Fuel tank inspection hatch

[vyv_cox]

Genuine question - what benefit does the cork provide over using just the rubber?

Pete

A little more resilience, I think. I used sheet neoprene as gaskets for my water tank inspection hatches. The softness was quite low, about 40 IRHD I would guess, but it didn't seem to compress enough to ensure leak freedom, so I used silicone sealant as well.

 

[donm]

Cork remains one of the most effective gasket materials. It is actually cork particles bound together with an elastomer, which for fuel would usually be nitrile rubber. It is usually available from motor factors. One of the required properties of a gasket is that it should deform to accommodate any roughness of the surfaces. Your polythene or HDPE would not be very effective and very likely leak.

My new fuel tank sender unit came with a cork gasket.

I've ordered cork rubber nitrile bonded sheet material to cut out a gasket and will bed it in non setting gasket sealant/bedding to cope with any minor irregularities, although the surface looks pretty good

 

[prv]

will bed it in non setting gasket sealant/bedding

Maybe try it without first? My plain (nitrile) rubber gasket has been fine on its own, if the surface is reasonably smooth then adding sealant gunk just seems like unnecessary messiness.

Pete

 

[vyv_cox]

I've ordered cork rubber nitrile bonded sheet material to cut out a gasket and will bed it in non setting gasket sealant/bedding to cope with any minor irregularities, although the surface looks pretty good

I didn't need any additional sealant for my sender unit, nice shiny stainless steel. Very many automotive gaskets are cork and should not need sealant. The only problem ones are large inspection hatches on fairly flexible tanks, which just might.

 

[jwilson]

Maybe try it without first? My plain (nitrile) rubber gasket has been fine on its own, if the surface is reasonably smooth then adding sealant gunk just seems like unnecessary messiness.

Pete

My Mk VII version (Mks I - VI failed) of trying to seal a new access panel cut into a thin-wall polypropylene tank (ie as standard on most newish AWBs) was cork/nitrile plus setting type Hylotyte red between that and the tank wall, with a smear of non-setting Hylotyte blue under the outer screw heads/threads.

Having got the @&%*** thing to seal I'm very reluctant to touch it again....

 

[prv]

My Mk VII version (Mks I - VI failed) of trying to seal a new access panel cut into a thin-wall polypropylene tank (ie as standard on most newish AWBs) was cork/nitrile plus setting type Hylotyte red between that and the tank wall, with a smear of non-setting Hylotyte blue under the outer screw heads/threads.

I can imagine roto-moulded polyprop would be difficult to seal to and might need liquid sealants. But the OP's tank is steel and should be fine with just a rubber (or cork-and-rubber) gasket.

Having got the @&%*** thing to seal I'm very reluctant to touch it again....

Largely why I suggested not using sealants

Pete

 

[catmandoo]

I have a hatch in the top of my stainless steel tank. I cut the hole and fitted the hatch with the tank in situ. The hatch is a rectangular s/s plate held down with bolts. The gasket is quite thick, made of cork and silicon rubber, like those under the engine rocker box. When I had a look inside the tank, there was loads of brown gunge. It needed long arms to reach into the corners to clean it all out!

Thought cork no no with diesel ? Nitrile rubber best does not disintegrate

 

[vyv_cox]

Thought cork no no with diesel ? Nitrile rubber best does not disintegrate

See first sentence, post #39. example here http://www.charlescantrill.com/cork-products/gasket-materials/cork-gasket-cc2001/