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Fuel tank repair

doublewide

Senior Member
Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
844
Location
MA
I almost blew my young self up when I was repairing a leak on my Volvo 265 station wagon's gas tank (hand me down car.) I thoroughly washed it out or so I thought. I was going to solder or braze the crack and when flame got close there was a huge whoosh and orange flame out the filler neck. After my near death experience and gas tank fix I found out there was a recall on the tank.

That musta woke you up!
I was told a long time ago that if you're ever gonna take a torch to a tank you gotta 'blow it out with the torch first'.
 

Old Doug

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Oct 16, 2013
Messages
4,486
Location
Mo
The last used tank i bought was over $400.00. If the tank isnt just ate up a repair were its JB or fiberglass would last a few years maybe the trucks life. I have soldered with a big electric iron or old heat up with a torch iron several tanks before. I soldered the bottom of my pickup tank one time while it was on the pickup not the smartest thing but it worked.I sandblasted tanks before and never had a problem with sand. The tank was aired dryed so the sand was easy to shop vac out or presser the tank with air while sandblasting so sand dosent enter.
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,260
Location
Canada
It's diesel.

That would have been the most important thing to mention in your first post! Older single axle truck I think everyone figured it was for gasoline not diesel. Fuel tank is too vague and 22 posts before you mention it's for diesel? Diesel tanks are repaired everyday. Steam the tank out, cut the bottom out and have a new bottom welded on by a competent welder. Having a drain plug installed would be a good idea. I think I'd still look for a good used tank first and see what the cost was. $400 wouldn't be bad for good tank.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Thirty years ago we did patch gas tanks as well diesel. Took all external opening covers off gas tanks flushed with water then drain allowed to dry then lit remaining fumes with a torch. When burned off and out performed the patching. Was routine.
Diesel was similar except fewer fumes would run a CO2 or Argon mix gas into those off welders.
 

doublewide

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Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
844
Location
MA
That would have been the most important thing to mention in your first post! Older single axle truck I think everyone figured it was for gasoline not diesel. Fuel tank is too vague and 22 posts before you mention it's for diesel? ......

Sorry Dave. Around here 'fuel oil' or 'fuel' is diesel and gas is, well.. gas. Local lingo I guess. Sorry to be so confusing.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Kinda sorta same around here, Gasoline or Naphtha as my Grandfather told me was one 'Fuel' but a solvent or just Gasoline, Diesel is a Fuel Oil.
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,275
Location
sw missouri
Yup Old Doug, I kinda think that's more like what the price would be around here. I don't think I'd be as lucky as Crane Op to find one for a Franklin. At that price, I should just spend a little more and buy a new one like this;

https://www.4statetrucks.com/fuel-t...nqCYaCyYXkcAMb7T-tSntppRFyM3TOYAaArWeEALw_wcB

$400 for a used one is way too much, the new one would be a much better alternative in that price bracket.

The one I bought for $100 wasn't perfect, it had a dent in the one end- that would be right up against my fender- so I wouldn't see the dent. Junkyard man tried some $250 nonsense and I said $100 "its got a great big dent in it- it probably leaks- you should just give it to me". $100 the price was. Junkyard prices are and should be a variable #. Not whatever they ask for.
 

Tenwheeler

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Dec 15, 2016
Messages
870
Location
Georgia
Thirty years ago we did patch gas tanks as well diesel. Took all external opening covers off gas tanks flushed with water then drain allowed to dry then lit remaining fumes with a torch. When burned off and out performed the patching. Was routine.
Diesel was similar except fewer fumes would run a CO2 or Argon mix gas into those off welders.
On those gas tanks I would really want exhaust gas running in them. The reaction from the torch could be bad otherwise. Others mentioned CO2 and argon. Works as well but costs money.
Watched a man weld an aluminum diesel tank with fuel in the bottom of it while on the truck. Had it flooded with with argon.
 

colson04

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Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
I was thinking about that.

I had a bad leak on the fuel tank on my international. I was going to just patch it until I started cleaning it up and saw how big the holes were. I scratched the patch plan and put a whole new bottom on the tank. I drained the tank, then took a circular saw with a carbide metal cutting blade and cut the entire bottom off. Bought a piece of remnant 3/16" steel from Alro and welded it on the bottom. Worst part for me was having to keep going back and finding the pin hole leaks in my welds, grinding them out and re-welding. That was 2 years ago, still looking good today and no leaks. My cost was $100 for the steel.
 

Tenwheeler

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Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
870
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Georgia
I had a bad leak on the fuel tank on my international. I was going to just patch it until I started cleaning it up and saw how big the holes were. I scratched the patch plan and put a whole new bottom on the tank. I drained the tank, then took a circular saw with a carbide metal cutting blade and cut the entire bottom off. Bought a piece of remnant 3/16" steel from Alro and welded it on the bottom. Worst part for me was having to keep going back and finding the pin hole leaks in my welds, grinding them out and re-welding. That was 2 years ago, still looking good today and no leaks. My cost was $100 for the steel.
I put a very low amount of air pressure on the tank and use soapy water. No bubbles, no problems and never had to go back again that way.
 

colson04

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Apr 11, 2016
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2,057
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Delton, Michigan
I put a very low amount of air pressure on the tank and use soapy water. No bubbles, no problems and never had to go back again that way.

I put about 3" of water in the tank and applied air pressure to find my leaks too. Find leaks, mark them, drain tank, grind, weld, repeat. Apparently I did a **** poor job welding as I had to repeat that process 5 times before I fixed all my leaks.
 

Tenwheeler

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
870
Location
Georgia
The radiator shops do a nice job on old fuel tanks ,they can hot tank them out and work safely on them . ive had some of my old lincoln welder tanks done . They coated the inside with Gylptol i believe . They have been fine for years.
That is a very good point.
Problem is radiator shops are getting very scarce here.
Regulations with the chemicals? Insurance?
Trouble finding employees to train. It is not a job you can do on the keyboard and probably does not have A/C.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Same here, last Good close shop closed a few years back where closest now are South of St Louis and KC, BOTH a trip to get to.
 
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