jambojeef
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:33 PM |
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Welding Petrol Tanks.....Ka-BOOOM?
Evening all,
Petrol tank on my daily driver sprung a little leak a while back after I reversed over a tree stump in the work's car park and on sunday I tried
to fix it but it just got worse.
Question is: The tank is now off and the leak would be an easy fix with the welder - about 4 spots and I've saved myself £60.
BUT....Im a bit anxious just to go for it since I might blow myself up - Buuuuutttt SURELY if I leave it for 24 hours in the back garden to dry out it
should be sweet??? Or swill it out with something like water??
So your thoughts gentlemen - and no "Bonfire night gags" either - I've gotta get it sorted cos Guinness is coming to borrow it
tommorrow night!!!
(If you're reading this Mike - dont worry - the cars a minter!)
Geoff
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NS Dev
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:38 PM |
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Sorry, but a VERY big no-no unless you can fill the tank with water and still weld it. Even then it should be left for some time as in a week or so
first. Much better to clean up the damaged bit and mend it with something like JB weld epoxy. I have done this a few times and usually with success.
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cidersurfer
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:40 PM |
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Fill it with water, let it run through for a while if you can to wash to petrol/fumes out and leave it full of water when you weld it, should be fine,
it's the fumes that are the problem..
shimming solid lifters is a job for a friend...
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jambojeef
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:43 PM |
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Hmm,
Just been reading this:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg314.pdf
It seems to suggest, as you both have, that filling it with water could be the job - I didnt like the bit about solid residues though.
I knew the HSE would wee on my fire.......(sorry I couldnt resist that!)
Geoff
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DavidM
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:43 PM |
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Or steam clean the inside.
David
Proportion is Everything
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theconrodkid
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 06:52 PM |
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put a pipe on an exhaust and run the gas through for a while,a rinse out with some detergent helps,stand well back when you spark up,ive done loads
and i,m still here
who cares who wins
pass the pork pies
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gazza285
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:01 PM |
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Bubbles. Lots of them.
Some washing up liquid and water and shake away. Me father's been welding tanks for forty years without incident.
DO NOT PUT ON KNOB OR BOLLOCKS!
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jambojeef
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:03 PM |
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Cool so the carbon monoxide kinda purges the tank?
Sweet plan!
If only I could start the car to get the fumes in! It'll have to be motorbike fumes!
Geoff
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Chris_R
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:26 PM |
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What about liquid metal? I've not used it before, but it may be a possibility.
A bit of slapstick never hurt anyone.
http://www.chris.renney.dsl.pipex.com/
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:26 PM |
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Fill it with water and weld it. Under no circumstances try to weld it without water.
It's the fumes/air that explodes.
I remember as an apprentice being told about a guy that was killed when an air tank exploded as he tried to blow a dent out with compressed air. The
pressure wave went up his nose and burst his lungs
He was told to fill it with water first as you cant compress a liquid but he thought it was quicker his way.
The principles of what you want to do are the same though. So if it all goes tits up would you rather be pissed on or blown away.
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Danozeman
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:28 PM |
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He he. Id go the jb weld or petropatch route.
Dan
Built the purple peril!! Let the modifications begin!!
http://www.eastangliankitcars.co.uk
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emsfactory
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:42 PM |
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You could just fibreglass a patch on, nice and easy. If you weld it empy, film it and post the results. Could be good for a laugh.
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derf
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:56 PM |
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No I met a guy name stumpy before, he got his name from welding a gas tank, they do make a product specifically made to seal gas tanks.
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Guinness
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 07:59 PM |
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Don't rush the job on my account. I got your message but too busy to think at the moment. Have just decided to drive up, lot less bother than
a trailer.
Be safe.
P.S if you do blow youself up can i have your turbo!?
Mike
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 09:02 PM |
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Petropatch , safer and cheap!
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Triton
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 10:39 PM |
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Why not buy a new one....
My Daughter has taken over production of the damn fine Triton race seats and her contact email is emmatrs@live.co.uk.
www.tritonraceseats.com
www.hairyhedgehog.com
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Big Stu
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 11:12 PM |
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I have brazed a pipe on the top of tank before. I filled it with water, but could not get enough heat in the metal so I drained off a little and tried
again. It worked fine until the vapour built up an ignited. Luckly the explosion was contained within the tank, which took a new shape of slightly
ovalled and shot a jet of water about 100foot into the air. (Made a nice noise though)
If the hole is not too large I would recomend POR-15 Tank restorer which basically creates a new tank inside the old one. Costs about 15quid and is
available from frosts. www.frost.co.uk.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 1/11/05 at 11:55 PM |
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didn't go into details but I have had similar experience to big stu when migging a tank that had been empty for over 3 months.
The vapour is not the issue, it's the vapour formed when petrol residues are driven out from the surface of the steel, even though it appears
clean.
not saying it;s not possible cos I've done it but it's risky even when you think you've covered everything!
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britishtrident
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| posted on 2/11/05 at 08:31 AM |
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Unless you can clean it by detergent soaki over night THEN steam it out for several hours don't even think about welding it.
PetroPatch (shellac based) covered over by a layer of glasfibre will work well.
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bob
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| posted on 2/11/05 at 09:12 AM |
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I'm with triton buy a new one,its a kinda guarantee that you will live longer 
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ayoungman
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| posted on 2/11/05 at 09:31 AM |
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I spent an afternoon trying to weld a BIG landrover fuel tank. I had it full of water but each time you weld the thing brews up a chucks water
everywhere. To get a weld without pinholes is very difficult when the steel is wet to start with.
Either do the scrap yard route or buy new.
"just like that !"
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 2/11/05 at 10:13 AM |
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My Dads fixed a tank with fiberglass, been good for 5 years.. He only did this as he is tight, and the replacment was expensive (classic car).
Don't weld it, petrol explosions are not somthing to play with for 60 notes...
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 2/11/05 at 12:30 PM |
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the effect of welding a tank without water in it can only be explained by the same principles used in the guy fawkes experiment with hammond the
hamster last night 
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jambojeef
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| posted on 3/11/05 at 10:33 AM |
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Welded it empty in the end and Im still alive!!
I washed the inside out with detergent and then dried it for about 2 hours with a hair drier wedged into the fuel inlet hole and waited until I
couldnt detect any petrol odour coming out....!
I must admit it was the most exciting bit of welding Ive done for a while but its all fixed and petrol tight - phew!
I "belt and braced" it with some epoxy tank repair stuff from Halfords on the outside.
Cheers for your concern gentlemen but it would seem, this time at least, I got away with it!
Six lines will be placed on the lottery this coming saturday....
Geoff
[Edited on 3/11/05 by jambojeef]
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