Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I have a gas tank that i had clean and coated by a place that has done other tanks for me. This tank someone had cut the top out of it and brazed it back in. If i fill the tank all the way up it leaks gas out of the top somewhere im guessing the area where it was brazed. Since i have to take the tank back out i was wondering if someone makes some type of gas tank repair that i can put over the brazed area once i find the hole.

The best way to repair the leak is to braze/silver solder the leak itself. The tank will need to be drained and filled with inert gas to do it safely. I've also heard of people just using JB Weld on little pinholes and similar leaks with good long term success. I've never done that so I can't say how it works. But on the top of the tank it isn't going to see much action and the JB Weld may work just fine for it. Are you up to experimenting?

I’m considering Gas Tank Renu-USA.

Texas shop in Waller, TX is close to my home but they have other shops. (Don Hart Radiator, affiliated with Gas Tank Reno-USA).

See gastankrenu.com.

Supposed to be THE SOLUTION for old gas tanks.

David Timberlake

I had several pin holes on the top and bottom of my gas tank and many deep pits on the top of the tank I restored. I used two packages of JB Weld "fuel and chemical resistant high strength epoxy" and no more leaks, worked very well. I got a quote for restoring the tank from Gas Tank Renu in my area and it was around $1,100. What ever you do, DO NOT use Red Coat gas tank sealer, I used it on my original tank following the instructions to the "T" and it disolved. I used the Bill Hirsh gas tank sealer on this tank and it is fine and is not disolving.

Good advice on the Hirsch sealer. I have had it in my 1954 Patrician’s tank for decades and the decades-old petrol that I drained out was still clean and even still smelled like petrol although of course it had lost most of its flammability. I used it again recently on another tank that was riddled with holes and, while it took nearly a gallon of it, the tank does not leak at all. On that tank for extra sealing I also used a very hard Hirsch silver paint on the outside.

We've used the POR-15 gas tank sealer kit many times and always had good results.
The manufacturer's literature says that the sealer (last step of the process) will seal any small leak.

Not sure if we had any leaks to begin with. Our tanks are all rusty and corroded inside from old stale gas.
We never had a leak after the cleaning.


Good Luck,

Bill