Fuel tank repair. Myself?

[msjenkins]

wash your tank out good then drop a piece of dry ice into it. it will fill with carbon dioxide and not flash. Or once you clean the tank out put a vacum hose in it and keep the air moveing. if the gas cannot get in a large enough collection it will not burn. Or the easy way go to NAPA and get there epoxy kit to fix leaks in tanks. It has a 2 piece epoxy and a mesh to cover your hole. I fixxed a 1 inch hole in my tank with the stuff. works good. lug

You may not have access to it but I used the CO2/ Argon gas for my MIG welder. Taped off all the openings and ran a tube through one. Purge the tank for a few minutes and then went to soldering. I've done it for 2 tanks now and I'm still here

[B1B Keven]

So far, so good. Red-Kote and Devcon are working.

[95ttoplt1]

So far, so good. Red-Kote and Devcon are working.

Do you have a link to this Devcon stuff? I googled it and came up with a company called devcon that makes a wide range of products.

How much RED-KOTE did you use?

[B1B Keven]

Do you have a link to this Devcon stuff? I googled it and came up with a company called devcon that makes a wide range of products.

How much RED-KOTE did you use?

I got both at my local O'Reilly's.

The Devcon was hanging with other products like 'Liquid Steel'.

I used a quart of RED-KOTE, but would recommend two.

Here's the Devcon:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEVCON-METAL-PATCH-FILL-compound-NEW-LOT-2-tubes-S-50-50345-/330619198372

RED-KOTE:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/DAM0/REDKOTE.oap?ck=Search_red-kote_-1_3743&keyword=red-kote

[95ttoplt1]

I got both at my local O'Reilly's.

The Devcon was hanging with other products like 'Liquid Steel'.

I used a quart of RED-KOTE, but would recommend two.

Here's the Devcon:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEVCON-METAL-PATCH-FILL-compound-NEW-LOT-2-tubes-S-50-50345-/330619198372

RED-KOTE:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/DAM0/REDKOTE.oap?ck=Search_red-kote_-1_3743&keyword=red-kote

Awesome thanks. Oreillys is by far the best parts store in my area. They were the only place in town that had a fresh 6v battery for me

[greg g]

I needed to fix some holes in the bottom of my tank. I cleaned up the area with a brass wire brush, then found appropriate sized (slightly larger than the hole) found some rubber washers and flat washers. I put JB weld on the threads, screwed the screw into the hole just enough to slightly compress the rubber washer, then covered the screw and surrounding area with more JB Weld.

I did this in July and they are still holding.

[Lou Earle]

I needed to fix some holes in the bottom of my tank. I cleaned up the area with a brass wire brush, then found appropriate sized (slightly larger than the hole) found some rubber washers and flat washers. I put JB weld on the threads, screwed the screw into the hole just enough to slightly compress the rubber washer, then covered the screw and surrounding area with more JB Weld.

I did this in July and they are still holding.

I also have used the jb weld/screw trick the only problem is it so far has only held 20 +years- will probaly fail any day!

Lou

ps also jb is an excellent leak patch on aluminum boats

[95ttoplt1]

I got both at my local O'Reilly's.

The Devcon was hanging with other products like 'Liquid Steel'.

I used a quart of RED-KOTE, but would recommend two.

Here's the Devcon:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEVCON-METAL-PATCH-FILL-compound-NEW-LOT-2-tubes-S-50-50345-/330619198372

RED-KOTE:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/DAM0/REDKOTE.oap?ck=Search_red-kote_-1_3743&keyword=red-kote

Picked both of them up today, did you use the screen trick for patching larger holes or weld them and then use the DEVCON for pin holes?

[B1B Keven]

Picked both of them up today, did you use the screen trick for patching larger holes or weld them and then use the DEVCON for pin holes?

No screen. I just gooped it heavy, let it dry a couple of days and sanded it back.

Let the RED-KOTE have a week to dry. Another thing I did was put my leaf blower nozzle in the fuel inlet and let it run for hours.

[95ttoplt1]

No screen. I just gooped it heavy, let it dry a couple of days and sanded it back.

Let the RED-KOTE have a week to dry. Another thing I did was put my leaf blower nozzle in the fuel inlet and let it run for hours.

Great idea, I have some Evapo-rust and some Acetone to get it all cleaned up. But they only had a quart of Red-Kote, I hope thats enough.

[Rusty O'Toole]

I'm trying to get a tank to blow up and it won't.

It is a rusty old tank I scavenged from a junkyard for a 49 Chrysler Windsor I just got. The top is caved in and I figured a small explosion would straighten it out. What the heck, it worked on other old tanks. When I didn't want them to blow they blew up in my face but it took out the dents.

So far I have tried half a dozen times and only got a small explosion on my last attempt. It took about half the dent out.

If you hear a boom and see a mushroom cloud in the north that will be me ha ha.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole

[Plymouthy Adams]

going for a Darwin award are we...

lets just hope it is not one of them "hold my beer and watch this" episodes

[TheMoose]

Might want someone to capture this on video, would make a good how to or what not to do video!

[Rusty O'Toole]

I'd like to get it on film but for some reason can't get anyone to hold the camera while I light the fuse.

[TheMoose]

I'd like to get it on film but for some reason can't get anyone to hold the camera while I light the fuse.

Have you thought of stuffing an innertube in there & blowing it up (with just air!) to see if that will push out the dent?

[Don Coatney]

I'm trying to get a tank to blow up and it won't.

You must be that Polish espionage agent I heard about. He was assigned to blow up a bus but he burned his lips on the tailpipe.

[cwcars88]

Back in the sixties I had lost a gas cap to my Pontiac Wagon, replaced the cap with the wrong one and the fuel pump sucked the top and bottom of the tank till they were almost touching. Removed the tank and took it to a radiator shop. He had fittings that fit into radiator in and out lets that would also fit the gas tank. He put air pressure in the tank, tapped on the tank with a hammer, put in more pressure and tapped some more, in tell the tank popped back in to shape. I don't know how much pressure he was using , as I stepped back out of his way.

Wayne

[Don Coatney]

Here is what not to do if you lose a gas cap.

[cwcars88]

that is temping, good thing I quit smoking and don't have any matches.

[seabee1950]

My tank is out for the frame off rebuild after getting it off I could see there had been an attempt at patching it,but it looked like hit and miss welding like who ever was doing it was not sure about welding it.

With that said I used my Sears shop vac and blew the tank out as it was bent in.

It pooped out and as I ran my hand over the tank and found all the holes that need to be welded.

I am thinking about using the shop vac to keep any fumes out and I am going to braise eack spot.

Wish me luck.

[ggdad1951]

My tank is out for the frame off rebuild after getting it off I could see there had been an attempt at patching it,but it looked like hit and miss welding like who ever was doing it was not sure about welding it.

With that said I used my Sears shop vac and blew the tank out as it was bent in.

It pooped out and as I ran my hand over the tank and found all the holes that need to be welded.

I am thinking about using the shop vac to keep any fumes out and I am going to braise eack spot.

Wish me luck.

nice knowing ya!

make sure to have some before and after pictures of the tank (not you, we know what a crispy Wile E. Coyte looks like!).

[seabee1950]

I welded my tank I tried with Mig weld and Gas weld and didn't have a lot of luck with as the tank was so rusty but as far as welding I hooked my Craftsman big shop vac to the filler tube on inlet side and let it run for a 1/2 hour then I reverse the hose and blew in fresh air,never had a problem.  

 

But that's the was I did it?

[TodFitch]

For liability reasons, I don't recommend anything. But seems like filling the inside of the tank with an inert gas like C02 would be a good idea. My local Smart & Final store sells dry ice and I've heard that many other grocery stores are starting to sell it too. Drop a couple of chunks of that into the tank and it shouldn't take too long to reduce oxygen content of the "air" inside the tank.

 

For what it is worth, I've only filled pin holes in a gas tank once. I used a very heavy duty soldering iron and a strong flux and cleaner. Had a hard time getting it to wet and flow but eventually it worked. And I did not have to get sparks or flames anywhere near the tank.