lining omars fiberglass tanks

[FLEA]

anybody lined one of omars fiberglass tanks to handle ethanol fuel? if so what did you use and any problems..thanks

 

[DogBunny]

I used the Caswell kit, it was recommended by the old Omar's owner (I think his name was David Ward?), who I also bought the kit from. It is excellent, it is the only liner I will ever buy, no mater what type or material the tank is made out of.

 

[FLEA]

thanks d/bunny, when you used the kit had the tank already had fuel in the tank and how long have you used it after lining it..,got in touch with new omars and asked them..their reply..OUR COATING CAN ONLY BE USED ON NEW TANKS..WE REALLY DONT HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR YOU ON COATINGS FOR USED TANKS..IM SURE THERES A GOOD COATING SOMEWHERE OUT THERE FOR USED TANKS.. now that's very helpful for a product they make and apparently made for the old omars especially as a kind of disclaimer praises the coating they use then says that he always drops the fuel when not using it out of habit from the old days of fiberglass tanks...any bodyelse had experience good or bad with lining fiberglass tanks

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Flea, I have no answer for this, but if memory serves, I recall that some kit, ultralight, and experimental airplanes back then used fiberglass tanks. And, if so, they must have something going on for that. Might search EAA forums, Wicks Supply, Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, and such...

 

[bt24]

I have used Caswell tank sealer on new and used fiberglass as well as used metal tanks and it worked great for race fuel and regular fuel containing ethanol. Some times E Bay and the Caswell web site will run a special on the Motorcycle tank sealer.

Bryan

 

[DogBunny]

thanks d/bunny, when you used the kit had the tank already had fuel in the tank and how long have you used it after lining it..,got in touch with new omars and asked them..their reply..OUR COATING CAN ONLY BE USED ON NEW TANKS..WE REALLY DONT HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR YOU ON COATINGS FOR USED TANKS..IM SURE THERES A GOOD COATING SOMEWHERE OUT THERE FOR USED TANKS.. now that's very helpful for a product they make and apparently made for the old omars especially as a kind of disclaimer praises the coating they use then says that he always drops the fuel when not using it out of habit from the old days of fiberglass tanks...any bodyelse had experience good or bad with lining fiberglass tanks

The Caswell absolutely works. Doesn't matter if the tank ever saw fuel or not. Mine did. Mine's about a year old. I never drop the fuel. Go to the Caswell site and look at the instructions before you buy if you are concerned.

 

[FLEA]

thanks dogbunny,always found best to double check and not completely believe makers hype especially with something this critical (after all could finish up in motor/carbs if it fails).was mainly worried not knowing if would be compatible with orig coating.also heard of some disarsters with some tank liners on metal tanks let alone fiberglass.thats where this forum rocks,a lot of knowledge and more importently practical exsperence

 

[grizld1]

Caswell epoxy liner is great stuff, but I've used it only on metal after thorough flush with aggressive solvents and treatment with Metal Rescue rust remover. Bryan, what have you used to prep used fiberglass tanks?

 

[maynard911]

I built a Guzzi café for a friend. He had an original Norton fastback tank that he wanted to use. It had been used at one time but had been on the shelf for 20+ years. I did a double dose of Caswell following the included instructions and mounted it. It lasted about 3 months and then bubbles started forming on the outside surface. One of the bubbles split and the fuel started leaking out.
I had been skeptical from the beginning and the reason I was willing to try using the tank is because replicas in steel are available from India. That's another story.
I will never attempt using a polyester resin tank again. An epoxy or vinylester resin tank might be ok.

 

[DogBunny]

For everyone's info, the Caswell is simply a two-part epoxy, but it is an ethanol-resistant epoxy -- most epoxies aren't. So, imagine lining your tank with a complete, unified, inner shell. It creates a tank within your tank. It will seal pinholes with no additional prep, and will seal bigger holes if you make a scaffold for them. You should always do a good job prepping, but even if you don't, it will seal rust. I understand the concern of the Caswell reacting unfavorably with gas sludge or varnish, so do your work and get rid of that stuff first.

I earlier wrote that it's been about a year since I Caswelled my Omar's tank. I got to thinking, and it's been closer to three years, and it's had 10% ethanol fuel in it all that time.

 

[bt24]

Grizdl1,
The only prep we did on the fiberglass tank was mild soap and warm water, let it dry with a fan blowing through it for a day.
The tank is a 30 year old Staracer/Shell tank, it hadn't had any fuel in it for 5 years. After the Caswell coating we let it dry and cure in the sun for 2 days and didn't put fuel intill a week after that. No problems a year later, photo of tank below.

Bryan