Plugging a 1" round hole in a Tacoma (plastic) gas tank

A friend of mine out west has an issue - someone drilled a "pinky-sized" hole in her gas tank (2013 Tacoma) to steal the fuel, and apparently those gas tanks are on national backorder from Toyota and not currently available. Unclear of what the junkyard scene is around there, but it's a relatively sparsely-populated area of northern California coast (Eureka area). In the meantime, any thoughts as to if there's an effective/permanent-ish solution to patch/plug the hole? Not sure what kind of plastic is used for these tanks (guessing ABS), so wondering if a threaded plug with fuel-safe epoxy could do the trick, or some kind of patch. Or just a bunch of JB weld/gas tank sealant?

Figured someone here probably knows the right stuff to use, thanks in advance. Here's the pic she sent.

I've used a crayon in a mower gas can before, but that's probably not a great solution for her.

I would think some kind of patch or sealant is available nearby, but I have no recommendations. Good luck to her, that sucks.

Find a fuel resistant thickened two part epoxy.  Put in in the hole thickly, then some tape over the hole to seal it up and keep it from falling out. 

Something like this:  https://www.permatex.com/products/adhesives-and-sealants/specialty-adhesives-removers/permatex-fuel-tank-epoxy-putty-1-oz/ 

I would go on 3M or Permatex's websites and see what products are available.  I guarantee there's an epoxy that will hold a patch of steel in place.

Datsun240ZGuy said:

that's kind of what I was thinking, but I'm not sure if the hole is exactly 1" or what. She's following this thread, so hopefully it'll give her some ideas.

Oh lord. Things are getting rough(er) in the Emerald Triangle.

Car-part.com shows some of the big scuzzy yards down in Rancho Cambodia have tanks, but that's a hell of a drive from Eureka. One yard in Grants Pass lists one as well, though with no price - they may know that these are on intergalactic backorder and be fishing for offers.

Google search results are unfortunately also getting rough. I was unable to find an expansion plug of appropriate size that was listed as fuel safe.

I'd look at a fuel safe epoxy like others have mentioned, but ensure that it is listed as appropriate for plastic tanks. Failing that, maybe tapping for a tapered pipe thread plug would be an effective repair (the tank's already rurnt, she ain't gonna ruin it any worse). The tank is probably just thick enough to provide adequate thread engagement.

In reply to DarkMonohue :

I'd almost want to try getting it super dry, roughing it up a little to take the shine off of a large area, using some of that nasty exothermic gas tank sealer goop... and zipscrewing a small plate over it.

Predrill the holes in the plate, mud up an area larger than the plate, then screw it in while the goop is still wet, so it also seals the screw holes.  Gotta work fast because once once the 2-part reaction starts it works FAST.

After it sets, get another kit and goop it up all around the edges and over the screw heads, for good measure.

Worst case, you still need a tank, but at least you tried.

It's probably insane, but I find myself wondering whether there's any way of blowing a thread/string down and out through the hole so you could use it to guide something down there in hopes of sandwiching the surrounding tank material between two plates.

Probably a pipe dream. And would require disassembly somewhere above to get something bigger than a filler nozzle into the opening.

Toggle bolt to hold a fender washer hard against the tank? You'd have to seal between the toggle bolt and washer as well, of course.

Maybe Permatex does have some magic in stock...

Insurance claim?

Surely it would cover damage from crackheads. 

Joking.

Unless it works.

FYI, I've heard the yards around me drill the tanks, too, to drain the fuel. Then they sell them and say "just plug the hole."

Quite a few yards are lazy and just drill the tanks and don't care about being able to sell them.  But if there's no local junkyard with one in stock, check Ebay.  Quite a few places part cars out and list the parts there.  Depending on what you're looking for, sometimes it's as good as shopping around junkyards. 

ShawnG said:

Insurance claim?

Surely it would cover damage from crackheads. 

If there is no replacement part available (due to the back order), would it help much? 

Jesse Ransom said:

It's probably insane, but I find myself wondering whether there's any way of blowing a thread/string down and out through the hole so you could use it to guide something down there in hopes of sandwiching the surrounding tank material between two plates.

Probably a pipe dream. And would require disassembly somewhere above to get something bigger than a filler nozzle into the opening.

Toggle bolt to hold a fender washer hard against the tank? You'd have to seal between the toggle bolt and washer as well, of course.

Maybe Permatex does have some magic in stock...

I kept thinking that you should be able to drop the tank, pull the sending unit/pump, then sandwich.  It is a truck and we know the tank is empty, so it shouldn't be too horrible?

rslifkin said:

Quite a few yards are lazy and just drill the tanks and don't care about being able to sell them.  But if there's no local junkyard with one in stock, check Ebay.  Quite a few places part cars out and list the parts there.  Depending on what you're looking for, sometimes it's as good as shopping around junkyards. 

You can't ship used fuel components, they are hazmat if they have fuel vapors.

We ran into this a lot when the steel ring on top of GM fullsize front drivers (late 90s Park Avenues and such) would rust off of the plastic tank and the sending unit would pop out.  They were NLA because nobody needed replacement tanks when the cars were under warranty so they liquidated their stock.  There were good tanks in the Southwest but there was no way to get them here.

We had a method of running straps across the top and zipscrewing them to the plastic tank and they'd hold well enough to pass evap tests.

z31maniac said:

ShawnG said:

Insurance claim?

Surely it would cover damage from crackheads. 

If there is no replacement part available (due to the back order), would it help much? 

My personal take would be something along the line of "That's a you problem, not a me problem".

I pay a lot of money for insurance every year to cover things like this. If the insurance company can't replace it, then they can fix it or have a new one fabricated.

If they don't like it then they can start pressuring to have thieves and vandals punished.

This is the kind of thing you're paying them for. 

Drop the tank, pull the sending/pump unit.  Install a 3/8" bolt and nut with sealing washers.  That's how I've sealed every junkyard tank I ever bought.

rslifkin said:

Quite a few yards are lazy and just drill the tanks and don't care about being able to sell them.  But if there's no local junkyard with one in stock, check Ebay.  Quite a few places part cars out and list the parts there.  Depending on what you're looking for, sometimes it's as good as shopping around junkyards. 

Our local yard had a couple of big tanks with giant pointy spikes poking up. They would use a grapple to pick up a new arrival to the yard and drop the fuel tank on to one pointy spike to drain the fuel and then go over to the other tank and drop the pan on to the other pointy spike to drain the oil. It was a really clean well-run yard and they didn't want anything leaking out of the cars and I guess the pans and fuel tanks were not worth enough to make it anymore complicated than that to drain them.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

rslifkin said:

Quite a few yards are lazy and just drill the tanks and don't care about being able to sell them.  But if there's no local junkyard with one in stock, check Ebay.  Quite a few places part cars out and list the parts there.  Depending on what you're looking for, sometimes it's as good as shopping around junkyards. 

You can't ship used fuel components, they are hazmat if they have fuel vapors.

 

We ran into this a lot when the steel ring on top of GM fullsize front drivers (late 90s Park Avenues and such) would rust off of the plastic tank and the sending unit would pop out.  They were NLA because nobody needed replacement tanks when the cars were under warranty so they liquidated their stock.  There were good tanks in the Southwest but there was no way to get them here.

We had a method of running straps across the top and zipscrewing them to the plastic tank and they'd hold well enough to pass evap tests.

I've seen a few places that will ship used tanks.  A lot of places don't want to bother cleaning it out first, but it can be done. 

I'd take a 2" piece of sacrificial abs plastic off something else, clean and scuff it up, and epoxy that SOB over the hole.

ShawnG said:

My personal take would be something along the line of "That's a you problem, not a me problem".

If you didn't buy rental car coverage, it's definitely a you problem.  Insurance company will pay for a replacement tank, but if there aren't any available then you're the one out of a car.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if a 2013 Tacoma was a liability-only car at this point.

ShawnG said:

z31maniac said:

ShawnG said:

Insurance claim?

Surely it would cover damage from crackheads. 

If there is no replacement part available (due to the back order), would it help much? 

My personal take would be something along the line of "That's a you problem, not a me problem".

have thieves and vandals punished.

Bingo

How about a 10gal, race style, fuel cell mounted to the truck bed?

Sample

Fuel cell?