Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate the attention given to a new member with only four posts, by three Pagoda veteran experts with a total of 7,950 posts.
Mr. Salemi, I think friendly and open minded disagreement is healthy and beneficial to the learning process. You are probably right about the cost/benefit of working on a 40+ year old tank, but having spent several years restoring a 40+ year old Ferrari by hand, for which almost no parts exist, and total production was700 cars, it has become apparent that I have a masochistic streak. AND, I apparently work for about $0.05 per hour or less. I’ve resurrected a lot of parts for which no replacement existed, so it has become my first instinct; some would say, “fault”. P.S. I miss the Novi Shopping Center. I spent 21 years living in Farmington Hills.
Mr. Caron, I think the epoxy “cold weld” idea is a really good one. In conjuction with a coating inside, it’s likely to last forever as a leak preventer. I used your “Flower Pot” name in the posting because it was familiar to everyone here and kept me from having to research the name for the device that we used in the auto industry. I’ve been retired 10 years and can no longer remember the “familiar” name that we used for similar devices during those years when I was responsible for Jeep “off-road” fuel system design. The name was most certainly not, “Labyrinth Inlet, High Angularity, Temporary Fuel Retention Reservoir”. Thank you for coining the term, “Flower Pot”. It saves a lot of words. If I have your permission, I will continue to use it here only.
Mr. Alexander, now that I know the attachment method, I think I can see one of the fold-over tabs in the bottom of the “Flower Pot” in one of your photos. I have shown your photos to the radiator repair shop owner and explained how it works and what is important, but knowing that and being able to seal the inside of the tank without plugging something up are two different things. You are also probably right about the heat damage to the “Flower Pot”. It will probably just distort and move away from the hot spot. If it doesn’t develop a major hole, it will probably have little detrimental effect. At any rate, I think I will tell the shop to ignore the pin-hole leak and do everything else. After the inside is coated, I can epoxy it from the outside as insurance before ever putting fuel in the tank. At least replacement tanks exist for Pagodas.
Another possibility that just came to me for the pin-hole leak is a steel closed-end blind rivet with a sealant. The aircraft industry does that.
Thank you again, gentlemen. I will post results, good or bad.
Tom Kizer