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Also, how quickly do gas tank leaks grow?
If you are lucky you can get two or three trips out of a patch before the pressure and corrosive nature of the gasoline itself to "eat" everything it touches makes it reappear.
Now, that said.. Hey man, listen here. I BTDT for real for real for real and i tell you no joke, this is how it went down for me...
I hope this car isnt a daily driver... From what i see, its seeping somewhere and getting to that pool hanging-on raindrop of gas. That means that the patch would go OVER where the source is. And that.. aint gonna patch it. Read on.. Mine was exactly like that. On the bottom of the tank too, where the most pressure and force pops through anything you put/spray on there...
Bottom line: Even the BEST patch of Copper spray, J-B Weld, all that stuff.. it will hold it when the tank is low and you eliminate the drip -as much as you can.- BUT! When that fuel tank pressurizes.. its gonna spring again. GAS EATS THROUGH IT ALL!!
Want proof? Look at all the RTV gasketmakers (not what you would use here) and patches similar to J-B Weld. They say
"NOT FOR USE WITH GASOLINE." J-B Weld turns into a yellow mustard-looking and feeling substance when gasoline sits on it for hours and days...
I am sorry but i do not have a good answer for you except new tank, or tanking tank out draining ALL GAS..
I have BTDT, sir. Ran out of gas MANY times driving a car dripping gas. Wasnt concerned about gas near exhaust due to the shields.. but i did run out. And it was coming out almost like a faucet left on low during the long rides.. the tank -pressurizes- and NO patch can hold up to it.
And i tried for 3 weeks. used EVERYTHING. Cleaned it off, everything..
Aint gonna happpen. I tried in earnest, too. As i said.. it will hold when it sits still, but pressure and gas will un-do.
Now, if the screw with J-B Weld trick works then do that.. but you need to be REALLY CAREFUL or youll just create a bigger hole that makes tank done for.
GASOLINE eats through EVERYTHING. I have repaired an oil pan hold with J-B weld.. but that was OIL. Gasoline.. is the exception.
You can also probably get a new tank in there for $150-$200 grand total. Assuming scrapyard has one. And filling it up with water isnt really valid, you can get the water out, yes, but Gasoline is more atomized than water and water might not leak but gas will. Water also isnt corrosive to eat through silicon-based sealers.
Google scrapyards, man. Trying to save you some time.
EDIT: Also, what eljefino
and JimPghPA saidsaid is true, and having BTDT i can echo JimPghPA's thoughts exactly.. But if you trace it back to an actual, real small hole with gas trickling out that is really on your gas tank, particularly on the lower part (rust, i presume? Can happen, yes) .. then you need to do what i said. I wouldnt steer you wrong, bud. Just sharing what i had to do.
I also wasted as much money on sealers as a tank would have been trying to hard, so there is that. Not to mention the gasoline i gave away to the road. Not good again.