2005 C5 LDS

[white exec]

I got an LDS reservoir car from a scrappy for a quid or so, a car tyre valve (for free) from a local tyre place, drilled a hole in the cap, and put them together. A couple of strokes with a bike pump should pressurise the reservoir nicely (I haven't had to use it yet).

The perfect Special Tool! Remember doing exactly this years ago (tyre valve fitted to a pressure cap) to help find leaks/bleed a cooling system. Not sure it wasn't actually recommended in the workshop manual.
______

Just found it in the workshop: a Quinton Hazell 'blank' cap. Must be 35+ years old

Now why did I keep this?

[Bikernerd]

Well gents I had the liners off today and found...

Not a great deal if I'm honest, there was some oil around the pump/bsi unit but not alot - few drops at the most. So I gave everything a good Cleanup and did a set of citerobics to try and get any indication of leaks... Nothing, even tried bouncing up and down in the car so simulate a road and took the steering wheel lock to lock a few times, still nothing. Not a drop anywhere. Also took the cap off the tank to check the level, she's holding air pressure in there fine so I'm tempted rule the tank out a little.

Only thing I did find that the felt noise damping stuff on the liner was absolutely saturated from an old leak, so I've just taken that off for now, I'll keep an eye on it over the next week.

[GiveMeABreak]

Sounds promising so far

[Bikernerd]

Well gents, I've found the leak. There's a slight split right near the return line on the bit next to the coolant bottle.

Is there any point in trying to repair the tank somehow? Or is it time I stuck my hand in my pocket

[white exec]

If it's a tiny split (and not a great long thing), you could try to heat-weld the split shut, using a hot soldering iron. The tanks are, I think, made from a thermo-plastic, which does melt when heat is applied.
Alternatively, use the other bit of plastic in the wallet !

[Bikernerd]

It's maybe a cm long, right on the seem of the tank. But perpendicular... Is that the right word? To the seam itself. The soldering iron idea sounds like a possibility though.

[myglaren]

Worth a shot with the soldering iron, can't make it much worse.

[GiveMeABreak]

Hmmm do you have a photo - I'm not sure how long this would hold up and I certainly wouldn't want it to weaken further and burst whilst out leaving you stranded.

[Gibbo2286]

I'd suggest sticking a plastic patch on it with hot glue after thoroughly cleaning it up. Hot glue will stick plastic pretty securely, put the glue on the patch then apply it before it sets.
If you haven't got a hot glue gun they can be had in Aldi Lidl or the poundland shops for under a fiver.

[GiveMeABreak]

But this is holding an oil, so I can't see how it will last whilst the tank is also under pressure. It would be useful if there was a picture identifying where the leak is and how bad the tank is split.

[white exec]

Take the point about pressure.
Hot glue isn't that great adhesion-wise for a long-term repair, and the presence of both oil and pressure won't help.

A good photo of the split would be helpful.

[mickthemaverick]

I have been using this product for the last 6 months and I have repaired numerous cracks and splits in containers. The finished repair is usually stronger than the original material. I have used it to mould new lugs on bike fairings, replace material in cracked washer bottle and repaired the hull of a dinghy which hasn;t sunk since. I think it really is the solution to plastic cracking problems:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plastic-Repa ... 0005.m1851

It may help you out!!

[Bikernerd]

Greetings from the night shift,

I do have a photo, but I'm struggling to upload it and on closer inspection I think the writing is on the wall for this tank. Shame they don't do repair kits for the plastic in your wallet!

[myglaren]

Image uploading guide here.

[Gibbo2286]

Take the point about pressure.
Hot glue isn't that great adhesion-wise for a long-term repair, and the presence of both oil and pressure won't help.

A good photo of the split would be helpful.

But for the cost I think it's worth trying, nothing lost if it doesn't last long.