 |
PM |  | |
Quote | | |
Reply | | |
Full Topic | |
| Joined: | 03-11-2005 |
| Location: | Lake Nacimiento, California USA |
| Posts: | 430 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
Thanks,
Greg
________________________________________________________________
"Hello Greg.
So I pulled the trigger and bought one of the aluminum gas tanks available on Ebay. The seller says he has sold 150 of these tanks with no problems. Seemed like a good decision at the time. I am having most of my work done by a very reputable shop.
They received the tank, plugged the ports and added a bit of water. Rotated it around and discovered it leaked at one of the welds. Not bad, but it required a bit of work. Rather than send it back, my guy fixed it.
Bigger problem. This tank is made exactly like the original tank. Great you say, a third the weight. But at the sending unit there is a cinch ring that forces the sending unit against the tank and seal when you rotate it's clamping ring. Unfortunately the cinch ring is exactly like the original, that is the same thickness. Those three little fingers that the ring on the sending unit tighten against look to be made from .03 thick steel on the original tanks. According to the mechanic the ring on the aluminum tank is made out of .06 which should be strong enough but is not. The result was that the fingers bend out as you tighten the ring. Worse the hole in the ring is about .07 bigger creating an even greater bending moment. It is my opinion and the opinion of my mechanic that this is a very serious design flaw.
The tank was sent back to the manufacturer for repair and replacement of the cinch ring. This was completed and the tank checked with air pressure. Not that I am an expert in pressure checking a tank, but it seems that in many cases pressure may create a seal rather than discover a leak.
So the tank was returned to my guy and he did a leak check using water with no pressure. It leaked, again at the sending unit.
He called me and I called the manufacturer and he said we needed to use some kind of gas proof silicon sealant. My guy is unwilling to use the silicon as a patch as over time it is just a patch and may leak. The gaskets that come with the tank should create a permanent seal just as the originals.
For some of you there may have been no problem. For others I have read that leaking was a problem at the sending unit.
The manufacturer says he has never had a problem like this in the past. The tanks has been sent back and the old tank is being repaired.
Like the plastic fuel tee that is between the Strombergs, I believe this has the potential to be at best a stinky trunk and garage, and at worst a potential disaster waiting to happen. Remember, it took years before the tees began to fail, and engine fires became a huge problem for JH owners. There is electricity in the trunk, a huge volume of fuel and possible a huge volume of gasoline fumes.
Please check your Ebay purchased aluminum tank to be sure you do not have this problem. The tank is made by Jaguars by Jorge.
Sincerely,
Clif Williamson"