Plastic Fuel Tanks

[Brian Coombs]

Is anyone out there using plastic fuel tanks? I was hoping to use a proper race car bag tanks on my replica, but they are just too expensive, I have used aluminium tanks on previous cars, but I have always wondered how well they would withstand an impact especially around the welded seams?

Any recommendations gratefully received

Thanks,

Brian Coombs.

[LloydGT40]

I have plastic tanks and they have a gas odor to them. If you use them make sure you seal them from the interior or you'll smell the gas fumes

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Brian Coombs

Is anyone out there using plastic fuel tanks? I was hoping to use a proper race car bag tanks on my replica, but they are just too expensive, I have used aluminium tanks on previous cars, but I have always wondered how well they would withstand an impact especially around the welded seams?

Any recommendations gratefully received

Thanks,

Brian Coombs.

Brian,
I wouldn`t use plastic, if I had a choice i`d go with ali, plastic fine for diesel! Having seen some fairly "mashed" up ali tanks when racing and having lost a couple of friends in a Pug 205 (the tank split) during an accident I would go ali every time. I will be using ali on my car when the time comes.
regards Chris

[David]

Plastic can seriously suffer from degradation from ethanol which is added to US fuel in significant amounts and now they're changing the rules in the UK to not have to declare up to a certain amount of ethanol in the fuel (which affects a number of older cars).

See the Ducati fiasco wrt melting/distorting tanks (eg first google result - The Ducati plastic fuel tank lawsuit - ADVrider )

[Simon Willis]

Our KCC came with plastic tanks. We've stripped the whole car now for a ground-up rebuild. The tanks have a few small holes and need a good clean out. We're trying to decide if we should scrap them and get new ones manufactured or re-use these.