Fuel tank rusted inside and it plugged up the fuel filter. Drained the tank, filled with vinegar, let it set 2 days and started cleaning it out with magnet and all. Never saw a leak all this time. Put diesel in and started leaking real bad at the bottom. Starting to take the tank out but some monkey designed it with a nut and clip on the back side. Got one out so far. I'm not able to find a replacement tank yet. Any suggestions?
B2150 Fuel Tank Leaking
- Thread starter smi889
- Start date
If you can't locate a replacement you could always coat the inside. There are plenty of suppliers that sell a kit to coat tanks inside.
Russell King
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Search “Rusted fuel tank repair” for my story exactly like yours.
Fixed it with an epoxy lining 4 years ago and no problems so far but this may be the curse!
Fixed it with an epoxy lining 4 years ago and no problems so far but this may be the curse!
I almost started a thread on leaky fuel tank repair. My old John Deere 2030 has a slow leak. I suspect it is leaking from a pinhole on the bottom of the tank. I won't know until I take off the tank and I'm not worrying about it until the fall or winter when I will not be using the tractor.
I've been reading about the repair kits and curious what others have done. Perhaps the OP and I can benefit from what others have done.
I've been reading about the repair kits and curious what others have done. Perhaps the OP and I can benefit from what others have done.
Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
I used epoxy from Caswell on a Brockway step fuel tank. Biggest problem with diesel tanks is the waxes in the fuel which leaves a residue. It can be removed with lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol, but it takes time and effort to clean it properly. With a tank that small, removing the sending unit and sloshing a rag around inside with either product a few times should get it. You can also coat any problem areas on the outside when you're done.
I have used this stuff several times on gas tanks in old cars and it worked out well. Need to clean out the tank as best you can first. Remove the sending unit before pouring the stuff in and after that sit the tank level and let it dry several days with the cap off. Good luck.
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Pau7220
Well-known member
Equipment
L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
This is from the tech sheet on the Red Kote web site:I have used this stuff several times on gas tanks in old cars and it worked out well. Need to clean out the tank as best you can first. Remove the sending unit before pouring the stuff in and after that sit the tank level and let it dry several days with the cap off. Good luck.
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http://damonq.com/TechSheets/Red-Kote.pdf
Diesel Fuel Tanks - A brand new tank intended for use with diesel may be lined prior to use. A tank that has had diesel fuel in it will need to be sand blasted prior to using Red-Kote. Diesel fuel leaves a paraffin coating inside the tank that Red-Kote will not stick to. There is no known cleaning method to remove this paraffin coating other than sand blasting. If you choose to line a diesel tank you do so at your own risk.
When I did the Brockway fuel tank, I cut a 12" x 6" hole in the upper backside. Scrubbed the inside with purple cleaner and hot water. Followed that up with lacquer thinner and cotton rags. Hand brushed the inside with epoxy about 6" up. That left me about 6" of space when welding the patch back in between the the weld and the epoxy. As I said.... it takes time and effort.
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Yep, it's always good to read before using any product in a spceified application. I have used it in gas tanks only, so didn't go into the diesel info. Good catch on your part pau7220.
rf
Thanks all! I ordered the KBS 3 step kit. Hope I do it right as the humidity here in Florida is always high. KBS recommended not doing it above 75 percent. New tank $1400.
Did a ton of research to fix mine. Do NOT use internal coating kits. Several of the better makers stated that the only process that will remove the diesel paraffin from the pores of the metal is sandblasting. They won't guarantee it in used diesel tanks. Considering the sketchy performance of coating kits under the best of circumstances, I would not risk the mess it might leave you with.
Pressure washed the inside, solvent rinsed it, and used phosphoric acid to remove the remaining rust. Phosphoric will remove or convert rust, and leaves an iron phosphate coating inside the entire tank. I sanded down the outside of my tank and fiber-glassed the bottom half with 3 layers of 1.5 oz mat and vinyl ester resin. NOTE: With the new additives in diesel, epoxy is no longer recommended. All the fiberglass reps said vinyl ester. It's what manufacturers build fiberglass tanks with nowadays. Plus vinyl ester works with fiberglass mat--epoxy will not. Mat is easy to fit around bends and corners, and adheres and seals better. Mine worked great and not a lot of trouble to do.
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