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Main : Misc Petrol tank woes...

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Petrol tank woes...
Petrol tank woes...Popular
SubmitterkululadotgroenMore Photos from kululadotgroen   Last Update2007/3/20 19:30    Tell a friendTell a friend
Hits2894  Comments14    0.00 (0 votes)0.00 (0 votes)
So I inspected the tank when I wanted to start making the holes for bigger fitting for the fuel injection, adn found that it was all rusted up. I cut it i half, and will be cleaning it p and welding it back together when I'm done. It's only surface rust, and cleans up nicely with a wire brush in the drill, as can be seen in the lefthand of the bottom half.

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Poster Thread
ang94541
Posted: 2007/3/22 7:13  Updated: 2007/3/22 7:13
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 1999/12/6
From: Castro Valley,CA USA
Posts: 1191
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Dry Ice.
Interesting.
Displacing O2 is the trick. That's what would happen if you were properly purging the tank with CO2 or Argon during welding. Question is, how good is a block of dry ice at displacing ALL the O2 in the tank?

Remember, the intese heat of welding is a little more than that of matches.

Poster Thread
normo
Posted: 2007/3/22 7:42  Updated: 2007/3/22 7:42
Home away from home
Joined: 2004/4/2
From: Australia, NSW near Tamworth
Posts: 186
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
A guy I knew who repaired fuel tanks for a living would drain them and then run a hose from a running car in them. The carbon monoxide would stop any ignition.
Just a thought. No warranties on this.

Poster Thread
short-coupe
Posted: 2007/3/22 7:56  Updated: 2007/3/22 7:56
Home away from home
Joined: 2006/5/30
From: Brisbane
Posts: 810
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
with my tank, i drained the fuel, dried it, washed it with water a few times, then filled it up with water about 10mm from top where i was welding, and welded the top of the tank, it was empty for about 2 weeks before i welded it.

Poster Thread
ang94541
Posted: 2007/3/21 1:17  Updated: 2007/3/21 1:17
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 1999/12/6
From: Castro Valley,CA USA
Posts: 1191
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
How are you going to weld that thing up without it blowing up in your face?
Isn't it taboo to weld on used gas tanks?

Poster Thread
ocphangaz
Posted: 2007/3/21 2:00  Updated: 2007/3/21 2:00
Just can't stay away
Joined: 2002/11/8
From: Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Posts: 96
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
the tank is dry now... no one asked you to filled it up with petrol and weld it...

Poster Thread
Coops
Posted: 2007/3/21 2:06  Updated: 2007/3/21 2:06
Home away from home
Joined: 2004/8/14
From: Bris-Vegas
Posts: 726
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Just make sure you pressure test it..... Nothing gives you a headache like leaking fuel

Poster Thread
dat5_al
Posted: 2007/3/21 3:48  Updated: 2007/3/21 3:48
Home away from home
Joined: 2005/8/31
From: Adelaide, SA the drift state
Posts: 476
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
fuel vapor is still stored in the metyal and when is heated let out causing explosion/fire. a guy was killed a month ago when welding tanks which held fuel a few years before. gas escaped inside and BANG he dead.

Poster Thread
dazzasute
Posted: 2007/3/21 3:52  Updated: 2007/3/21 3:52
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2004/3/15
From: Perth Western Australia
Posts: 1018
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
put an oxy torch on a pole and go over it first from about 10 metres away in an open area

There are places that do weld them up though. I've had a new bottom put on one before. I think they have fluid continuously flowing through it while they weld on it and it still shoots sparks and flames...

Poster Thread
dattodude
Posted: 2007/3/21 4:59  Updated: 2007/3/21 4:59
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 1998/12/6
From: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 5806
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
I've welded several tanks after a big cleanout with soapy water on a hot day. In all cases they'd not had fuel in them for more than 12 months.

I would not have recommended cutting it completely in two. I hope you are good at tig..even the most skilled mig users will have trouble stitching it back together. IMHO

Poster Thread
kululadotgroen
Posted: 2007/3/22 2:07  Updated: 2007/3/22 2:07
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2006/7/12
From: Cape Town ZA
Posts: 1054
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Mmmmm, thanks for your concerns, but not even the sparks and heat from the grinder could get it to light... I lit a few matches and threw them in there before cutting it open, just to make sure. It had Methanol in it from the previous owner, and still had some in itwhen I took it out. I then let it stand in the sun for a good 2 weeks while doing other stuff, so I'm sure there wouldn't be any vapors left.

Quote:
I hope you are good at tig..even the most skilled mig users will have trouble stitching it back together. IMHO


I was hoping someone wouldn't say that... What I did notice though, is that the tank tappers towards the bottom, and when I fed most of the sides into the top part. I could, with a bit of squeezing, get the bottom half to completely enter the top half, so that it creates a bit of an overlap, which should be a breeze to tig/mig. I'm probably loosing a liter or to of fuel volume, but then again I'm not going to do the Groot Trek in this car, only to the racetrack and back.

My question is though, will it rust again? It seems that it was only the Methanol that attacked the metal, and the car did stand outside in the rain for many months. So I'm hoping that it wouldn't rust again. Is there anything one can treat the metal with other than galvanizing, that wouldn't come of?

Poster Thread
1200GXman
Posted: 2007/3/22 2:42  Updated: 2007/3/22 2:42
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2003/11/28
From: South Africa, Bloemfontein
Posts: 1469
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
This I think is quite something to worry about for all of us.
Is this rust not something that will be in all our Datsuns due to age?

Mine was never left dry or driven until completely empty. When it starts to touch the empty line I go straight to the garage to fill about halfway.(Still got to fix that problem of fuel vapor smells in the car when filled pas half mark and driving in left hand corners).

It is good to clean out the tank while you are almost rebuilding the car.
Find out from a welding business if they will be able to do it for you and also a preasure test. Rather pay someone than doing it yourself and sitting with a head ache later on.

Good luck.

Poster Thread
phunkdoktaspok
Posted: 2007/3/22 2:51  Updated: 2007/3/22 2:51
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2002/9/23
From:
Posts: 2809
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Will it rust again? Yes. Thats why tanks are zinc coated originally.
That POR (15)? company sells a 2pack fuel tank sealer kit. Mix it up, pour it in. Turn the tank over, around, up and down. Then pour the rest back out.
It will solve your welding missed pin holes problem and future rust problem.
POR15

Poster Thread
kululadotgroen
Posted: 2007/3/22 3:21  Updated: 2007/3/22 3:21
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2006/7/12
From: Cape Town ZA
Posts: 1054
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Quote:
Will it rust again? Yes. Thats why tanks are zinc coated originally.


Damnit, I was hoping nobody would say that either... I guess fuel wouldn't make it rust, but that there's probably always a little water in there, which would make it leak**. I'm not planning on using methanol again though... If I do it will have it's own system...

Back to the drawing board then. Maybe I'll just follow through with my original idea, build a custom tank...

EDIT:** rust...

Poster Thread
Bluemax
Posted: 2007/3/22 3:49  Updated: 2007/3/22 3:49
Home away from home
Joined: 2005/8/6
From: Selah, Washington
Posts: 640
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
When welding on tanks, insert some dry ice inside. this consumes the oxygen in the tank. which we all know is need for fire and combustion.

think about it

Mike

Poster Thread
kululadotgroen
Posted: 2007/3/22 5:01  Updated: 2007/3/22 5:01
No life (a.k.a. DattoMaster)
Joined: 2006/7/12
From: Cape Town ZA
Posts: 1054
 Re: Petrol tank woes...
Quote:
When welding on tanks, insert some dry ice inside. this consumes the oxygen in the tank. which we all know is need for fire and combustion.


Mmm I'm thinking about it, and while your idea might work in a sense, it's flawed. Dry ice is just plain carbon dioxide, CO2, which is cooled down so much that it becomes a solid, it's frozen. Last time I checked CO2 doesn't "consume" oxygen. It might displace it, but it won't "consume" it.