Plastic repair for pressurised container.

[t-tony]

The brake/clutch pressure bleeder I acquired has one small but important fault I found today. I made the pump work again simply by cleaning all the parts and rebuilding it, but I still couldn't get any pressure in the container to force fluid through the system. Here's why, the port in the side of the bottle for the pressure gauge is cracked, thing is does anyone have any bright ideas for repairing this or will I have to bin the whole project? It only pumps up to 15-20 psi so no great pressures involved.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Tony.

 

[Bozzy]

Would a nut and bolt with decent size metal washers and rubber washers either side do it ?.

Steve

 

[Jack Ratt]

Could you weld it with a soldering iron ? Or possibly fit some straps around the bottle to strengthen it and hold the crack together

 

[t-tony]

Afraid not Steve it has a "raised boss" on the inside which the gauge screws into, this has a tapered thread, which is obviously (now) how the crack was made, some arse over tightening the gauge instead of removing it and putting some PTFE tape on the thread. The quality of the "Technicians" I work with.

Tony.

 

[t-tony]

Could you weld it with a soldering iron ? Or possibly fit some straps around the bottle to strengthen it and hold the crack together

That might work mate, or a combination of the two.

Tony.

 

[Bozzy]

Oops just realised you were on about the crack in the bottle ......so my bright idea ain't so bright .
Steve

 

[Jack Ratt]

That might work mate, or a combination of the two.

Tony.

The biggest problem with plastic welding is finding some plastic the same as the bottle to use as a filler.

 

[Redline]

Because of the shape I suspect that it won't make any difference what you do on the outside the pressure will force the gap open.
A combination of things might keep stop the leak. As suggested a band tightened out the bottle.
A shaped bit of aluminium plate with rubber sheet behind it clamped and maybe glued into the bottle might help. Some trial and error to get the shape though.

 

[Sean d]

That plastic is terrible to repair mate, it is compound, basically a recycled mix of lots of plastics so welding is out of the question, it doesn't even solder very well, good luck with it, to be honest I think its fecked and thats from someone that will try and repair anything.

 

[t-tony]

I suspect you're right Sean, things like this are not meant to be repaired just chucked away and replaced, but I'm very careful so I will try, up to a point! because it was free.

Tony.

 

[Sean d]

I suspect you're right Sean, things like this are not meant to be repaired just chucked away and replaced, but I'm very careful so I will try, up to a point! because it was free.

Tony.

It looks like the same stuff that washer bottles are made of mate, I had a front end repair a while ago and the bottle was cracked, I couldn't even stop the head pressure from the water, I tried all sorts of glues and soldering too.

 

[t-tony]

It is a very similar plastic Sean you're right. I think if I ditch the pressure gauge I could probably effect a repair, and maybe relocate the gauge elsewhere, like the bin?

Tony.

 

[Low Rider]

Might this be the product to use
http://www.jmldirect.com/at-home/ho...activated-liquid-plastic-adhesive-and-filler/

 

[Low Rider]

View: https://youtu.be/Fym9vieleZ8

 

[Bozzy]

On wheeler dealers a while ago Ed did a a repair on the front plastic nose cone of low slung car,think it may have been a Jag not sure.
There was a very big crack in it and he drilled a series of holes along the crack and one at the end of it. Then he forced a resin into them kind of sandwiching the damaged area and it made a 100% perfect repair.
Maybe could work on your container,just an idea.

Steve

 

[oldcarman]

I would think that the stuff they use to seal the inside of plastic motorcycle tanks would work. You pour it into the tank and swish it around until you get an even coat then let it cure for 24 hrs. Check out the nearest cycle shop. Similar to the stuff you shoot into a flat tire I'd think! JIM

 

[Nodzed]

@t-tony try Gorilla glue mate absolutely amazing stuff , cut a very small/thin valley along the crack with a craft knife without going through and apply.

 

[oldcarman]

Absolutely correct @Nodzed, it foams a bit and seals fairly large holes! JIM

 

[t-tony]

Pressure tested tonight at 10psi and left for a fair while and no drop in pressure. What I did was tap a tapered drift into the threaded hole to open the crack wide enough to allow some super glue to run into the crack. Removed the drift and allowed the crack to close and left overnight.
Got a 6 X 30 bolt and several other items, a large flat washer ( shaped to the contour of the bottle), a large thick flat washer with a large enough hole to go over the raised boss inside the bottle and a female brake pipe union drilled to take a 6mm bolt and lastly a 6mm nyloc nut.
The face of the outer washer facing the bottle I peppered with centre punch dots to roughen the surface and the face of the bottle I scored with a very sharp knife in criss - cross fashion where the washer would touch the outside of the bottle.
Next mix some epoxy glue and coat the washer for the inside of the bottle and fit it over the boss, next coat the outside washer and assemble the bolt through from outside. Fit he brake pipe union over the boss inside the bottle and tighten it all up.
What to do with the pressure gauge? simples, I drilled a hole in the filler cap and tapped it to 1/8 BSP and screwed the gauge into that. I removed it and applied some super glue then re-fitted it permanently.
Full pressure test tomorrow when I fit my hoses.

Tony.

ps. Hope it works it will save me around £50.

 

[t-tony]

I guessed you might like this @Bozzy , especially if the trial goes to plan

Tony.