2002 Chevy Silverado Fuel Tank Repair

STEVE HUDSON

MEMBER
2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
125,000 MILES

My 2002 Silverado had an 1/8" hole drilled in the plastic gas tank to steal the fuel. I have been told those tanks have a plastic liner in them. I would like to patch the tank and have found a kit from Caswell that will do it but I am not sure about the liner. Is it attached to the inside of the tank? Will I run the risk of getting gas under the liner and not to the fuel pickup? I really don't want to pull the tank and spend the 700.00 the dealer wants for a new one. Also does anyone make a metal "shield" that could be put over the tank so this can't happen again? I know thieves will be theives but I would like to slow them down.
Thanks,
Steve

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,873 POSTS

There's no liner to worry about, but sand the tank in the area first to remove the shiny surface so the patch material will stick.

My mother hit a huge piece of metal on the highway with her Grand Caravan. It tore off the rear heater hoses and punched a hole in the tank making a 3" x 1" cut two sides of a rectangle. It was up high enough that she only lost 3/4 tank of fuel. By leep-frogging it with my car, I nursed it home 7 miles with no coolant. Half way home, I crawled underneath, sanded the tank in the area, (metal tank), and built up a temporary patch with Mopar RTV gasket sealer, (the harder, better-sealing gray stuff). Never smelled any fumes from that point on.

While repairing the heater hoses at home, I decided the "temporary" patch was vulnerable to rocks, so I added a thin piece of tin over it. Decided the tin was vulnerable to corrosion so I added another layer of gasket sealer. That was 20 years ago! It's still my dailer driver and has never had a sign of leaking. I always overfill the tank. I've even given up watching for a good used tank. The hole is WAY bigger than 1/8".

You might consider using RTV, (room temperature vulcanizing) gasket sealer, and for good measure, run a self-tapping bolt with a washer into the hole with it.

Not sure what rare elements your tank is made of, but for $700.00, you can get a half dozen good tanks from the salvage yards.

Caradiodoc