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  #1  
Old 04-02-2006, 04:23 PM
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'89 560SL - Fuel Tank Punctured by Screw

I had a couple audio amplifiers installed in my 560sl recently, and noticed immediately after i got the car back that there was a strong fuel odor in the trunk and cabin. I didn't think even consider that it may have been related to the installer - I just assumed it was my gas cap, since when i removed it, i could see wet spots on the rubber seal, so i bought a new one and installed it, but it didn't fix the problem.

After reading thru a bunch of posts on the forum today, i decided to remove the vertical metal panel in the trunk. Of course, i had to remove the long sheetmetal screws the installer used to fasten the amplifiers onto the panel...

As soon as I got the panel off, i noticed the small puncture hole in the tank from the installer's screw. the horizontal foam strip running along the fuel tank was saturated with gas, and there were drip marks along the side of the tank (no wonder it smelled much more strongly after I put $30 in the tank yesterday...).

So now i have to patch this very small screw hole. What's the best thing to use to patch it? I was thinking epoxy would work, but perhaps there's something better?

Any help is appreciated.

thanks.

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  #2  
Old 04-02-2006, 05:32 PM
88Black560SL
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: CT
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Thje best patch is to bring it to the dealer, have a new tank installed and give the installer the bill.

John Roncallo
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  #3  
Old 04-02-2006, 06:12 PM
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I don't think it deserve a new tank, there is ways to fix this little problem more reasonably...change the car( ).
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  #4  
Old 04-02-2006, 07:44 PM
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I don't think that there is any SAFE and CERTAIN way to do this, short of:

a. Removing the tank
b. Having it cleaned (of all volatiles) at an industrial shop that does this sort of work
c. Welded AFTER a+b.

I myself could not trust any other repair.
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  #5  
Old 04-02-2006, 10:39 PM
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I've seen this happen before and the safest thing to do is replace the tank; not a pretty prospect. But, if it's just a tiny hole, less than 1/8 inch, you might just screw in an appropriate size diameter stainless steel pan head sheet metal screw. Coat the threads with silicone aquarium sealer and then after you screw it in, top coat the srcew head and the area around it. Let it cure well before re-filling the tank. How lucky do you feel?
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  #6  
Old 04-02-2006, 11:00 PM
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It could be repaired with pewter without removing the tank providing you have a little space to work, all you need is a drop. It is often mixed with lead and the fusion point is very low, something like 180 degres Celsius. That means That you don't need a flame to melt it. A hot piece of metal that you hold with vise grip for instance would work.
I dont think that silicone whatever quality it is will resist gazoline very long.
There are shops specialised in fuel tank repair, these same shop also repair rads.
But realy the first thing to do is to take it back to the radio guys...Let's see what they propose...
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  #7  
Old 04-03-2006, 10:12 PM
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I'm going with the back-to-the-radio-shop option; if they're installing on a vehicle, one has a right to assume they know what's safe and what's not.

Having said that, a 107 is a car that a lot of wrenchbenders don't know anything about, leading to the need to know the vehicle yourself. Knowing where the tank is would automatically lead you away from allowing anything to be screwed into the front trunk wall where a point is heading blindly toward the tank. Yes, they should have known better, and yes, if they're professional they're paid to know what they're doing--but as owners, we do need to know enough to defend ourselves! And it may be simply that as a long-term inboard boat type I get really twitchy about any possible defect in a fuel system, but I'd not be very confident in a repaired tank unless a truly professional shop did the work; a leaky tank sitting over a nice hot exhaust line isn't what I want going on a yard behind my precious butt.
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  #8  
Old 04-03-2006, 10:44 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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i repaired

the bullet hole in my 37 chebby with bondo back in the college days. had the car for several years and it never leaked.

but that tank was outside the passenger compartment.

i would prob try to get them to spring for a proper out of car repair.

if i did the damage myself i would probably experiment with cheap solutions. a ss screw with a rubber gasket might work.

tom w
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  #9  
Old 04-03-2006, 11:13 PM
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Try this website: http://www.bergdahl.com/PRC_ByTheNumber.htm
I used to use this in aircraft fuel tanks. Look at part number PR-1422. I have used it on automotive gas tanks in the past with great success.
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  #10  
Old 04-03-2006, 11:52 PM
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This is why the audio shop would carry insurance, for expensive repairs like this. If they do not or deny your claim I would believe small claims court would side with you.

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