...I've decided to get on with sorting my M49 fuel tank just in-case it is slowly dissolving from the inside

Question is....what is the BEST tank sealer to use? What have you lot used? What's the simplest to use?

Notice I didn't mention the price. I'm thinking that these tanks deserve a decent job so I might it even paint it after it's sealed which should gime me the incentive to crack on with the rest

P.S

I've done a fair bit of homework on this and I'm leaning towards caswells, I just wondered what you guys have used and your experiences on the actual process.

...Also wondering where i actually get these type of things from/

Edited October 27, 201213 yr by oily

Keep leaning towards Caswell's. I've used it on over 6 tanks, both fiberglass and metal. It pervents ethanol from dissolving the fiberglass and protects the metals tanks from rust and corrosion.

Most sealers work, the main point is to do the right preparation and here is the crux. The gastank was filled with oil-gas mix for years, but you need a completly oil free inner surface, otherwise the paint will not get a good connection with the fiberglas. I have therefor used small stones you take for tumbling to roughn the inner surface then some washing with acetone to really get rid of the oil.

Last prep was to use the acid that came with my gas tank sealant kit.

After this the known procedure.

Gas-tank sealant was Kreem from Germany, there is a gas-tank sealant available that shares the same name but comes from the U.S. this is not so good,

the German inventor and producer has given our a warning to use this product.

Anyway if someone is interested, Caswell will certainly do the job as well: http://www.tanksiegel.de/

Here the warning about the false product, easy to find out as the text written on the sealant cans is in English and suppose to be in German,

there should be an extra English manual on paper, ...: http://www.tanksiegel.de/usa-kreem/

I believe you better take Caswell as it is easier to get for you, the main task is anyway getting rid of the oil inside.

Or,

I've found that if I use low ethanol fuel such as Shell V Power, it doesn't affect the tank. My M92 Sherpa has the original tank and it has no ethanol damage and it isn't sealed. Similarly, when I had my M49 it wasn't sealed and had no ethanol damage. Neither did the fibreglass tank I had on my Majesty. The M92 tank has age related wear and there were a couple of splits in the tank where fuel was leaking but these have been temporarily repaired with araldite until the tank is properly repaired when the bike gets rebuilt.

I've seen a tank that has what was presumably ethanol damage and it had turned to jelly inside. It was a modern Ariel tank and I don't know if the problem was caused by ethanol or whether the tank was just of poor construction.

If you're going to seal it I'd say Caswell too as it has good reports

Shell V Power and Texaco (whatever it's called - the performance one) have 5% ethanol I think, the minimum allowed

Cheaper fuels can have up to 15% which is the current maximum and it's maybe these that do the damage. So far, using V Power I've never had any kind of problem.

Hi Rob

I used at kit from Tank care products www.tankcareproducts.co.uk It came with a very powerful detergent plus an acetone like cleaner, Two pack epoxy liner and full instructions. all for under £50. It seams to work OK so far.

I was in touch with Murco this week. They sell ethanol free petrol at certain stations and will do until at least end of March 2013. I used petrol with ethanol in an Ossa fibre glass tank and it started to have adverse affects so will need to seal the tank

Just done my tank with this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FLOWLINER-ARMOUR-COAT-PETROL-TANK-LINER-ETHANOL-PROOF-/200628149745?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2eb65e9df1

..easy to apply and seems to coat nicwely but yet to test with petrol! Will be using with good quality petrol like Shell V Power...although not many Shell stations in the parts!

Thanks guys....

I've done loads more reading and it seems there are a load of different brand/types of sealer's out there which doesn't make for the easiest of choices.

The most disappointing results I've come across are for Kreme and for that reason alone, I'll give that a miss.

The most recommendations I've come across are for caswells so that's where I'm still leaning.

For a final decision (I'm not usually, at all indecisive) i now need to locate a supplier (any recommendations?) and find out how many of my very precious beer tokens I'm going to need to swap for this worthy cause.

If you do use Caswell's there is plenty for two tanks and at £50 a go its worth finding another tank to split the costs.

I think there are only two outlets for Caswells.

http://www.caswelleurope.co.uk/

or

www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/news/22231//Ethanol_-_Part_Two:_The_Remedies

That address is a useful article on Ethanol but go back to homepage and follow the link for caswells

TIm

OILY my mate has a tank for your bike in mint condtion but dont think you could aford it :chairfall:

?

...pm me a price and I'll decide that

I did go with Caswell's in the end and cannot fault the service I got from Hitchcocks who supplied the kit.

Ordered yesterday afternoon and arrived this morning.

Beware, with postage and VAT, the price is a shade short of £60 squid now. o: