tank is sealed with POR and they seemed to have wept only a tiny bit or I would have noticed them before. The cracks wriggle a bit and are about 1.5 - 2 cm long
So - what could have caused them - the tank pads were not in great condition - could they have allowed the tank to touch the top frame bar and vibration done this
and what can I do about it -is there an easy solution.
thanks - Duncan
dunk
Steve Brown
Posts: 1390
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 23:44
Location: Leicestershire

Re: tank problem

Post by Steve Brown »

I suppose it could be vibration wot did it but the bigger question is what to do next? If the brown marks are just rust rather than fuel stain then the liner has done its job. If you weld the cracks the liner would not survive that so you'd need to chemically remove it and start again. Decent tanks are getting rarer now so it's worth giving it a lot of thought. I think I would weld it then strip the liner and decide whether it really needs one. Plenty of good reasons not use them but in some cases there are plenty of good reasons to do it! Internal corrosion being the strongest in my view.
I haven't seen one cracked yet!
All donations to the rest home for old Camels, Leicestershire.
dunk 1
Posts: 208
Joined: 25 Oct 2007 18:16
Location: cumbria

Re: tank problem

Post by dunk 1 »

The brown marks weren't rust - the paint is yellow and around the raised areas it was brown - there was only a very small area of lift over what seem to be the cracks and there was no other evidence of leakage and the liner seems in good condition - all in all it seems a bit odd.
I sealed the tank last time I painted it - even though it didn't need it, just seemed like a good idea, I may have been mistaken.
thanks - Duncan
dunk
norbert
Posts: 750
Joined: 15 May 2007 15:15
Location: Lübeck/Germany

Re: tank problem

Post by norbert »

Hi Duncan,

I´m not sure if I understood well the location of the cracks. I have had several times very fine cracks underneath the tank on both sides at the rear part of the round dent for the filterbox. I believe its a sort of fatigue crack because of many many miles with vibrations (and in my case a 40l Harro-bag on the tank). Two times it happens when travelling and I could solve the problem for some month with a UHU 300 Plus two component glue. Later they were welded. Last year it began to leak again, allways in the same area. My last try is a superglue (works under water and all that stuff). It´s not oficialy gasoline resistent but a friend told me taht he used it at the same place years ago and since then no problems. Well mine since half a year is dry. This glue comes in cartidges like silicon and is called "TECHNOLIT Multibond"
44_kDSCI0020_2.jpg
44_kDSCI0020_2.jpg (43.32 KiB) Viewed 6205 times
norbert
dunk 1
Posts: 208
Joined: 25 Oct 2007 18:16
Location: cumbria

Re: tank problem

Post by dunk 1 »

Those look very much like my cracks - same place but not quite as developed as yours - thanks - Duncan
dunk
Post Reply