Fiberglass wing tanks

[924549]

I own a 1992 KitfovIV ser#1632. I finished building and started flying it in 1993. I am wondering if anyone would know if these tanks are sealed with a kreem. I have had 0 problems with them leaking but Im starting to get concerned about the ethanol issue. Currently the wings are in my garage because I have just finished recovering them and they are ready to be painted. I do not want to go any further until I decide what to do with the fuel tanks. Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated.

[cap01]

probably if you didnt put kreen in the tanks when you built the wings , it doesnt have it . i have sn 1583 and it didnt have any sealer in the tanks .

[DesertFox4]

Back in 2003 I had to slosh one of my fuel tanks due to a small leak. I know I used one quart of Randolph 912 alcohol resistant slosh. We pre-rinsed with MEK before application. We took the wing off the Kitfox and with help from a couple of friends we turned the wing every which way to coat it then poured the excess out and let it dry. It has held up 7 years with no problems to date. I purchased from Aircraft Spruce at the time. I looked and do not see evidence of ACS carrying it now. They carry another type that is made for aircraft use but does not state that it is alcohol resistant.
Caveat: I run only 100 LL Av-gas in my Kitfox so I can not attest to the alcohol resistance of the Randolph 912 product but always assumed I have one alcohol resistant tank and one not.

[RobS]

Two links to a company in NJ that makes a sealer that is alcohol resitstant - $81/gal

Website Info:
World's No. 1 Gas Tank Sealer. Impervious to all fuel types. Over 2,000,000 sold to date. This is the best way to repair and restore your fuel tank. simple application, includes extensive application information and product information sheet. Will seal pinhole leaks and prevent rusting.

1 Pint will seal a 10-12 gallon tank.

Good for all fuel types.

Works well with all metal and fibreglass tanks.

http://www.hirschauto.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GTS

http://www.hirschauto.com/sealer.pdf

[sdemeyer]

I have SN 1523, completed in 2000. One tank started leaking last year so I replaced it with a new tank from KF. It was a LOT of work to replace. Just say'n ....

[bumsteer]

Wicks sells this sealer by the quart. Says it is similar to Randolph 912. Has anyone used this sealer? If it works it would definitely be easier(especially if the tanks aren't installed) and cheaper than new tanks.

Rick

[neeleydp]

I recently bought a Kitfox IV (SN 1833) built in 1992. This kit has set unbuilt since 92. It came with fiberglass tanks and the label on the left tank says coated with Kreem to protect the tank from gasoline or gasoline additives. The lable on the right tank says Warning - Do not use gasoline which contains methanol or alcohol (gasohol) which will damage the resins used in the fabrication of this tank. These are Skystar labels. I'm ready to install the tanks and confused about wether to line the tanks, and with what type of liner, or to buy new ethanol resistant tanks? I don't really want to buy new tanks!

[cardinal flier]

I purchased new tanks earlier in 2009 for my 1992 unfinished Kitfox that I had recently purchased, unbuilt. If you've read my recent posts about the BSS (brown sticky stuff) that came from my tanks when exposed to auto fuel, you will understand when I state "USE ONLY AVIATION FUEL. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ADDITIVES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO AUTO FUEL" Last Monday, I cleaned my carbs of the BSS, and the engine has run perfect since then. First flight comes next Saturday. Bruce Estes

[kirk]

Hi all, my name is Kirk Austin, l live in southeast Texas, I have been reading this forum for several months now. I am building a SS7 I bought from John and Debbra in April of this year recieved in July. Anyway I have learened a lot from you guys, So because of all the ethonal issues I have been reading about,I decided to take yalls advice, I recieved my alcohol resistance gas tank sealer from Hirsch Automotive today. I will be sealing my tanks tomorrow. I plan on running avgass, BUT dont know what they are going to do with avgas/ethonal in the future. Good luck to you fellows and thanks for the good advice, because I am just fixxing to install the tanks in wings.

[szicree]

My biggest concern with sealers is that they will eventually come loose and then you've got a worse mess than you started with. That Hirsch product ad sounds pretty great, but I am somewhat skeptical of the claims made. Anybody hear have first-hand long-term experience with the stuff?

[Av8r3400]

I believe that the tanks in my IV-1050 were factory coated with cream when they were made in the mid 1990's.

I have not had any issue with flaking, in the 250 hours and ~4 years since completion, that it has run auto gas. Ethanol free as far as I know, very little 100LL only on long x-countries.