Home Forum Ask A Member Sealing Mercury KD-4 two piece tank

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  • #1936
    bob-d
    Participant

      US Member

      Hi all, have a KD 4 gas tank that is leaking out of the seams. Used Gasoila E-Seal after cleaning off all old sealing compound which looked like Permatex #2. I also Palm sanded the surfaces absolutely smooth, and it’s still not working. Any suggestions what would work? Go back to the Permatex that the original owner used?
      Thanks,
      Bob D

      #19456
      gjonz
      Participant

        POR15 tank sealant…is what I’m using.

        It will and is designed to be used with aluminum tanks, unlike many other sealers.

        Greg

        #19479
        dave-bernard
        Participant

          US Member

          you must have the matting surfaces absolutely machined perfect. to do a good job.

          #19480
          bob-d
          Participant

            US Member

            Dave, what is the best way to machine the surfaces?
            Bob D

            #19481
            dave-bernard
            Participant

              US Member

              flat piece of glass and put a large sheet of sand paper on it and do figure 8’s on it should bring you close or a machine shop.

              #19486
              bob-d
              Participant

                US Member

                Thanks Dave, will try that, along with the POR 15.

                #19497
                billw
                Participant

                  US Member

                  I usually bring mine to an automotive machine shop, like where you’d get valves done. They have a huge, flat belt sander that takes care of business in about one minute.

                  Long live American manufacturing!

                  #19557
                  20mercman
                  Participant

                    US Member

                    I may be the only one who had an issue with the POR 15 product, but on my KF-7 tank it was a disaster! I had the tank apart, so I was able to glass bead blast the inside of the tank. I figured that that would be clean enough! Well, their customer reviews said, "Enough sealer for several tanks". I cleaned out the tank, and poured the stuff in, turned it around to coat everything, and the poured the excess back into the can. I put the cover back on the can and placed it on my work bench. Well, after about 10 minutes, the can exploded and showered the contents all over my shop. I was very fortunate that very many valuable items were not covered, as they would have been ruined. (Lionel trains, and restored motors).. Then a few weeks later, I painted the tank and cured the paint in a hot room. The hot room ended up causing the sealer to fall off of the inside of the tank in sheets! I then had to reach through the fuel cap with a long probe and pliers to pull the sheets of sealer out of the tank. I was not happy. I called POR and the customer service representative said, "It states on the can, "Do not return contents to can"! I was holding the can in my hand, and could honestly tell them. "Not on MY CAN!!!!" It took forever to get the stuff out of the tank, as it was still stuck in a few spots. They sent me another can, but I have not used it.

                    Steve

                    #19587
                    green-thumbs
                    Participant

                      US Member - 2 Years

                      Kiekhaefer made Mercury, Wizard(1940-56/57) and some prewar Sea King singles. There is a great deal of commonality in the early k models. Jasons Old Wizard site has a number of useful things to say and many photos. A lot of been there done that. Techniques not discussed
                      in service manual needed to deal with rusted,busted, missing and worn out.
                      Best of all it is FREE.
                      Louis
                      Splitting ,cleaning and resealing a cast aluminum tank is easy…on a scale of 1 to 10 about a 2
                      Only special tools required are an exacto knife, an allen wrench and a 12" of so length of
                      threaded rod with washers & nuts. Material needed available at any auto parts store (and some super markets!) The five tanks that I have taken apart had absolutely flat surfaces when checked using a machinist’s straight edge…no light gaps whatsoever.
                      Louis

                      #19591
                      dockbuster1
                      Participant

                        Lifetime Member

                        You might want to try Locktite master gasket kit # 518 merc part no 92-12564 2 I have had good luck with it on 5 0r 6 tanks over the last 10 years or so it does a good job of replacing the cloth impregnated gasket they used in the 40’s

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