One of my Spada restoration jobs is leaking fuel from the fuel overflow pipe. Obviously a pinhole opening somewhere inside the tank letting fuel leak into the tube. It’s dripping at around 1 drip every 20 seconds. I know I can plug up the exit pipe outlet at the bottom of the tank but as this system performs the double feature of removing spilt fuel and water from around the fuel filler cap I’d prefer to repair it if possible. Short of re coating the entire tank internal and hoping the liner also coats the pipe, does anyone have any suggestions re fixing this issue? (The inside of the tank looks exceptionally clean and rust free.)
Can you get some hard plastic hose (as used in air lines on trucks) maybe polythene and lube and push down inside the steel tubing?
Maybe, great idea. Thanks. The internal diameter is quite large. Would that tolerate constant contact with fuel? Thin fuel line may do the trick?
You'll need to seal the stall tube to the new inner tube or the fuel will continue to leak out between them. So if you use a thermoform plastic tube you could try moulding about the end of the tube, or a good, fuel-resistant adhesive applied liberally to seal the 2.
You could block the top hole and blow in the tube to try to find the leak (bubble test) and see if it is somewhere repairable?
Turned out to be impossible to even get a piece of wire through the overflow tube. No way any type of tubing was getting through. I decided to use a Por15 fuel liner kit. Plugged up one end of the overflow tube then filled it with the por15 detergent, dried with compressed air, then the metal etch, compressed air, then tank liner. left it sitting for a while, then blew out with low pressure compressed air, to ensure it wasn’t blocked. fingers crossed,, will test it at the end of the week once the sealer is fully cured. Thanks for all the excellent suggestions.
Finally tested my repair to the tank overflow pipe described in the above post. Tank has now had fuel in it for 4 days and no hint of a leak so I think I can safely assume it worked.. also blew compressed air through it to check it’s not fully blocked. All good.
