Temp gas tank patch

Any one ever try the bar of soap trick? I was driving a rental car
in Utah once outside of Ogden many, many, well, countless years ago. A rock came off a front tire rattled around under the car a bit then left out the back. It put a hole in the gas tank as a parting gift. A slow trickle of gas was coming out the bottom of the tank. I frantically started rubbing a bar of soap back and forth over the hole. Mashing it into it the best I could. It gelled a bit and went into the hole, more rubbing deposited more soap and it finally stopped leaking. ( Yes there was still gas in the tank). The patch lasted three more days at least. We were going skiing at SnowBasin and we drove a couple of hundred miles back and forth. The intermediate jeeps and later could us the technique in an emergency, (they might have to get close to some soap though).
It could be something to try, some of the off road pics look like rocks and pointy things get close the the soft under bellies of some of the rigs.
PS i wouldn't try it on an internal tank---IE early CJ.

 

I have heard of that trick. Good to keep in mind, however I switched to an aluminum fuel cell behind the seats. Now I don't worry.

Kevo

 

Soap works OK for a little split or gouge in the tank. I'm kind of from the "old school", so I always carry Fels naptha soap with me (along with duct tape, bailing wire, chains, nuts, bolts and a crowbar). regular bar soap works as well, as soap isn't soluable in gas. I've had more occasion to repair fuel tanks with a screw and a piece of rubber though, and several times by draining the tank and slathering JB Weld onto a real split. Helps if you carry a piece of fiberglass or screen to hold the goop in place while it cures. The best fuel trick I've seen was in the 70's, when an old friend "fixed" a broken fuel pump by shooting a hole through his hood with a pistol, and running the fuel line from a bottle of gas to the carb using only gravity (and duct tape to hold the bottle).

 

Body fill (bondo) works good. I've seen it used permanently, and I did the bottom of a lawnmower tank once and used it for 3 more years. Just press a gob over the leak.

Paul

 

Another use for 'Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap'

Erlanger, Kentucky