Sealing Mercury KD-4 two piece tank

[bob-d]

Hi all, have a KD 4 gas tank that is leaking out of the seams. Used Gasoila E-Seal after cleaning off all old sealing compound which looked like Permatex #2. I also Palm sanded the surfaces absolutely smooth, and it’s still not working. Any suggestions what would work? Go back to the Permatex that the original owner used?
Thanks,
Bob D

[gjonz]

POR15 tank sealant…is what I’m using.

It will and is designed to be used with aluminum tanks, unlike many other sealers.

Greg

[dave-bernard]

you must have the matting surfaces absolutely machined perfect. to do a good job.

[bob-d]

Dave, what is the best way to machine the surfaces?
Bob D

[dave-bernard]

flat piece of glass and put a large sheet of sand paper on it and do figure 8’s on it should bring you close or a machine shop.

[bob-d]

Thanks Dave, will try that, along with the POR 15.

[billw]

I usually bring mine to an automotive machine shop, like where you’d get valves done. They have a huge, flat belt sander that takes care of business in about one minute.

Long live American manufacturing!

[20mercman]

I may be the only one who had an issue with the POR 15 product, but on my KF-7 tank it was a disaster! I had the tank apart, so I was able to glass bead blast the inside of the tank. I figured that that would be clean enough! Well, their customer reviews said, "Enough sealer for several tanks". I cleaned out the tank, and poured the stuff in, turned it around to coat everything, and the poured the excess back into the can. I put the cover back on the can and placed it on my work bench. Well, after about 10 minutes, the can exploded and showered the contents all over my shop. I was very fortunate that very many valuable items were not covered, as they would have been ruined. (Lionel trains, and restored motors).. Then a few weeks later, I painted the tank and cured the paint in a hot room. The hot room ended up causing the sealer to fall off of the inside of the tank in sheets! I then had to reach through the fuel cap with a long probe and pliers to pull the sheets of sealer out of the tank. I was not happy. I called POR and the customer service representative said, "It states on the can, "Do not return contents to can"! I was holding the can in my hand, and could honestly tell them. "Not on MY CAN!!!!" It took forever to get the stuff out of the tank, as it was still stuck in a few spots. They sent me another can, but I have not used it.

Steve

[green-thumbs]

Kiekhaefer made Mercury, Wizard(1940-56/57) and some prewar Sea King singles. There is a great deal of commonality in the early k models. Jasons Old Wizard site has a number of useful things to say and many photos. A lot of been there done that. Techniques not discussed
in service manual needed to deal with rusted,busted, missing and worn out.
Best of all it is FREE.
Louis
Splitting ,cleaning and resealing a cast aluminum tank is easy…on a scale of 1 to 10 about a 2
Only special tools required are an exacto knife, an allen wrench and a 12" of so length of
threaded rod with washers & nuts. Material needed available at any auto parts store (and some super markets!) The five tanks that I have taken apart had absolutely flat surfaces when checked using a machinist’s straight edge…no light gaps whatsoever.
Louis

[dockbuster1]

You might want to try Locktite master gasket kit # 518 merc part no 92-12564 2 I have had good luck with it on 5 0r 6 tanks over the last 10 years or so it does a good job of replacing the cloth impregnated gasket they used in the 40’s

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