Fuel Tank Issue?

Noticed a pretty significant fuel leak. After trying to get pictures of the top of the tank I noticed this perfectly round hole. Hard to tell if its threaded. Is there a drain hole/plug or any other type of plug supposed to be here/there? Thanks!

 

Dunno what year or cab type you got but I don't have a hole there.

Plug it and see if your EVAP code/leak disappears. And if you give us more truck info, we can tell you if your truck is potentially ripe for the filler neck leak.

Just looking at it, that hole looks way cleaner and newer than the rest of everything in the pic, so I'm thinking there was something plugging it, or someone drilled it to help drain the tank.

 

I also notice your fuel tank strap bolts look way newer than other bolts, suggesting someone replaced the straps, and/or their hardware since other bolts have been removed.

Looks almost like the frame has the OEM Toyota rust coating on it too, which may not be a good sign.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. 2006 Gen 1, double cab. It was sitting at a lot at the airport for a bit, it's a clean hole. No codes and still had half a tank of gas. Can't remember what I parked with, definitely not full.

 

I've had the truck for around four years with little issue. Bought at auction so no known history. Live in a snowy then warm climate too.

 

I'd plug it. It looks far too in-and-clean to be a bullet entry. But leaving it at the airport ... could've been drilled. Hole looks nicely deburred though.

I've got an '06 Access Cab, and I'm gonna go look again, but I didn't see a hole in that spot on my tank.

 

Trying to replicate your angles there, no hole in mine either or plug

 

It was initially covered by the plastic guarded wire that can be seen in the pics.

 

Thank you! Yours looks much cleaner. I'll try to plug it and see. Is there a good putty or resin for a gas tank?

 

I'd rubber plug it, honestly. I'm surprised you're not tossing an EVAP code for (at least) 'minor leak' or 'small leak'.

I tried to include that horizontal line in mine that points at the hole on yours. But DC and AC (double cab/access cab) may not share the exact same tank. Not sure. Definitely no hole. The tank needs to be sealed, the gas cap is responsible to release pressure.

If I had to guess, someone probably drilled the tank halfway up to see if it leaked out. If it did, they'd know it's at least half-full, and I suspect they were going to drill another hole in the bottom and drain it. It's what crackheads do...

They may have drilled the hole and used that to quietly siphon off a few gallons too.

 

Double(best)cab 06
No hole

 

Paging @KNABORES

 

You have to be right. Hole looks fresh, no reason to be there. Crack isn't for everyone. Thanks again!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jR1Y1w1yvM

 

exactly

 

Brutal, but coulda been worse.
I’d find a SS bolt that just fits/cuts some threads in and put it in with a bit of Seal-All.
Can anyone think of a reason not to do that? I guess some of the thread cutting could go in the tank, but I would think there’s already plenty in there from the drilling.

 

Found a close-ish bolt with a rubber washer and siliconed it. Should hopefully get me to town to get some fuel tank JB weld.

 

Looks like that hole is in the tank itself. Your tank is made of plastic, so maybe find a rubber or plastic plug that fits snugly

 

Looks like someone may have drilled it to help drain your tank, and then got interrupted and stopped before drilling a 2nd hole.

 

Honestly, this is probably a perfectly-fine permanent repair if the depth of the fastener is not much more than the tank. I would've used FIPG myself, but ... Sealed is sealed, and a fastener shouldn't back out. I'd trust it more than JBweld for a plastic tank!

 

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this. I would be worried about potential foreign matter in the bottom of the tank. Like water, dirt, plastic from drilling, etc. Sure doesn't seem like just plugging it up and walking away is the answer.

 

Natural tendency is for the swirls of plastic to come up in the bit.

If you look closely in the picture, and this is why I originally thought it was drilled, and this supports your theory "they didn't finish", you can actually see the lip where the drill bit breached the tank, but didn't make it all the way into the tank. This would suggest there's little of no plastic in the tank. But the fuel pump has a screen on it, so it'd catch the tiniest bits. This is what I'm talking about, notice how the lighter plastic ring seems angled inward here, like the face of a drill bit. I don't think they made it all the way into the tank.

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I don't know. This picture would indicate otherwise. Seems it did make it all the way into the tank. And the staining around the hole would indicate the sloshing and evaporation of gas on the outside of the tank, which would support a full breach. I agree that the swirls of plastic on the initial part of drilling would go up, but once the inside is penetrated, there is going to be stuff that drops off the end of the bit. I guess, all this to say, if it were mine, I'd be draining and dropping the tank to inspect and repair properly. Maybe this is my aircraft brain thinking that (clean) fuel is life.

 

I wouldn't be worried about that. Anything coming from the bit when drilling plastic is gonna be way larger than the filter sock mesh in the tank.

 

They definitely made it through. That's how I discovered it, while filling at the gas station. Found some rubber plugs and a few coats of Seal-all seems to be holding so far. First time using Sealall, much more liquidy than I expected. Wanted to find a sealant that's ok around gas. Didn't find a JB that fit that description with a poly tank. Brutal since I don't have a locking gas cap. Youtube how to syphon for Fs sake. Thanks again for all your replies and advice.