Member Since: 25 Aug 2018
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 373
D3 fuel tank repair - plastic weld/putty?
Mice have eaten through the breather elbow on my fuel tank. Can anyone recommend a product suitable for patching this up? The elbow itself can't be replaced as far as I know; it is a part of the tank itself.
Most of the products in finding are for metal or have bad reviews.
Member Since: 25 Dec 2012
Location: leicester
Posts: 734
My tank had exactly the same issue. We think it was ultimately a source of muck getting in the fuel which long term killed the high pressure fuel pump. I had a second hand tank fitted. Tank was ninety quid from a breakers yard. Simply cannot imagine why a rodent would be attracted to diesel?Discovery 3 tdv6 HSE 2007
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11th Mar 2020 5:48 pm
lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
Do not use silicone, get some pu sealant from toolstation/screwfix, 5 quid a tube.
11th Mar 2020 9:16 pm
Harry365
Member Since: 25 Aug 2018
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 373
discovery3ski wrote:
Simply cannot imagine why a rodent would be attracted to diesel?
Yeh they went for my FBH fuel line on the same night too! No idea either. A full fuel tank is possibly one of the last things to cool down so going for the warmth was my best guess.
Got loads of PU so will give that a go. Obviously my main concern is diesel attacking what ever I go for as it splashes about.
Cheers for suggestions.
11th Mar 2020 10:21 pm
moorman
Member Since: 05 Jul 2009
Location: East Anglia
Posts: 276
My Audi A6 allroad was attacked in a similar way resulting in Morrisons fuel station shutting down after a quantity of diesel was spilled. I used my plumbing stock to fix it
The elbow is a 15mm compression fitting and the threaded end screws quite tightly into the cleaned up tank breather hole. The olive on the pipe is compressed on first to the 15mm pipe and then the 15mm pipe is fitted into the compression elbow and tightened. I then had to take off the pipe to screw the elbow into the tank and then put the pipe back on and finally used tiger seal around the joint.
12th Mar 2020 11:31 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8101
Harry365 wrote:
discovery3ski wrote:
Simply cannot imagine why a rodent would be attracted to diesel?
Yeh they went for my FBH fuel line on the same night too! No idea either. A full fuel tank is possibly one of the last things to cool down so going for the warmth was my best guess.
Got loads of PU so will give that a go. Obviously my main concern is diesel attacking what ever I go for as it splashes about.
Cheers for suggestions.
It seems to be certain types of plastic/polyurethane they like, I had four Petrol engine power Tools attacked, they just ate the plastic/polyurethane Fuel priming bulbs, nothing else, but they paid the ultimate price in the end It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
13th Mar 2020 7:51 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13635
Can see now why there just repaired as Blimey £52 for a new pipe
Many year ago I put a small hole in the bottom of the metal fuel tank in my kit car (Mk2 Fiesta based). I patched the hole with JB Weld (a 2 part epoxy) and it hasn't leak since. I've also used it to fix a leaking sump in another kit car after putting a pin hole in the sump of a cambered road with a compression. Again no further leaks.
Regards,
Steve
13th Mar 2020 5:37 pm
SteveNorman
Member Since: 14 Oct 2005
Location: Somerset
Posts: 1144
It's just that elbow the mice find tasty.
We use a plumbing fitting, which has a plastic thread & nut on it.
Put a piece of card in the tank, to catch any plastic bits. Use a hole cutter in a drill to cut the tank & drill out the old fitting.
Screw the fitting on, keeping the rubber washer on the outside of the tank.
I then, as a precaution use innotec top fix 2 pack to add an extra layer. then a piece of short 15mm copper pipe into the push in fitting on the white fitting.
I can dig out the company I used to supply the fitting online if anyone is interested.
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