Got my fuel tank drilled. Hole is roughly 5/8" or 3/4" so pretty decent size. Temporarily put JB Weld SteelStik just to get me home.

Looking for alternative options. Replacing will be super expensive and want a solution that can last me 6 months until I can afford the swap.

I noticed some white plastic liner inside the tank that wasn't drilled all the way through so I can't insert a bolt to tap it.

What exact material is the fuel tank made of? I have a 2001 2.5l

My idea:

1. Drill directly into the tank so I can insert a bolt and cover with JB Weld

 

I had this happen to me as well. I got a plastics soldering gun, came with plastic sticks that melt down. The plastic is not special, so don't get into all that. Get the iron, I got mine at harbor freight, but easily had offline. Let it get fully hot, than run it around the hole in the tank to soften the plastic. Than grab a plastic stick and laying it over the hole, melt it in. Run it all the way down to the plastic of the tank exterior and spread it at least 1/2 inch around the hole. You can't use to much, just make sure your melting it so you get a good seal. I did mine in three applications to make sure I got a good fix. That's it. Let it sit about 45 minutes to fully cool.put in a small amount of fuel, just enough to check for leaks. If none appear, fill it up and enjoy. I did mine about 2 years ago and it's still just fine. You don't need special sealant or any of that. It's just abs plastic. Hope this helps and prevents you from spending a ton on a simple fix.

 

I appreciate the help! Will definitely try this out!

 

Do you have any advice on setting the work environment up? My concern is applying that much heat around the fuel tank.

My current plan:

1. Drain the gas from the tank
2. Remove the JB weld
3. Plastic weld

 

Fore sure drain all the fuel and leave the fuel cap off so any vapors can rise. Once you scape off all the jb weld, put a drain pan under the hole and let all residual fuel drain and the tank dry. Wipe tank area with contact or brake cleaner to get as much dirt off Than you can use heavy grit sandpaper to rough up the area. After that, you will be good to go. It's not any different than a soldering iron. You'll be fine as long as no fuel is still leaking from the tank and your not soaking the iron.