Fuel Tank Bodywork ideas

560Dennis · Aug 22, 2020

I have a fuel tank that was modified to accept a Carter downdraft Carburetor for a taco governor set up. Well the Carter is shot I don’t intend to use the Governor for awhile so putting back to original Holley 280 vaporizer. Doing what I can to get it running .

My reason for posting is this tank has been beat in to acceptance of updrafts carburetor.

With my skill level and tools oxy/acetylene torch .

I feel I better leave this alone , I passed on quoted 900 dollars by a body shop to fix The tank.

What would you do to fix ,or leave it , can’t fix everything

Stephen Newell · Aug 22, 2020

Is there any larger opening on the other side? Fixing it would largely depend on getting the inside dried out. I've had a trace of gas ignite inside of a gas tank welding but the tank had about a 2 1/2" hole in it for the ignition to escape. It makes a little noise and a little unnerving but it's over quickly and doesn't hurt anything. Without a larger hole it might explode.

From what I can see in the pictures I think I would sandblast the dented area and weld a piece of sheetmetal over it and float out the patch with bondo. Would be barely noticeable when painted.

dr sportster · Aug 22, 2020

You can make a schrader valve attached to the fuel cap and force a little compressed air in then heat the area slowly.

glennster · Aug 22, 2020

they stretched that metal bad! what i would do is square cut the bad section out with a thin cut off wheel, and work the metal back into shape, then mig weld it back in.

dr sportster · Aug 23, 2020

How about cut a piece to fit right over the bad spot and weld it on .Then finish with filler?

rew1953 · Aug 30, 2020

If the tank is not leaking, I would not cut a hole in it. Cut a thin gauge cover plate larger than the hammered metal to get away from any thinned metal and stitch weld with MIG set at low voltage and amps to prevent blowing a hole. Then skim with bondo. Repair will not even be noticed if you smooth the welds with sander and feather the bondo to roughly twice the size of the repair area. Make sure to double prime the bondo area to prevent bleed thru of the bondo which makes it stand out.

jd man wis · Aug 31, 2020

Your kiding right about adding air to it.

Randy-IA · Sep 2, 2020

My unprofessional opinion is leave it. It's called character. Part of the tractors history. The biggest issue you face if trying to fix it is matching the ridge lines perfectly. That won't be done by hand. Likely why you got a $900 estimate.

The last time I saw a gasoline fuel tank welded on it was filled with water so only the weld area had air under it. It still caught on fire for a second or two. Metal seems to absorb gasoline. Washing it out doesn't seem to help either, but YMMV.

Goose · Sep 2, 2020

When I filled one with water, and left just a bubble under where I wanted to solder it with a torch, the thing blew up bigtime.

I was outside the door of my shop, and I landed on the hood of a stock car parked inside the shop.

Now when anyone mentions taking a torch to a gas tank, I stand about 100 yards away with my fingers in my ears.

Randy-IA · Sep 3, 2020

It can definitely happen. There's two things that I know will help prevent that; just filling the tank with water helps but it's best to have the entire tank submerged and to make sure that there is a path for the flame front to find a way out. For example- having a few holes drilled in the repair area. The more recent the gas was in the tank the higher the risk of it exploding. Rinsing the tank first many times with a grease cutter helps too. I saw a friend exhaust the pressure from a couple cans of brake cleaner and then poking holes in them and dumping that into the tank to rinse it out then let it set outside for a day in the sun.

There's a lot of different ways I've heard of but personally seen that also sound like they'd work, like introducing dry nitrogen into the tank while welding on it. No oxygen, no boom I guess.

showcrop · Sep 10, 2020

And there you have it from the expert. It is always good to have a good potential for survival.

478ntractor · Sep 19, 2020

(reply to post at 08:53:10 08/22/20)

I can give you a backyard fix I have done many times on the GASSER.
1ST thing remove the tank from vehicle and drain ALL THE FUEL.
2ND Fill it with water and agitate wildly.
Drain it and plug all holes and lines.
Attach an air fitting to tank.
With a torch heat dented area to red hot.
slowly add air and watch dent disappear before your eyes.
CAUTION NOT TO OVER PRESSURIZE THE TANK.
5 psi can do a lot to the tank.
STEPS ONE AND TWO ARE TO KEEP YOU ALIVE.

showcrop · Sep 19, 2020

I can give you a backyard fix I have done many times on the GASSER.
1ST thing remove the tank from vehicle and drain ALL THE FUEL.
2ND Fill it with water and agitate wildly.
Drain it and plug all holes and lines.
Attach an air fitting to tank.
With a torch heat dented area to red hot.
slowly add air and watch dent disappear before your eyes.
CAUTION NOT TO OVER PRESSURIZE THE TANK.
5 psi can do a lot to the tank.
STEPS ONE AND TWO ARE TO KEEP YOU ALIVE.[/quote]

478Ntractor, really, you have to remove ALL THE FUEL?

Fuel Tank Bodywork ideas

560Dennis

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Stephen Newell

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dr sportster

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glennster

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dr sportster

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rew1953

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jd man wis

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Randy-IA

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Goose

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Randy-IA

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showcrop

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478ntractor

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showcrop

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