Hawk Gas Tank Leak Repair

[Torgo]

I’m just posting this for reference in case someone else runs into the same thing. My 2015 Hawk developed a gas leak several months ago. It happened around 2200 miles. I’ve done another 700 miles since without any problems, so I’m getting around to posting a couple of pictures I took of the repair since it seems to be holding up OK.

I started to notice a stronger than usual gasoline smell and discovered that it was leaking from the weld at the bottom of the gas tank and the fuel selector.

It was a welding defect - I’m guessing that enough rattling final worked open the joint, and it started to leak enough to be noticeable.

First pic shows the original bead and factory paint. Clearly, it’s not the best bead ever laid down – at least it’s wasn’t structural. I didn’t take a picture after I brazed it, but the joint wasn’t closed, and the disconnect went all the way through.



Second one shows the materials required. The plumbers abrasive cloth worked good – brazed it up nice and easy around the selector (just like a copper pipe) and I expanded it out around the base to give the JB Weld a good area of contact.



Third shows how the epoxy set up, and the fourth was taken after a quick coat of paint to cover up the repair, and the remaining exposed, braised areas.




Wasn’t hard, just took some time to take off the gas tank and wait for the epoxy and paint to dry.

[BlackBike]

Successful I take it? Know you have taken it thru the shit and such with the big bend and chinos mountains.

I always see that object to the left of your signature and think I am seeing a guitar head. Is this your album cover?

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

Successful I take it? Know you have taken it thru the shit and such with the big bend and chinos mountains.

I always see that object to the left of your signature and think I am seeing a guitar head. Is this your album cover?

I'm too old to be too rough on it, since I think I take more of a beating now than it does, but I guess it's adding up - just lost a rear spoke the other day. A bunch of little repairs it seems, but it's really held up well.

As far as the "guitar" goes - no, my avatar is from an old movie, sometimes deemed to be the worse of all time - "Manos: the Hands of Fate." Torgo is one of the characters. It was filmed out around El Paso back in the 60s by a fertilizer salesman and has the quality you'd expect from that.

[BlackBike]

[BlackBike]

That's fine, I still have my imagination

[JerryHawk250]

Looks like a good fix to me.

[Sochin]

I used the JB Weld Steel stik, worked really well. Still haven't had to put on the warranty replacement tank I got.

[lee47512]

I just used JB water weld myself that was over 2 years ago no problem since.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I’m just posting this for reference in case someone else runs into the same thing. My 2015 Hawk developed a gas leak several months ago. It happened around 2200 miles. I’ve done another 700 miles since without any problems, so I’m getting around to posting a couple of pictures I took of the repair since it seems to be holding up OK.

I started to notice a stronger than usual gasoline smell and discovered that it was leaking from the weld at the bottom of the gas tank and the fuel selector.

It was a welding defect - I’m guessing that enough rattling final worked open the joint, and it started to leak enough to be noticeable.

First pic shows the original bead and factory paint. Clearly, it’s not the best bead ever laid down – at least it’s wasn’t structural. I didn’t take a picture after I brazed it, but the joint wasn’t closed, and the disconnect went all the way through.

Attachment 11534

Second one shows the materials required. The plumbers abrasive cloth worked good – brazed it up nice and easy around the selector (just like a copper pipe) and I expanded it out around the base to give the JB Weld a good area of contact.

Attachment 11535

Third shows how the epoxy set up, and the fourth was taken after a quick coat of paint to cover up the repair, and the remaining exposed, braised areas.

Attachment 11536
Attachment 11537

Wasn’t hard, just took some time to take off the gas tank and wait for the epoxy and paint to dry.

Nice job, but I'm confused by the brazing. Can you explain that more thoroughly? To me, you use heat and bronze to braze...ARH

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Nice job, but I'm confused by the brazing. Can you explain that more thoroughly? To me, you use heat and bronze to braze...ARH

I reread that, and yeah, I totally chose the wrong verb there. I really meant "prepping for brazing," like you'd do for copper plumbing. Guess my brain was locked on that comparison when I wrote it. Getting old.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I reread that, and yeah, I totally chose the wrong verb there. I really meant "prepping for brazing," like you'd do for copper plumbing. Guess my brain was locked on that comparison when I wrote it. Getting old.

Yeah, now it makes sense to me. Anyway, it looks like a nice job...ARH