[PJ.zook]

Just wondering for those of you out there, how big a hole can be repaired, and ballpark how much. I punctured my LWB Vitara tank in the sierra on weekend using a sharp rock.

[nick.gooding]

aghh who needs a fuel tank

[want33s]

I have a car here for repairs that has a patch in the bottom of the fuel tank that is pop riveted in and covered with some black goop.

[v.w.dave]

Just weld it up as is.... the fuel will help cool the weld..... its a great idea just let us know how things go

[steak_knife]

v.w.dave wrote:

Just weld it up as is.... the fuel will help cool the weld..... its a great idea just let us know how things go

I've seen a tank go boom, I had emptied, degassed & was testing the above mentioned degas with a oxy torch.

I think the dent is still in the roof of that shed.

Oh, & the tank was a bit on the f*#ked side.

[Santos]

call me a noob but wouldn't empting it then filling it to the brim with water and let it sit be the proper way to flush out the vapours vefore welding?

[lump_a_charcoal]

Inert gas is better, as welding + water is a bad combo generally.

[v.w.dave]

That would work but the best thing to do is rince it out with a little desiel then water and let it sit in the sun for an hour or so. Or do the same then dry it out with compressed air and a paper towel.

[SuziBlu]

Then fill it with a constant stream of C02 before and during welding, or, as want33 says, stickaflex and pop rivets.

[ball]

v.w.dave wrote:

Just weld it up as is.... the fuel will help cool the weld..... its a great idea just let us know how things go

It really isn't very bright to suggest this. If someone was to follow this, not knowing any better, chances are they would get seriously hurt.

There are some things you just don't make jokes about.

[ball]

v.w.dave wrote:

That would work but the best thing to do is rince it out with a little desiel then water and let it sit in the sun for an hour or so. Or do the same then dry it out with compressed air and a paper towel.

Really shit advice as well. Diesel will still go bang given the right conditions.

Inert gas is the safest way.

[31zook]

haha it was a funny joke all the same, if you think that fuel will help cool the weld, (In fact if you think that it's a good idea to throw any cool liquid over just welded steel), then maybe the darwin awards is the best place for you to be....

dave wasn't being serious....

[ball]

31zook wrote:

haha it was a funny joke all the same, if you think that fuel will help cool the weld, (In fact if you think that it's a good idea to throw any cool liquid over just welded steel), then maybe the darwin awards is the best place for you to be....

dave wasn't being serious....

I can't agree with you it was a funny joke. It only takes someone to read it and not realise it was a joke, then follow through with it to become very unfunny.

If someone was stupid enough to try this on their own then maybe a darwin award is in order, but in this case some dipshit has replied to a technical thread with false information trying to be funny.

If you find people getting hurt working on their cars or in a workplace funny then you need help.

He also didn't say to throw cool liquid over just welded steel, he said to do it with fuel in it. Big difference there.

I have welded on things that have had fluid in them and it is not that hard.

[PJ.zook]

Arite guys thanks for reply's.
I went out hunting for another Vit tank yesterday, couldnt find any, so welding might be only option anyway, then build a damn bashplate.
Apparently you can also rinse the tanks out, then just connect teh zorst of a diesel to the tank as a poor mans inert gas, ie flushing oxygen out. I dont think work would appreciate me venting a cylinder of theyre Argon thru my tank while i fix it.

[jdk81]

Did you try suziworld?

And do you have pics of how you mounted it?
I have made a bash plate for my vit tank upgrade but still need to mount it to the car.

[royce]

most radiator shop do fuel tank repairs as well, much better to pay somebody else to risk being blown up

[v.w.dave]

ball wrote:

v.w.dave wrote:

That would work but the best thing to do is rince it out with a little desiel then water and let it sit in the sun for an hour or so. Or do the same then dry it out with compressed air and a paper towel.

Really shit advice as well. Diesel will still go bang given the right conditions.

Inert gas is the safest way.

Actualy Ball I have my metal fab trade lic. The second bit was me actualy being usefull. Deisal will soke up the petrol then hitting it with compressed air and then using a towel is the best way at your on the side of the road workshop. Now for people like yourself that carry around a bottle of Inert gas around in the back pocket of there overalls then yes inert gas would be the go. Now wait what if it was really windy and the inert gas was being blown away but the gas fumes being heavier stuck around hmmm what would you do then Ball??? I geuss we who have that under water welder and a big metal bath tub would wip it out and show everyone how its done. I will stick by my advise. in the real world in a backyard shed or a simple shop they wouldnt have gas.

[v.w.dave]

royce wrote:

most radiator shop do fuel tank repairs as well, much better to pay somebody else to risk being blown up

X2

[ball]

v.w.dave wrote:

ball wrote:

v.w.dave wrote:

That would work but the best thing to do is rince it out with a little desiel then water and let it sit in the sun for an hour or so. Or do the same then dry it out with compressed air and a paper towel.

Really shit advice as well. Diesel will still go bang given the right conditions.

Inert gas is the safest way.

Actualy Ball I have my metal fab trade lic. The second bit was me actualy being usefull. Deisal will soke up the petrol then hitting it with compressed air and then using a towel is the best way at your on the side of the road workshop. Now for people like yourself that carry around a bottle of Inert gas around in the back pocket of there overalls then yes inert gas would be the go. Now wait what if it was really windy and the inert gas was being blown away but the gas fumes being heavier stuck around hmmm what would you do then Ball??? I geuss we who have that under water welder and a big metal bath tub would wip it out and show everyone how its done. I will stick by my advise. in the real world in a backyard shed or a simple shop they wouldnt have gas.

Just because you have a licence to do something doesn't mean shit. I saw plenty of tradesmen come through the workshop where I did my apprenticeship that were qualified but next to useless. Most times their previous employers sign them off just to get rid of them.

Diesel will still go bang given the right conditions, so I will stand by what I said. Whoever gave you the advise to use diesel to soak up petrol doesn't know what they are on about as it is still a risk.

Most decent workshops will have some sort of gas that can be used to purge a tank. Argon is good so is Co2. Both of these are welding gases so they are quite common. Mig gas could probably be used but it still has a small percentage of oxygen in it. As a last resort you can use carbon monoxide from a running engine to purge through it.

If it was really windy and was going to cause a problem then I would move to a better position or shield the job from the wind. Not really that hard to stop and think about how to do a job correctly and safely.

At the end of the day, if you don't have the right equipment to do the job, just take it to someone that does.

[TZAR]

Okay lets assess what he said. Hold in bottom of tank ( well derrrr that were they always are) and you fill from the top normally ( apart from shep but hey that just cause he is shep and he is special)

So that would mean you would be turning it upside down to weld it. so that would let all this heavier than air gas which is inert to run out right????

So turn it over and purge it!!!!! but wait their is a hole in the bottom so all that heavier than air gas which is inert just ran out right???

Come on this advice about welding fuel tanks needs to be taken generally.

EVERY TANK IS DIFFERENT AS IS EVERY JOB. so asses the risks for every job.

weld it your self could save a few bucks or could make the tank hold a few extra litres itself.

Not saying anyone is wrong or anyone is right just saying Shep is very special

[v.w.dave]

Ok OK OK your right again I was wrong with my first statement the extra fuel wouldnt cool it, it would make it the metal burn hotter giving a better weld....

Look mate if you do it yourself clean it out and then when your happy with how clean it is. Start over and do the same thing 2 more times. To be sure it is free of all fumes stand back from the tank and light a match and using a long stick or something drop it in the hole if it dosnt go bang you should be ok. To be extra sure when you make your first ark hold it as far away from you as possible.
If after that you still get a boom then blaim Ball for not letting you barrow his overalls with the gass bottle in the back pocket.

[Rockhopper]

Santos wrote:

call me a noob but wouldn't empting it then filling it to the brim with water and let it sit be the proper way to flush out the vapours vefore welding?

Flushed mine out 3 times and then filled mine up with water and put rags in all the holes, before trying to tack a nut onto a dent in the tank so I could pull the dent out. The tank still went boom, I shit my daks, but the dent came out of the tank and increased it's overall capactity as the tank has expanded a little now.
My advice, take it to someone that has the equipment and knowledge to repair it.

[dank]

Thats some scary stuff. PJ i got a guy to bend up some 3mm gal into a bash plat for my zook down in braeside only cost me $50. If you want his details let me know and i'll hook you up.

[steak_knife]

That bottom pic's good, royce should put that as a banner for a while