Fuel tap sealing

[Tom Coates]

Any recommendations for getting a fuel tap to seal? Its a new pivotting one for a chummy tank and is both stiff and leaky, so not great!
I don't want to fit a modern tap but have seen recommendations for blue hylomar, a very expensive petrol resistant grease or tinning the inside of the tap with solder. Has anyone tried any of these approaches. According to the complete automobilist site neither the pivotting or push pull ones with cork seals work well with modern fuel.

[Rick F]

You could try lapping-in the taper with grinding paste

[Ferg3]

I use the push/ pull taps ("Enots"?) on my pld Matchless motorcycles and they work OK if the cork seal fitted is a good one (soak in hot water to rejuvenate). However, I replace my real cork corks with ones cut from the newfangled plastic type wine bottle corks. Slice off the correct thickness, trim to match correct diameter and install the hole centrally using a hot needle or wire. Lasted 12 leak-free years and counting!

[Steve Jones]

You could try lapping-in the taper with grinding paste

No, makes things worse and, ultimately, the tap jams and it can't be turned on or off. Don't ask me how I know this!!!

Blue Hylomar works for a while but needs re-applying fairly regularly. In the end I gave up and used a modern ball valve tap that solves the problem permanently. If it's an issue, they look better if you make a more period looking, metal, lever to replace the plastic version. 

Steve

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I use these on the recommendation of Nick Turley - cut the filter off, fit and forget. No leaking, no seizing!

https://www.feked.com/1-4-x-1-4-round-le...plate.html

[Parazine]

+1 Ruairidh!

I have had to make a shorter version of the inlet filter though as the one supplied is too tall and jams in the right angled bend on the outlet.

[Roland Alcock]

+2 Ruairidh. I like the quality of Feked's products.

Roly

[Tom Coates]

Steve Jones

You could try lapping-in the taper with grinding paste

No, makes things worse and, ultimately, the tap jams and it can't be turned on or off. Don't ask me how I know this!!!

Blue Hylomar works for a while but needs re-applying fairly regularly. In the end I gave up and used a modern ball valve tap that solves the problem permanently. If it's an issue, they look better if you make a more period looking, metal, lever to replace the plastic version. 

Steve

I use these on the recommendation of Nick Turley - cut the filter off, fit and forget.  No leaking, no seizing!

https://www.feked.com/1-4-x-1-4-round-le...plate.html

Cheers R, that looks like the answer to my prayers.
Does it take the same tapered fitting at the bottom as the originals? Could sand the nickel plating off to make it look a bit more "rustic".

[Hedd_Jones]

a 'Sharpie' brand gold metallic marker pen on chrome looks just like tarnished brass........ even close up!

[GK5268]

My experience with Blue Hylomar is that despite what it says on the box, it is not fuel resistant and dissolves into globules that then break free and go on to cause blockages - it does not appear to be the same formulation as few years ago (probably the solvent has been altered to make it less toxic to the environment), terrible stuff and I don't use it anymore!