... In the Olden Days... fuel tanks were smaller and (wash-house) coppers were bigger....:p
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... In the Olden Days... fuel tanks were smaller and (wash-house) coppers were bigger....:p
you obviously never wore an old washboard round your ears.. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by superquag
old bathtub and fire was much safer if gran was around....
Just make sure it's petrol exhaust. Diesel exhaust still has a lot of oxygen in it, especially at idle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ean Austral
If you have a mig handy, why not just fill it with the argon or CO2? Both inert and will prevent fire/explosion.
Stop it stop it - STOP IT!!!!!!
STOP gambling with this man's life telling him in your opinion that's its OK to fill his tank with diesel then weld a patch on it.
Stop it stop it - STOP IT!!!!!!
Advising him to run an exhaust pipe into or around the tank and still take an open flame (Oxy, solder with gas..it doesn't bloody matter!!)
Stop it stop it - STOP IT!!!!!!
Saying that it is "OK if it's petrol exhaust because diesel exhaust has more oxygen"
STOP IT!!! WOULD YOU WHO ARE SUPPLYING THE OPINIONS LIGHT A FLAME, WELD OR SOLDER AGAINST AN UNTREATED FUEL TANK??
STOP IT!! or face the litigation consequences!!
I am so very surprised that the respondence to this query would so lightly offer advice such as - Just fill it with diesel then weld it
I can confirm the "water will boil" effect. I saw the after effects of a guy who did fill completely with water and soldered a factory pressed metal tank with a small hand held butane burner. Issue was that to keep the water in he put the cap on. The water kept the metal cold enough that he heated the crap out of it to ge the solder to work. Before this could occur it boiled and exploded due to the pressure. Burnt the crap out of him and confirmed (not that I'd consider it) I'd never be trying it.
So one doesn't repair a fuel tank? It's a very common occurrence for long range tanks to crack, they are a **** idea, but anyhow, either full or empty of all including vapor, which is hard to achieve and guarantee, if you can get a full diesel tank to ignite without placing it on a bonfire I'd be impressedQuote:
Originally Posted by Catmatt
Now back to your cotton wool:D
Would you be more surprised to hear that method both works and prevents explosion?Quote:
Originally Posted by Catmatt
Sure you can set fire to the fuel running out, but it can't explode.
so...
Is this a method that reduces the risk of accident?
1. remove tank from vehicle,
2. empty tank, and get all fuel out,
3. leave tank out to allow fuel to evaporate
4. rinse with water
5. direct petrol car exhaust into tank, maybe via old vacuum cleaner hose,
6. idle motor, give it say 10 minutes to displace all air inside tank,
7. leave petrol engine exhaust running into tank...
THEN
use tig/mig/stick/gas/whatever to weld split.
Got some 'metal putty' yesterday.
Gave the tank a really good wash down with soapy water and sure enough, within a few minutes I could see where the leak was. Gave the area a wipe down with some acetone then kneaded up the putty and pressed it in as hard as I could and YAY, it seems to have worked:D. Total cost about $14. Best of all, I still have 90% of the putty left for other possible emergencies.
Filled the tank completely today so will see how it goes over the next week or so.
Just a big thanks to all those who responded with advice and recommendations:)
I have had fuel tanks welded before, both one from a Valiant ute and a more recent Falcon station wagon, both times I removed the tank, gave them a good clean out and airing and took to my local Automotive Engineering shop to have welded.
Upon return I dried them out in front of a heater for 24 hours before refitting (to get the water out as don't want water in the fuel). Years later no dramas for either vehicle.