My local automotive store suggested a hole or split in a gas tank can be repaired but using a propane torch and lead based solder with flux. Is that a viable option? He also suggested first flushing tank with water and then methyl hydrate to dry it, to get rid if any fumes. Is that necessary as its just ben water flushed. Ian Singer -- ========================================================================= See my homepage at http://www.iansinger.com hosted on http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=10623894 All genealogy is stored in TMG from http://www.whollygenes.com Charts and searching using TNG from http://www.tngsitebuilding.com I am near Toronto Canada, can I tell where you are from your reply? =========================================================================
Never ever weld (braze, solder etc) on a tank in the open. It doesn't matter how old the tank is, or how long it's been empty or 'airing out'. The fumes are there and flammable. There is a purging process where you can run steam through the talk for a long period of time to get the gas fumes out, then it's safe to weld. Some other options are run nitrogen through the tank, or immerse the tank in water, except the part you're working on. I read / hear about people all the time messing with their tanks and ending up hurt or worse. I just brazed a crack in my tank and it worked great.
Drain tank. Let dry. Open or remove filler cap. Stick car exhaust through filler hole (maybe just ram the tank on the end of the car exhaust pipe). Run car engine for 15 minutes. Just wave a naked flame round the filler orifice. There will be a very small "pop". Yes, seriously. Job done.
Yes. I was trying to braze a split in a Yamaha gas tank that was filled with water and there were still fumes. Even though I ran the torch over the filler hole, there were *still* fumes trapped in the forward part of the tank. My torch ignited them, there was a *bang*! and the tank was split worse than it started. First gas tank I ever needed to have welded was off an MD-10 ground power generator. I was a mechanic, so I took it to the welding shop. They said, "No dice. Take it to the paint shop and have the area de-painted." So I took it to the paint shop to have the weld area de-painted and returned to the welding shop. The weldor said, "This thing had gasoline in it? Take it to the jet engine shop and have it steam cleaned inside for 20 minutes." So I took it to the jet engine shop and we steam cleaned it for half an hour. Then I dragged the 40 gallon tank back to the welding shop where I finally got it welded. Guess what I had to do after having the tank welded? Yes, it was back to the paint shop to be painted Caterpillar Yellow. And I had to wait for hours and hours for the pain to dty before I could handle the tank. What a hassle, just to repair a pin hole leak that was weeping. JB Weld had not yet been invented. Nobody had ever heard of epoxy... My most recent gas tank repairs were done with JB Weld. It's a two part epoxy that is dark grey when properly mixed. You degrease the area to be patched, roughen it with sandpaper, and apply the JB Weld. It cures in about 16 hours and will hold gasoline forever.
I've read the replies to date, and now I recount the experience of the only person I ever personally knew who tried such a thing. He was soldering a handle back onto a gas can. Empty can. Thought it was purged. One final pass with the torch, he thought. It exploded. He spent the next three months in the burn ward. Some say it's safe. Some do not. I personally would seek a solution that didn't involve flames. Later, Charlie
CO yeah, inert yeah, but I wouldn't do it simply due to the fact that welding on gas tanks is dangerous enough not to mention hanging around deadly fumes. To each his own! cheers
JB Weld. It'll hold as long as you own the bike and it will cost less than $10. The only downside is that it will degrade if you put fuel stabilizer in the tank and you'll probably have to repatch it. For $10 you will get enough epoxy to patch 30 or 40 fuel tanks.
