Small Hole in Tank

hmmmmm......unfortunately, these things are hardly ever as small as they first appear Paul.

I'd take it to a radiator shop and see what they think - but as others have said, I sure would not let an amateur try to fix it.
 
Like I said there are two ways you could go about this. Have it "sealed" with a patch, metal and solder or braze, then do the body work and paint. Or, patch it so that it "seals" or not, even with small pinholes, then use a sealer inside the tank and do the body work and paint. NO ONE will be able to patch it well enough without filler to be smooth enough for paint.

I use fiberglass filler that comes in a can, not fiberglass cloth and resin, then I fill the imperfections that are left with plastic filler.

Getting rid of the paint fumes to start working on it is not a big deal. Just wash out the fumes and DO NOT work on it with the cap closed.

If you were here, I have the materials and could have it ready for paint for half the price of another tank.

Scott
 
FWIW, a leaking gas tank can be temporarily fixed with chewing gum.
The trick is you gotta chew it until it don't taste sugary any more.
Although you'd need to chew a whole pack of the stuff to fix one the size of
the hole in Paul's tank.
 
fredintoon said:
FWIW, a leaking gas tank can be temporarily fixed with chewing gum.
The trick is you gotta chew it until it don't taste sugary any more.
Although you'd need to chew a whole pack of the stuff to fix one the size of
the hole in Paul's tank.
Click to expand...

....can you re-use it after the permanent patch is installed?
 
I've done the same size patch with JB Weld on two tanks. Neither one of these patches ever leaked. One of these was under the tank, no body work necessary, just some enamel paint. One tank was a broken out emblem thread/weld, didn't leak, but the JB Weld gassed out under the paint and body work. That later tank will be sealed with RedKote and be repainted this year. JB Weld and tank sealers can both gas out, better to wait about a month before body work and paint. Maybe a coat of primer over the bare metal while waiting.

Scott
 
Fredintoon: Did you know that a Crack or split in a tank can be temporarly fixed by rubbing a bar of soap on it ?
try to fill the edge with the soap push it in real hard..... it'll hold for a few days hard dirt riding .... but cary the bar of soap in your pocket just incase ! LOL
.....
that hole in the tank looks like JBWeld time to me,......put a piece of plastic over the hole and then ladle on the JB Weld....then if you can find that RED Coat stuff use that too....if i remember correctly, it will stop the rust in the tank as well....
beats buying a new tank and it should last a very long time !
i'ed feel better if the hole was soldered closed or brased but if ya can't do that,.... ya gott'a use something else.... anyone can use J.B.Weld !
just give it at least 24 hours to cure ..... 2 days if it's cold !!!!!!
.....
Bob.........
 
Nice one Cheers Bob! I'm still undecided what to do with this, I'll probably get it welded but am thinking now about fitting an XS750 tank purely for aesthetics as I'm building a custom Street Tracker. I've been searching online for a photo of a 650 with a 750 tank but so far I've not managed to find anything. If anyone has one post up!
 
Pete's idea of going to a radiator shop is a good one. They might depress the area a bit and then braze it. My local radiator shop also does the redcoat on the premises.
However, you probably could also do OK with Scott's JB weld idea, denting in the area a bit, and plugging the spot with a metal or plastic disc, then the JB weld. The stuff is amazing. When it hardens, you can grind it down. And then redcoat the interior.
Keep in mind that rust is insidious; it will return if you dont first grind it all off.

Good luck with the fix, Paul.
 
Thanks man. Just ordered some JB weld anyway....I need this stuff in my garage!
 
to give you an idea on how strong that JB Weld is I have used it on many occasions to repair cracked or busted (Holed) side plates on dirt bikes
on one ocasion I even sealed up a transmition with it..... none of them ever leaked oil or flaked off.....
JBWeld is one of those things you don't want to run out of... along with High Temp red silicone I get both of those things at Walmart why pay 7~8 bucks for the same thing when you can get it for 4 ? LOL...... right now I'm out of both of those...along with drywall screws,black electrical tape, 3/16 clear tubing, sand paper and (Cringe) 6011 welding rod ! ... I tell ya boys, it sux to be poor ....don't do it ! !!!!!!
HAHAHAHHA!
Bob.........
 
Bear in mind that the regular JB Weld is far superior to their fast setting stuff. I poured a puddle of Red-Kote onto a thin piece of steel plate and let it set overnight to see how it seemed. Nearly impossible to destroy it or even get it off. I won't use anything else now.
 
that's not a bad looking tank at all ! anyone know how much fuel it holds ? gott'a be allot more than My 82' Special's tank... I dislike small fuel tanks !
seams your alwayse having to go fill up to go anywhere with a small tank.
....
Bob........
 
Paul75 said:
From your vast experience what is the best/most effective way of welding the hole up?
Click to expand...

MIG Welding.
But I don't think you need to weld it up. You can utilize panel bonding adhesive to fix up the holes. Place an overlapping panel behind the hole and adhere it using the panel bond adhesive then use a prep paint to fill it. It works well. Eastwood's no weld hole repair is yet another option for quick repair. I haven't used it yet but found good reviews online.

Paul75 said:
I've no welding experience BUT am thinking more and more about it as there are quite a few other things I'd like to fabricate.
Click to expand...
I suggest that you learn a bit basics of welding. It might be useful future. If you have a basic welding knowledge, then you can fix the holes with an MIG welder. You can learn basics from online, youtube is a free wellspring of learning. You can rely on them for knowledge. Likewise, there are many welding certifications courses available, I have found one such from an online portal, tool and die course certification in 5 days. If you wish to learn, you can either enroll in such courses or do it online.
 
marlen said:
MIG Welding.
But I don't think you need to weld it up. You can utilize panel bonding adhesive to fix up the holes. Place an overlapping panel behind the hole and adhere it using the panel bond adhesive then use a prep paint to fill it. It works well. Eastwood's no weld hole repair is yet another option for quick repair. I haven't used it yet but found good reviews online.


I suggest that you learn a bit basics of welding. It might be useful future. If you have a basic welding knowledge, then you can fix the holes with an MIG welder. You can learn basics from online, youtube is a free wellspring of learning. You can rely on them for knowledge. Likewise, there are many welding certifications courses available, I have found one such from an online portal, tool and die course certification in 5 days. If you wish to learn, you can either enroll in such courses or do it online.
Click to expand...
 

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