Another tank sloshing thread

[Captdill]

I successfully repaired my right wing tank (aluminum) some years back externally. It was leaking at the tank seam when I got it in 2004, right there below the gas gauge. I cleaned the surface, covered it with tank repair putty (two-part looks like a tootsie roll) and then covered that with a layer of fiberglass and two-part resin for gas tank repair. BTW, while leaking, with wings folded, the gas ran down the wing to the second flap hinge and into the flaperon, dissolving the Styrofoam core within. I got it that way.

I have read most of the threads about sloshing tanks. Curiously, they gravitate towards Kreem as the preferred slosh, even though it is the only one that is known to flake and peel away. (Honorable mentions are Por 15, Caswell, and the plastic replacement tank from AirDale.) Mine has aluminum tanks that were coated with Kreem. When I noticed that failing about four years ago I sloshed it with MEK to remove most of it. More recently I noticed my left tank seeping, but only with a full tank and I conclude that the source is at the top of the tank. I was going to rip into the fabric to do an external repair, but have decided first to re-slosh the inside. Why should I use Kreem?

[Xengineguy]

Hi Jeff, my vote would be a product called Red Coat, I have had very good results with it . It is mek based,remains pliable (unlike cream)
Your biggest problem is getting ALL the cream out! Some people say mek dissolves cream, I never got that lucky! In the last 20 years I have used red coat on maybe 400 /500 tanks.

[Captdill]

Thanks, their website says available at O'Reilly's. Your success means a lot. I really want to avoid future problems and the track record of Kreem leaves me uneasy. BTW, another name that came up was Hirsch. Also BTW, the two-part Caswell website says something like "most failures are because of improper mixing". Maybe so. I gather Red Kote is not two-part.

[Xengineguy]

You are correct Red Coat is not two part. Clean up and thinning done with MEK.
Normally you won't need to thin it. Make sure the tank is completely dry before coating. Cream = PITA. Good luck. Mike

[n85ae]

Red Kote says specifically in their spec sheet - "Do not use Red-Kote on
fiber-glass or any plastic".

http://www.damonq.com/techsheets/red-kote.pdf

[Xengineguy]

I would bet they are worried about the MEK softening the resin in the glass tanks. Don't know. Test it, and see if it works for your application. Mike

[SkyPirate]

I decided a while ago that if I ever have problems with my fuel tanks I am going to make new tanks out of aluminum,..but rather then weld the seams..I will use a fuel tank seam sealer and roll the seams,..a pliable sealer,..doing this should eliminate any vibration/torque induced cracks that can occur at welded seams

[Olle1975]

Why do you seal a aluminium tank?

I have the 6 gal aluminium wingtanks in a Kitfox III, there is nothing slosh inside and it works.

Olaf

[Captdill]

I am sealing mine because it is leaking. I will probably also slosh the right tank which is not leaking. This is not just to match. A few years back I did what I could to remove the cracked Kreem with wings installed, surely still some left. I think the new slosh will contain any of the old stuff that I cannot get out, it makes sense to do it while I am all tooled up.

[Olle1975]

OK, I have rinsed my tanks with aceton to remove the Kreem. The tanks are leakproof, I hope for a long time....

Olaf