Many lawn mowers use gas-powered engines. This type is more effective than the electric one, special for 3 acres or more of grass. If you use gas engine mowers, you should know what a plastic gas tank is exactly.
There are many problems with plastic gas tank when using a lawnmower. It can be broken, cracked, split, damaged or leak somewhere. So, instead of replacing it for 200$ or more, you can repair it for a few pennies.
In this article below, we will show you how to fix plastic gas tank on a lawnmower step by step. Take a look with us and see how you can fix it.
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Before you fix plastic gas tank on your lawn mower
Now, before repairing the plastic gas tank, let’s consider the following issues.
First, find out what is the problem with your plastic gas tank. It was broken somewhere, or it was crack, split. You should find it out before fixing it. If its condition is not good and it is difficult to repair, you may face a complete replacement.
With small issues, you can repair the plastic gas tank on your lawn mower easily.
Second, prepare some materials required for repairing:
- Soldering iron
- Protection gloves
- Air compressor
- Spray bottle
- Water
- Cotton swab
- Hacksaw
- Plastic adhesive (Eposive)
- Some optional items: brush, rag
Cautions
You may encounter some difficulties when repairing the gas tank. If you are a beginner and you haven’t fixed the plastic gas tank before, keep in mind the cautions below. This will help you avoid bad situations such as getting injured or damaging the tank.
- Before starting to fix the plastic gas tank, remember that the gas tank is vacant. You need to carefully check the condition of the gas tank before repairing. Otherwise, it can explode when you heat the tank.
- Do not touch hot plastic without protective gloves.
- When using epoxy, you should act rapidly to avoid drying up mid-operation.
How to fix plastic gas tank on lawn mower
Almost all the plastic gas tanks are made from Polyethylene. So, you can fix it easily at home by yourself. The repair process takes 10 minutes to 1 hour or more if your gas tank has a big problem.
After all the preparation and notice all the cautions, you can start repairing your plastic gas tank now. Here is a complete guide to fix a plastic gas tank on lawn mower step-by-step.
Step 1: Remove and Clean The Gas Tank
Remove the fuel tank from the engine then drain the fuel tank. Use liquid soap and warm water to completely get rid of the gasoline smell. Use alcohol solution to wipe again to remove all dirt.
Recommendation: How to drain gas from a lawn mower?
Step 2: Use Knife To Cut Plastic Pieces
Use a knife to cut the remaining plastic wires. Measure the damaged area and then get a plastic bottle that can completely cover the damaged area. Note that the cut plastic pieces must be 1.5 times larger than the damaged area.
Step 3: Prepare For Heating
Two things to keep in mind when doing this step. Remote heating to avoid burning plastic and no smoke. Heat moderately so that the plastic does not deform.
Step 4: Heat The Damaged Area
Start heating the damaged area with a heat gun.
Step 5: Place The Patch Material
Once the plastic has begun to pliable and is slightly damp we will place patching materials on the damaged area. Continue heating until the patch element also has moisture. Store the heat gun in a safe place.
Step 6: Apply Light Pressure To Set It Properly
Use a spatula to press the heating area to remove bubbles. Be careful not to press too hard. Wait a while for the patch element to stick more tightly. Double-check the sticker carefully before moving on to the next step.
Step 7: Refill the gas tank
Clean the repair area. Pour a little gasoline into the tank to see if there is a leak in the damaged area or other areas. If all is well, you can refill the tank and put it back in the machine to continue using.
Tips for fixing plastic gas tank
For lawn mowers, the plastic gas tank is an extremely important part because it contains fuel to help the machine operate stably and smoothly. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t go wrong. The mistakes we often see in plastic fuel tanks are punctured, torn or cracked. Here are some tips to help us fix and fix this problem.
In case the bottle is punctured, we can immediately think of using Epoxy glue to seal the plastic bottle. The first thing you need to do is drain the fuel tank. Then apply Epoxy glue around the puncture and stick the glass patch on it. Continue to apply another layer of Epoxy glue on the patch. The vulnerability has been completely fixed.
In case the fuel tank is torn or cracked, we can use plastic welding rods to solve it. Remove the fuel tank completely from the car and then drain the fuel. Note that welding around the crack and then starting to weld gradually inside. If we want the plastic bottle to look newer, we can sand it and then repaint it with plastic spray paint.
Related post: 5 Practical tips for gas lawn mower maintenance
Final thoughts
After all, can you answer the question: How to fix plastic gas tank on lawn mower?. We want to tell you that you can save money because you can fix this problem yourself. Maybe the process will have some issues and you can feel somewhat confused at first. But don’t worry, you can do it.
Hope this information will make your repair process easier. The above 7 steps are the basic steps for you to fix a broken plastic gas tank. Remember to pay attention to both the preparation steps and the cautions.
Thanks for following until the end. Good luck with your repair! See you soon.