Welding a fuel tank

[Trugga]

After this last weekends laning, it is apparent that my petrol fuel tank is leaking.

It is not the standard Frontera fuel tank, but a smaller one fitted higher up between the chassis rails.

I've had a chat with Weave67 who is up for the welding/patching job, but we would be appreciative on any tips on how we should proceed.

I'm hopeful that the tank can be removed from the car. It can then be drained of remaining fuel (and stored safely) then the tank washed out with copious amounts of washing up liquid and a hose pipe, and then left to dry/evaporate for an hour or so before attempting any welding.

Any other thoughts ?



That is an earlier photo, with the area indicated now moist with petrol.



Lawrence

[Road Hog]

Easy peasy lemon sqeezy,but only if you can get it off the car.


After removing from vehicle & draining fuel,ensure the tank has an open vent pipe,Support the filler tube so that it is over the exhaust pipe of another vehicle & run the engine for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the is no smell of petrol,this is quickest when a diesel is used to purge the tank.

The reasoning as it was explained to me many years & fuel tank repairs ago.Bit of basic schoolboy physics................ exhaust gas is Heavy & largely carbon monoxide ,so the concentrated heavy non combustable gas sinks in the tank thus forcing the lighter combustable petrol vapour up & out through the vent.

[alex]

Or weld it full of water, asuming the leak aint so bad as to contaminate the weld then drain and refill with petrol.

What material is the tank made from? I asume you did a magnet test etc to make sure its weldable.

Sounds like a fun job.

[weave67]

i was just gonna say that bernie

[farmer]

a fire extinquiser,first aid kit and some one standing far away with a phone with 999 on speed dial.

[Krusher]

A 3 meter long welding gun

[alex]

TBH, It would be a big enough flash to give dave a new haircut, but its not a fire brigade jobby.

[weave67]

[gkcollard]

A friend's advice is spot on, no Oxygen = no fire =

[Alchamist]

Hmm ... It's a bit more worrying when you don't have those options, and have a Fuddy and an Alex waving an arc welding rod around your petrol tank, right next to the leaky filler pipe ... and they wondered why I kept taking steps backwards away from them ...

The second time, when Bobby was waving his rod around the back end of my car, I think I was almost hoping it did go up ... not to damage Bobby at all, but it might have improved my truck a bit!

[Rich]

this reminds me of when i was working in a garage and we had an old bedford ha van come in to have the fuel tank repaired my gaffa removed the tank drained it and left it for an hour or so

he then put the tank on the work bench and set about patching it

he had faced the filler neck towards himself when all of a sudden the was a might whooshing sound and him screaming in pain a very large flame had come shooting out of the filler neck and burnt him in the never regions burn though his overalls and singeing his bits

so be careful

[alex]

As an apprentice I was told to use gas to cut some old shock absorbers apart. The resulting fire ball left me somewhat sore even below several layers and a full face mask. Learnt that lesson, it may look dangerous, but I do take saftey seriously.

[alex]

Just a side note, have a good look as to why its popped the seam. If its just poor welding then fair enough, but if it looks like its had a bounce it may be worth looking into a bash plate for it. It is a little exposed.

[Drift]

Angle iron down the seam

[alex]

Could be one way, maybe a few transverse straps too.

[Road Hog]

There is the "other" technique,which I do not recommend.While it is quicker if it goes wrong will prove that adrenaline IS brown.

[Drift]

Empty tank light match on long pole hover over tank outlet, leggit

[Road Hog]

[alex]

Have someone blow down a hose into it while burning the vent gasses just dont run out of blow or start suckin

[weave67]

we could do with somebody with a lot of wind,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,now were did i put postfinders number