Best product to line fiberglass tank

[_V_]

Is there an 'ultimate' product that completely seals a fiberglass tank?

I am based in the USA.

Thanks in advance.

 

[acotrel]

Fibreglass tanks are usually made out of polyester resin - sometimes a coating of epoxy resin can stop the alcohol in fuel from reacting with the polyester. I have only ever done it once and it was unsuccessful. An aluminium tank is usually better but needs to be protected from being beaten to death by vibration and contact with the frame.

 

[Tornado]

CASWELL has a good reputation, at least in steel tanks. It is an epoxy resin based sealer. Epoxy resins are generally highly resistant to fuel and ethanol. But the sealers need to make a strong bond to the surface. In an old glass/ polyester resin tank, there are a decades of contaminants builtup on and in the tank surface. The surface needs to be abraded and washed multiple times to help expose clean material and roughen up to permit a good secondary/mechanical bond with the fresh epoxy sealer.
Lots of wood screws, lots of shaking or tumbling an hour or more of whole tank in a cement mixer or even household dryer, wrapped in a duvet or big peice of open cell foam, should do it. Keep going until you see clean material inside. Flush thoroughly with isopropanol or other high flash point surface prep cleaner. Dry completely, hairdyer or sunlight on warm day etc. Proceed as per sealer directions, but Id skip any metal etching treatment steps.

 

[Richard Tool]

Caswell has a good reputation. I have used the product from Eastwood in two tanks ( steel ) with excellent results. I had a custom painter do my Commando steel tank and he used Caswell and it has been fine for several ( five ) years now .
I did the Eastwood tanks my self and the kit comes with excellent instructions. You will have to supply some acetone and other bits .
It is an all day process so pick a nice day and do it outside.

 

[_V_]

UPDATE: getting an alloy tank.

Fiberglass tank will be for display purposes in the garage.

Thanks to everyone for responding.

 

[Fast Eddie]

UPDATE: getting an alloy tank.

Fiberglass tank will be for display purposes in the garage.

Thanks to everyone for responding.

Good choice.

Are you getting the tank from Dresda ?

 

[_V_]

Good choice.

Are you getting the tank from Dresda ?

Yes, the guys over at Dresda are taking excellent care of me, and are having their logo painted on the alloy tank to exactly match the fiberglass one.

I'm also getting some other items from them to make this bike perfect for me.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yes, the guys over at Dresda are taking excellent care of me, and are having their logo painted on the alloy tank to exactly match the fiberglass one.

I'm also getting some other items from them to make this bike perfect for me.

Perfect !
Dresda mount the tanks different to everyone else, so you’re in the right hands for sure

 

[mdt-son]

Is there an 'ultimate' product that completely seals a fiberglass tank?

A general question is, can a FRC petrol tank based on a polyester resin be lined once the polyester has softened due to the effect of ethanol and polyether-amines in petrol?

I believe there is little hope rescuing a used FRC tank unless it was lined from the outset or it was used for a short time only. If the resin is exposed, the chemical structure of the polyester resin is degraded and swells, this is a non-reversible process.

One alternative to producing an aluminum tank is the creation of a blow-molded PVC tank. Tooling costs would be prohibitive. Another alternative is the making of a rubber sack. Tooling costs would be low, but the installation requires the tank to be opened up.
Furthermore. the filler neck would have to be redesigned. Still very expensive and elaborate for most owners, I guess.

- Knut

 

[Tornado]

A general question is, can a FRC petrol tank based on a polyester resin be lined once the polyester has softened due to the effect of ethanol and polyether-amines in petrol?

I believe there is little hope rescuing a used FRC tank unless it was lined from the outset or it was used for a short time only. If the resin is exposed, the chemical structure of the polyester resin is degraded and swells, this is a non-reversible process.

One alternative to producing an aluminum tank is the creation of a blow-molded PVC tank. Tooling costs would be prohibitive. Another alternative is the making of a rubber sack. Tooling costs would be low, but the installation requires the tank to be opened up.
Furthermore. the filler neck would have to be redesigned. Still very expensive and elaborate for most owners, I guess.

- Knut

Has anyone used an original glass tank to make a mould and then form a new tank out of glass/epoxy resins?

 

[Richard Tool]

I wonder about the necessity of the epoxy bonding to the polyester.
With the exception of petcock connection and filler neck , it might be considered it’s own entity - a tank within a tank , if you will . This of course is dependent on the epoxy curing properly and of sufficient wall thickness.

 

[Tornado]

I wonder about the necessity of the epoxy bonding to the polyester.
With the exception of petcock connection and filler neck , it might be considered it’s own entity - a tank within a tank , if you will . This of course is dependent on the epoxy curing properly and of sufficient wall thickness.

Lots of reports of sealer lining coming away from inner tank surface...so adhesion appears critical.

 

[grandpaul]

All I can definitively say on this topic is-

DO NOT USE KREEM, under ANY circumstances.

 

[Tornado]

All I can definitively say on this topic is-

DO NOT USE KREEM, under ANY circumstances.

Is Kreem a one component sealer product, no pre-mixing of a resin plus a hardener? If so it would not be an epoxy which requires a catalyst (hardener) to polymerize the resin.

 

[grandpaul]

Is Kreem a one component sealer product, no pre-mixing of a resin plus a hardener? If so it would not be an epoxy which requires a catalyst (hardener) to polymerize the resin.

I don't recall, other than REMOVING failed Kreem from SEVERAL tanks.

I've never actually tried applying it, and have NO INTENTION of doing so in future.

 

[Tornado]

Good choice.

Are you getting the tank from Dresda ?

What is Dresda? Only know of EMGO and Tab Classic making Commando tanks, other than East Asia hit/miss knock ups.

 

[Gilesy]

Norman White recommended Caswells. I never had any issues with the tank in the 5 years before I sold it.

 

[Fast Eddie]

What is Dresda? Only know of EMGO and Tab Classic making Commando tanks, other than East Asia hit/miss knock ups.

The OP has a Dresda Triton, not a Commando. He posted here (under advice) coz there’s more traffic and would get a better response to the question.

 

[grandpaul]

What is Dresda? Only know of EMGO and Tab Classic making Commando tanks, other than East Asia hit/miss knock ups.

Dresda is a historical, renowned Triton builder; often considered the first COMMERCIAL Triton builder.

I don't think they build their own tanks, but I could be wrong...

 

[Fast Eddie]

I don't think they build their own tanks, but I could be wrong...

They get them made, to their spec. One difference from others is in how they mount to a Dresda modified frame.