Fuel Gasket material

**Guy Mayers** · 17-08-2014, 19:25

VDO sender units come with a simple rubber gasket Ian. But it is at the top of the tank and will rarely come into contact with fuel....

Guy

**The Slug** · 17-08-2014, 19:38

Thanks guy I was not sure if it was a "Type" of rubber, I need to re-seal mine.

**john** · 17-08-2014, 20:00

I bought rubberised cork sheet off eBay. The guy assures that it is suitable for petrol and I made up a gasket to suit a plate I made to fit in the top of a Corse mild steel tank to mount a small pump in that feeds the swirl pot. So far there is no sign of a leak but as Guy says its not permanently in contact with fuel.
My mate used some of the material to make a gasket for the sender unit on his rib. That has failed!?
Maybe it doesn't like sea water.....
So we have just replaced that with a PTFE washer sourced from a plumbers merchant.

**gtmpaul** · 17-08-2014, 20:14

Hi,
Most of the gaskets and seals I spec at work are from Kinger, they are very helpful if you don't know exactly what to use.
http://www.klinger.co.uk/products/

Paul

**LM mic** · 18-08-2014, 07:43

The only material able to last with all these "new mix of agessive fuels" is VITON it can be bought as o'rings but also flat sheets ; pricy but very effective when the seal is constantly in the the liquid.
Another solution is when mounting a cork seal to use extensivly that red mixture ( liquid ) plane homebuilders use to cover inside their wood wing tanks ( once cured it's like rubber ; only issue this product is very very pricy and rare to find in small quantity !! ( I used to borrow some at the aeroclub workshop not far fom my place !!

**Fingers** · 18-08-2014, 08:21

Originally Posted by LM mic

Another solution is when mounting a cork seal to use extensivly that red mixture ( liquid ) plane homebuilders use to cover inside their wood wing tanks ( once cured it's like rubber ; only issue this product is very very pricy and rare to find in small quantity !! ( I used to borrow some at the aeroclub workshop not far fom my place !!

PR1005L probably Michel. Red and really smelly? It works really well for normal jet fuel and avgas (usually leaded) but I've heard that unleaded petrol with aromatics (toluene etc) will disolve it, but I don't know for sure, one guy tried it in his motorbike tank. I spent far too much time inside the wings of aeroplanes painting that stuff around when I fiest started, fairly standard job for the apprentice!