Silicon Sealant Forums

JohnH

Does anyone know of a Silicon sealant which is oil and petrol resistant? I have a generator and need to seal the fuel guage. Any sealant preferably clear.

crackpot

Try some automotive sealer, Halfords or local car shop Cool

The same stuff they use for engines Laughing

Crackpot.

Brambles

I have it in my head silicon sealants and petrol don't go together. I think the petrol makes it hard or something like that. Are you actually trying to seal the gauge from, say rain water on the dail cover, or from actual petrol. You could always try a clear epoxy resin.

crackpot

Automotive sealants are designed to be impervious to oils,heat and petrol/diesel. Nip down to your local car accessory shop and ask them what they reccomend, after explaining what you need it for Cool

Crackpot.

JohnH

[quote:b8a8be8571="Brambles"]I have it in my head silicon sealants and petrol don't go together. I think the petrol makes it hard or something like that. Are you actually trying to seal the gauge from, say rain water on the dail cover, or from actual petrol. You could always try a clear epoxy resin.[/quote:b8a8be8571]

I think you are correct about most sealants and petrol with the sealant becoming brittle. That was the reasoning behind my question. The reason the sealant is needed is that the guage sits on top of the tank and the float is "suspended" beneath. Fuel slops from the tank into the guage which is visual and could be exposed to the atmosphere from there. Not very good and a design fault.
An alternative is, as you say, use epoxy resin but that is then a final act and cannot be undone. In the meantime, I think I will take a visit to Halfords tomorrow to see what is available.
Thanks to all of you.
John

Anonymous

Hi John,

Just a word of warning, make sure when applying the sealant that you do not over do it, any excess has the possibility of squeezing inwards and detaching so that it drops into the tank and becomes a line blockage later on.

Doug...

PS if i´m teaching you to suck eggs; sorry

kevkarts

Would it be possible to make a partial seal of the opening by cutting out a shape similar to the guage, with just a slot for the float control arm ?

Old cycle inner tubes have multi use properties.

Kev

Anonymous

I don’t agree with using epoxy resin but here’s a little tip that has prove very successful over the years, when using a sealant that is likely to prove difficult to remove for maintenance work at a later date first clean all surfaces, lay a piece of cling film down on the surface to be sealed, put a bead of sealant on top of the cling film, place another piece of cling film on top of the bead of sealant, place your fitting (float head, flange, pump housing or whatever) on top of it all, pierce the screw/ bolt holes through replace screw/bolts and lightly tighten, wait a few minutes for sealant to partially cure and finally pinch up tight, cut around the flange etc. with a sharp blade and remove excess cling film and sealant.

If removal is needed at a later date it will part easily leaving a gasket

This works very well on jobs with plastic tanks and silicon sealants.

Dow Corning are probably the best manufacturers of sealants and they should have one in their range to suit you (I would think a gas one may work) try a plumbers merchant for a good range.

Ken

spykal · Moderator

Hi

IMHO

Do not use any type of silicon sealant to seal any part of your petrol fuel system. any excess sealant that comes into contact with the petrol will expand many times and then break away causing problems.

Mike

Keith-n-Deb

Hi

Totally agree with Spykal do not use silicon sealeant... this is the stuff you need to seal fuel tanks it isnt cheap but it does work i have used it..

Anonymous

Just in case I was misunderstood I did not recommend the use of silicon sealant for his purposes.

Ken