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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 6:33 pm Post subject: Leaking fuel tank |
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The new replacement fuel tank I have owned for quite a qhile and already having fitted a fuel contents gauge I now discover has a small leak along a seam on the edge.
What to do, I have read that after ensuring all fuel and vapour has been removed, I can solder it up using a large soldering iron rather than a flame while the tank is as full as possible with water.
What are your thoughts on the matter chums?
Afterwards I'll need some fuel safe spray paint, any recommendations?
Cheers and thanks in advance, Tony _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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Kenham
Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Kent
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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That's the way I would go , marvellous thing is a large soldering iron plus Bakers fluid and a stick of solder. |
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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Many thanks for that vote of confidence Kenham. I've just got to wait until mother nature has blown away the fumes. I did think about sloshing boiling water around inside the tank, but don't want to possibly distort the contents gauge float.
Cheers, Tony. _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2502 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:07 am Post subject: |
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I thought the idea of using a flame to heat a soldering iron to do the repair was to reduce the need to worry about residual fuel vapour, because the flame doesn't get anywhere near the tank? |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4127 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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I remember my Dad soldering a tank; he emptied it, sloshed hot water in it, emptied the water and then connected a vacuum cleaner to the tank inlet, removed the fuel gauge sender, warmed the tank up with a hair drier pointing in the sender apature and let this setup run for around 30 mins, the theory being that any residual fuel would be a vapour due to the tank being warm, and the vapour was well and truly purged.
Dave |
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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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Many thanks for those messages, I like the idea of the vacuum cleaner I may have to make an adaptor to the exhaust. I don't think sucking fumes into an electric motor is good sense!
Cheers, Tony. _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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BigJohn
Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire
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Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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I heard a possible apocryphal tale from my Old Man of a cylinder vacuum turning into a rocket motor doing just that.....
But he had a very dry sense of humour. When I was about 6 or 7 I asked him why a brush head had two holes in it and only one handle, he told me the other hole was from the old days when the night shift road sweeper put his candle in the hole. |
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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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"Afterwards I'll need some fuel safe spray paint, any recommendations"?
Any ideas people? Cheersw, Tony. _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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Kenham
Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Kent
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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An old man told me to run the exhaust into the tank when welding to stop the risk of explosion, never tried it myself. I did see a man weld a patch on a 1000 gallon diesel tank with an arc welder, the tank was full at the time. (don't try at home) I have a lovely big electric soldering iron, don't suppose you could buy one now. |
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MVPeters
Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 1:37 am Post subject: |
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There are fuel-proof (!) epoxies available for fuel tanks.
I used one on a pretty major rusty seam leak some years ago with great success.
If it's a small leak & the fuel level is below the seam & dry, it might work without resort to soldering/welding.
I'm in the US, but try this:
https://www.jbweld.com/pages/faqs _________________ Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S' |
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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 8:50 am Post subject: |
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"I have a lovely big electric soldering iron, don't suppose you could buy one now.
I think I may have tha same model Kenham. Long long ago at an Ideal Home Exhibition I saw what appeared to be a ltge pair of pliers that were in fact two soldering irons with a cutout dor standard copper fixings, I bought on and it was ideal for soldering nipples on the end of cables.
But of course I lenty it out...
I must try and track down the manufacturers.
Cheers, Tony. _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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jp928
Joined: 07 Jun 2016 Posts: 249 Location: Australia
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 4:43 am Post subject: |
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I have heard of tanks being rendered safe to solder by piping the exhaust into it, to displace all the vapour. I have had success with PC11 epoxy on a tank leak at the bottom - never lost a drop in years. Also JB water weld comes recommended.
jp 26 Rover 9 |
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Kleftiwallah
Joined: 27 Oct 2016 Posts: 222 Location: North Wiltshire
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it looks as if the soldering job has worked. No sign of any leak after an hour. I'll give it until tomorrow morning just to be sure.
Thanks to all who contributed.
Cheers, Ton y. _________________ It may work in practice, but not necessarily in theory! |
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Luegolover
Joined: 02 Mar 2017 Posts: 15 Location: London
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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What sort of solder did you use? Only the stuff I have is labeled and solder less solder and I an struggling to get a good joint on my tank. |
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Luegolover
Joined: 02 Mar 2017 Posts: 15 Location: London
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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I must have been too excited earlier. I should have said that it was labelled lead free solder. |
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