OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Briggs & Stratton Engines Quantum Briggs and Stratton Fuel Tank Leak at Seam

It is a Polyethylene plastic fuel tank leaking at the seam and I am told absolutely nothing will stick to it. I saw a post by a plastic welder that said it is almost impossible to plastic weld as well. He did suggest trying to weld using some polyethylene from scrap but success was unlikely. I think the fuel tanks were subject to a recall by Briggs and Stratton many years ago but I think their generosity has expired by now. So, any suggestions as to how to fix them as I seem to come across a few like this - I have two here now. I have tried 2 part epoxy but it peels off soon after the petrol is added. Can last a week or two if lucky. Hot melt glue also peels off after use. Various glues, araldite, muffler putty, gasket glue etc.

I was thinking of this stuff from "Supercheap" - DynaGrip Plastic Tank Repair Kit (Plastic tank repair)

Have any of you guys successfully repaired these tanks and what did you use?

I plastic welded a Victa fuel tank a while back with my soldering iron, worked well. Nothing to loose.... try it and put some fuel in to test....
Make sure it is clean and dry....

Bodgee another fuel tank to the mower..
cheers
speedy

PS. Ensure that all traces of fuel are removed and cleaned out of the tank prior to using any soldering iron on the tank.

Yes HDPE plastic is extremely hard to bond as it is highly chemical resistance. There one product out that can do it but way too expensive even a regular mower shop to obtain. Now big factories either sonic weld these tank or use this hazardous chemical that they can get fairly reasonable priced due to the pure volume they would be using it in.

As Speedy suggested, plastic welding does work as long as you use the same plastic and don't over heat it. Over heating of the plastic is the main reason for welds failing as it makes the plastic brittle, but it would much easier to find a good used tank or purchase a new one. For those of us with shops it is also a liability issue as well, for if your welds don't hold and things do happen then you can be sued for damages.

Of all things don't use an open flame even around an empty tank. Just don't want the boom over here.

Sorry sparker I have a stack of quantum tanks here but postage makes it not worth the effort

Yes, many have tried but unsuccessfully i might add.
There is pretty much nothing out there that works, mainly due to the vibration of it sitting directly on a running motor.
The cheapest (and more commonly the best) option is to replace the tank with a good used one.
Cheers, Ted

I have tried welding with HDPE using a heat station and the results had everyone rofl. The recall of these tanks pretty much says it is a hopeless task to attempt repair. NormK, I agree postage is a deal breaker and now they're contemplating making it even more expensive by an additional charge for biosecurity screening.
A shame to throw away a tank that just has a leak. A leak that can't be fixed.
Thanks guys.

Sparker it does takes a lot practice and patience to do quality welds using heat but I have also been doing it for years too so I have a lot practice doing it. At first it was horrible looking and had a lot of failures. It when you're repairing tiny plastic springs you really got to be good at it.

Hi AVB, I think it is a skill that needs a lot of patience and at 70 years old I'm too cranky and crotchety. On the other hand.......I might have another go.........

Sparker I can check how much the postage is if you want me to, just have to make sure which Quantam tank you are after, they vary a bit. I posted a small motorcycle tank to a mate in country Vic just before Christmas and that cost $26

I wish I read this thread earlier. You won't believe this but I was told this trick by a backyard mower repair man a few years back and it worked on a plastic B&S fuel tank of mine.
Are you ready?
Nail polish. Common nail enamel for two bucks. Paint it on and let it cure for 24 hrs and that's it. He told me petrol won't touch it once its dry. I suggest you clean the work with some brief sanding and prepsol, though I forget if I went to that trouble. Not a drop came out.

Well there you go, I might just go split a tank to see how it goes.

Solved problem with good sexy looks to match.

Win win situation I'd say.

The "beauty" is you can select a matching colour!

"Yes darlings you can !"

Lol, you guys, your LGBT is showing. I got a used tank for $20. I will try the nail polish trick on one of the others. Have to do it when the wife's gone out.

I was told to get my own as I did get caught using mine wife's Purple Passion nail polish. Then she went through the work bench. She found a couple Bobbie pins, a tiny knitting needle, a pair panty hose and then; I had a lot questions to answer after all the yelling was done. I thought I was going to need to turn on the exhaust to clear all that smoke coming out her ears. And I did buy own stuff because of it; although, I do get surprise inspections yet.

We do use things not thought of by others at times. Now I do avoid duct tape. I don't think it works too well holding on bar blades; although, I did have one customer to try it.

I got caught too. But guess what: she doesn't have any nail polish! Then i was lectured about the damage to her nails from all the work I cause etc. etc. I'll get my own too but hide it in a secret stash in case any of the lads see it.

Now just think of all the pestering I got for having a jar Vaseline on my work bench when I did office equipment repairs.

Vaseline.....equipment repairs.....lol.

This is handy to know. lol!

Generally once a tank starts leaking I get so frustrated trying to repair it I end up chucking it in the bin and forking out $ for a new one.

Now if only there was an easy way to repair old metal tanks! I've used poly-weld, but find it is only a temporary fix. I thought I had completely repaired a tank one time, but 6 months later it started leaking again. Maybe I should try painting the entire can in nail polish. lol!

I'm not game to use the welder. "Flush it out thoroughly, leave the cap off and fill it up with water and go outside the shed", they say, and "you'll be right". Yeah mate, but I still don't trust it, and my welding is bad enough as it is, without trying to dodge water and fuel fumes.