Punctured plastic fuel tank

[MaverickZ71]

2009 Silverado crew cab Z71 4x4 5.3L. 

 

Apparently some scum sucking lowlife has punctured the fuel tank at the bottom to steal a gallon or two of gas in the parking lot.  The other 12 gallons or so left a big wet spot on the asphalt.  I haven't crawled under it yet, waiting for daylight and the pavement to dry up. 

 

How to fix this?  Youtube videos say JB Weld, but then there are comments saying that won't work.  2 local big chain parts stores said replacement tanks are not available?  Can't afford a dealer tow and $1000+ bill now (just had to pay the dealer $600 a month ago), and no way to drop tank in apt lot--no shelter and too cold. 

 

Thanks for any ideas!

[Jsdirt]

Scumbags! So tired of watching society spiral down the drain, with the government supercharging it all ...

 

Forget any epoxies. The best way is with plastic welding. It might cost a few bucks to get the materials and iron needed to do it right, but that's the best way. You'll have to remove the tank, and fuel pump sender assembly and everything.

 

You may have to fill it with water if you can't get all the fumes out of it. That's the problem with plastic. It's porous and traps fumes FOREVER. In my younger, dumber days, I tried to repair a dirt bike fuel tank with a torch and several six-pack rings to melt down, LOL. Anyway, I flushed that tank 10x with water, and the torch STILL lit off the fumes!! It didn't explode, but it turned the fill opening into a 2" blowtorch for about 2 seconds! WOOOOSH! What a sound that made!  After that, the danger was gone, though ... but that's not the best way of doing it, lol.

 

Just took me forever to find this - thought I had in bookmarks, but I didn't ... and I've got a MILLION bookmarked sites! Anyway, this site will have what you need, although they're probably not going to tell you that for liability reasons with gasoline related repairs. https://www.polyvance.com/

[mjm-1957]

Are you sure there is actually a hole in the tank? Those trucks have a problem with the fuel pump module rotting out and leaking fuel when the pump is running. We change alot of them here in the northeast. The module sits in a  well on top of the tank and water and road salt just sit in there and corrode the crap out of it.

[64BAwagon]

I have a 26 gallon tank from an 05 that I cant get rid of on Marketplace, rust free thats been in my shed for about 14 yrs, you would think that with all the rust issues that people would be beating my door down to buy it. I cant seem to get rid of it though. 

[KARNUT]

If I was faced with that scenario depending on the size of the hole. I would use a plug or screw with the appropriate epoxy.