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Message started by Smokestack on 10/30/11 at 08:00:31

Title: Tank sealing questions
Post by Smokestack on 10/30/11 at 08:00:31

So, one of the projects on the docket this winter is to mount a mini speedo and neutral idiot light in a headlight of some kind and lose the dash panel on the stock tank. I'm okay with the looks and size of the stocker, so I was thinking it might be a good idea to convert the gaping speedo hole into actual fuel space. I've got a buddy who's a welder by trade, and who's already agreed to TIG it up for me, but I need to know if there is something else that needs to be done to seal a modded tank.

Anyone got any thoughts / ideas / insults to hurl?

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by JohnBoy on 10/30/11 at 10:57:45

Does your buddy have experience rewelding fuel tanks?
I had one welded in the 1970's. The guy had an exhaust line running through the tank the whole time and worked behind a blast shield.
He also charged an arm and a leg.
As for sealing the tank there are a number of aftermarket products out there. Or you can do what I did. I mixed some hot mix fiberglass resin poured enough into the tank to make sure that I got all the surfaces covered and let it drain back out. "Make sure the petcock opening doesn't get plugged" ;)

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/30/11 at 11:11:43

Before I went into that Id have a real close look at the volume gained & the cost & hassle of doing it. Its so easy to just decide to do something like that, & later realize just how seriously failing it was in cost & labor effectiveness.

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by arteacher on 10/30/11 at 12:33:15

775255537F52443D0 wrote:

y wife's uncle owned a rad shop. I had a pinhole leak in the gas tank on my Land Cruiser and he soldered it up while it was 1/2 full of gas. He used a big soldering iron and soldered a penny over the hole. He said it was safe because there was no flame involved in the process.

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by MotoBuddha on 10/30/11 at 13:18:16

It's not a problem to cut (which creates sparks) or weld on a gas tank if you drain it, let it sit in the sun all day so whatever's left can vaporize, and shoot some air into it. It's the impatient bozos who blow themselves up.

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by verslagen1 on 10/30/11 at 13:52:18

Lot's of old timers will hook up a hose from there exhaust and blow the tank out with that, and it fills it up with co2. Which you could do with a tire inflator that uses co2 cartridges. 8-)

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by Johansson on 10/30/11 at 14:24:23

Clean the tank with detergent and water, blow it out
Tig weld it with silica bronze filler.
Your welder will fill the tank with argon before and during the weld. Unburned hydrocarbons, including carbon monoxide, can be found in exhaust gasses.

Carbon Monoxide is explosive!

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by Smokestack on 11/05/11 at 06:46:29

So, I've talked things over with my friend, and he's done some welding work on automotive gas tanks, including his own, in the past, so he knows the score on how to safely weld 'em up. Thanks for the advice, folks.

As far as sealing goes, I asked around my work about sealants (I work in a composite shop as a machinist) and one of the guys said I could use the backstock of the stuff they use to seal underground fuel tanks at gas stations, as we weren't going to use it anytime soon. Nice!

My next question is this; does the little skirt / lip around the bottom of the tank perform any actual funtion, or can I grind it off?

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by MotoBuddha on 11/05/11 at 07:21:28

Yes it performs a sealing function. It's where the bottom and sides join.

If you don't like the look of that lip, you can do what my bike painter buddy does on a lot of custom projects -- use bondo to blend it in.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/6cdd3130.jpg

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by verslagen1 on 11/05/11 at 09:40:05

Like mb said 'it performs a sealing function' it just a cheap way to do a weld.
if your buddy is a good welder, you could grind it off and have him reweld it with flush welds.

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by MotoBuddha on 11/05/11 at 15:21:43

A byproduct of the Ryca modification is that the bottom seam goes away. ;)

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by MotoBuddha on 11/05/11 at 15:24:18

584B5C5D424F494B401F2E0 wrote:

Like mb said 'it performs a sealing function' it just a cheap way to do a weld.
if your buddy is a good welder, you could grind it off and have him reweld it with flush welds.

If you go that way, it might be good to leave some areas of the seam temporarily in place to keep things aligned while welding. Then they can be ground off and welded.

Title: Re: Tank sealing questions
Post by Smokestack on 11/06/11 at 09:15:12

Hmm... Something to think about. Thanks guys.