The question of whether Flex Seal will work on a gas tank is a common one.
It can be expensive to replace a gas tank.
However, it’s ineffective and dangerous to try and seal a gas reservoir.
Gas and oil are corrosive flammables and can’t be stopped by any sealant that is not corrosive-proof.
Will Flex Seal Work On A Gas Tank?
No, Flex Seal is not resistant against a corrosive flammable like gas or oil.
It is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to use Flex Seal Liquid™ on a gas tank.
Don’t be deceived by the fact that it may not ignite or leak through right away.
The point is that it will eventually, and you don’t want to be anywhere near the vehicle or machinery that you’ve used an improper sealant on.
What Can Happen When You Use Flex Seal On A Gas Tank?
There are proper sealants on the market that will allow you to seal a gas tank temporarily.
Flex Seal is not one of them.
Flex Seal has many great properties that you can use for a number of frustrating and expensive repairs, but when you’re playing with a gas tank, you’re playing with fire—quite literally.
What can happen?
There are a lot of things.
It may begin to leak again at an inopportune moment.
That leakage could be large or small.
A small leak can go on unnoticed and cause extreme, expensive damage to the surrounding mechanisms.
If it’s the gas tank in a car, you’re risking the danger of fire or explosion from an undetected or neglected gas leak.
At the very least, you’re accumulating expensive repairs to surrounding parts if you can even save them.
The extent of the damage depends on the size of the leak and how long it’s neglected.
The next thing that can happen is you may find yourself out of gas because your gas gauge doesn’t work correctly.
A sealant doesn’t fully repair a gas tank.
Gas should be airtight in a tank so there’s no evaporation.
If you’ve ever had a bad gas cap or the door didn’t cover properly, then the fumes will eventually waste your gas.
The gas gauge may have you crazy trying to figure out when it’s lying.
You may be spending a lot more on gas than you intended to save by patching up a leak in a gas tank.
Plus, the aggravation of the uncertain gas amount and the danger makes you wonder: Is it worth it?
Can I Use Flex Seal Tape On My Gas Tank?
No.
Flex Seal Tape™ is also not resistant against a corrosive flammable such as gas or oil.
Neither of the Flex Seal™ products is good on gas tanks.
The sealant you need is the one that is made expressly for this type of hazardous chemical.
Consider professional repair or replacement, both for safety and for financial reasons.
What Does It Mean If You Smell Gasoline When You Drive?
Sometimes, people will assume there is a small leak somewhere and attempt to diagnose their own issue with a car.
For the untrained car owner, a leak may be the only possibility.
There are others that only a mechanic may know.
Now, you will, too.
First, your gas tank could be leaking, or you could have bad fuel injectors that are dripping excess fuel on the hot interior of the engine.
When this happens, especially upon starting, the fuel injectors may need replacement or flushing.
The other possibility is the fumes are coming from the exhaust because the engine is failing to burn the gas efficiently.
Your engine may need a tune-up.
Once you get a diagnosis from an oil change shop or a mechanic, then you can start making safe and financially sound decisions for the repairs.
What If Gas Is Leaking From My Fuel Tank?
You will know if fuel is leaking from your fuel tank if you notice two things.
One, there is a puddle that will form on the ground when it’s a big enough fuel leak, and it will smell of gas.
The tricky part is that gas leaks aren’t guaranteed to leave a puddle.
There may be no visible evidence of a fuel leak.
A small fuel leak may take forever to figure out.
When a small amount of fuel leaks, it will congeal and stick to anything it comes in contact with when the car cools.
That could mean the chassis or the floor or anywhere.
Any liquid is like water and will follow the path of least resistance.
By the time you find where it’s coming from, any sealant is not going to do any good.
Sometimes you’ll seal a gas tank because there’s a small leak there, but another leak in the gas lines or injectors on a neglected fuel system will appear.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace My Fuel Tank?
Replacing a fuel tank will save more money in the long run than using a temporary or inefficient sealer.
The total fuel system should have a diagnostic test done to be certain the fuel is not leaking from another part of the engine.
This should be checked, even though there’s an obvious crack or hole in the tank.
This is even more important when you are contemplating replacing the tank yourself.
You don’t want to replace the tank and then have to spend out anyway on the fuel lines or other issues.
The cost of an average professional fuel tank replacement is more than $1,100 before labor.
To replace it yourself, it depends on the tank and the car.
The amount of work that it will take for you to either repair the tank or replace it is quite a lot even if you like tinkering with cars.
If you do it wrong, it could be deadly and costly anyway.
Another thing to think about is replacing the car.
Yes.
If the car is old enough and the fuel system is going bad, then if the car is used, it may be time to replace it.
If the car is new, the suggestion is to bring it to the dealer.
Also, make sure you aren’t saddled with a model that is notorious for having a bad fuel system.
Consumer Reports is a great tool to find out a lot about the model you have or want to own.
If you find that your car falls under this category and you’re still upside down on the payments, look at the warranty and see if you can purchase an extended warranty and if there have been any recalls concerning the fuel system.
If it’s a used car, you may want to ditch it.
How To Get Your Fuel Tank Replaced Properly
We’re sure you may be confused by now, or at the very least, frustrated, and you want to hire someone to replace the fuel tank.
You may feel that it’s a big job, and you want the right person to do it.
What are your options?
Here are a few different options for the budget you have.
Hire An Independent Mechanic
This is going to take a bit of time.
What is an independent mechanic?
It’s a person who has incorporated a company in your state for auto repair.
Anyone who meets the requirements can do this, so you need to screen a few.
Make sure you get a written estimate.
You will be charged either a mobile mechanic visit to your home, or you will have a charge for a diagnostic test at their garage.
Check the company and make sure they are incorporated.
This gives you a bit more security that they aren’t going to run away with your hard-earned money after they do the work.
Three is typically the charm in order to choose the right indie mechanic for you.
Sit down and take a break to study the quotes well.
Choose the one with the best price, yes, but make sure they meet all the other criteria, as well.
Sometimes cheap is not always best.
There’s a vast difference between replacing a headlight with junkyard parts and getting a bad fuel tank that’s going to give you more hassle in six months.
Go To An Auto Body Shop
If your car is new, the auto body shop at the dealership will be the best place to go, especially if you’re under warranty.
If you aren’t, it will be more expensive, but a new car has to be taken care of properly, so you aren’t making payments on a vehicle that you’ve damaged the fuel system on.
Oil may be the lifeblood of a car, but if the fuel tank and system are damaged, you’ll bleed money on that car until it’s paid off.
It’s always important to think about quality when you have a new car.
If the car is used, go to a shop that has great reviews.
In fact, ask your neighbors, friends, and family.
Word of mouth is always one of the best ways to get what you need from a garage.
Make sure of a few things first.
First, the obvious: Are they incorporated, and do they have current, good reviews?
The next most important thing is to know if they have technicians who are specialists and not just general mechanics.
That’s not to say that a generalist couldn’t do the job well.
We don’t want to deride anyone’s skills, but it’s important to have a technician who is certified for your fuel system and your model car.
Before you go to anyone to do the work, find out about your warranties and if your insurance will cover the tank if it was damaged due to an accident.
Accidents are the most common way a fuel tank gets damaged.
Conclusion
The takeaways from this article, “Will Flex Seal Work on a Gas Tank?” are simple.
We want you to understand the concept of what it takes to repair something that is both dangerous and expensive.
Gas and oil are the two things that an engine needs to work.
When there’s a leak, it poses, first and most importantly, a danger to the operator, and second, it can cause other things that are more serious for the car.
If you aren’t experienced in this type of repair, you’ll have to make decisions.
The point is that you should save the patch jobs for the hole in a wall rather than a tank that holds volatile fuel.
The cost difference between doing it yourself and getting a professional to do it can be nominal depending on what’s causing the leak, how serious it is, and if there are other issues with the fuel lines.
Saving money is really not an option with this type of repair, at least not one that’s going to be guaranteed on the safety and longevity point.
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