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Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks

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Rod (NH)

04-07-2002 21:52:18

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I have repaired gasoline tank pinhole leaks in the past by brazing after filling the tank with water. Tank off vehicle, of course. Have been quite successful without incident. Fortunately.

Recently I read somewhere where that that method is considered too dangerous and that the tank could still explode...it should be filled with an inert gas instead. Seems questionable to me.

Well, I have argon but that just doesn't seem as positive as the water method...plus argon is expensive compared to water :o).

What are your thoughts and experience regarding safety in brazing...or any hot work for that matter...on vehicle gasoline tanks?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Rod

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Ken

04-13-2002 20:54:07

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

co is unburned fuel and if the engine has a leaking exhaust valve you're getting even more fuel in the tank.Steel is in fact porous and different sources of heating may or may not evaporate the fuel out or may even cause the tank to blow.Filling the tank with water can result in puffy explosions. co2 works fine if you seal the tank and fill it from a opening in the top with a hose dropped to the bottom making sure the tank has filled to the top with the co2 and keep it flowing as you weld.The best advise you've been given is to use epoxy.If the hole is any larger than just small or if it's a slit use layers fiberglass cloth with the epoxy.

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RonMC

04-11-2002 23:37:56

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

Rod, This may be a little late after all the good advice so far, but I used to work in a garage in an area that was mostly gravel roads, so we had a lot of gas tank problems. We used to run a car exhaust into the (removed and drained) tank until the tank was quite warm and appeared dry. At that point we would just braze it. It was a little un-nerving the first few times and we did have the odd one would rumble a bit, but the CO seemed to keep things from getting over-exciting.

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Dave F.

04-08-2002 20:21:32

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I have repaired a few tanks using the methods listed in the other post also experence small holes growing in to larger holes, I guess I am geting old, I took the old cub gas tank into the neiborhood radatior shop & let them fix the leak, (most shop will repair gas tanks) the small price you pay it isn't worth geting blown up (been there) Be Safe, Work Smart, My .02 worth Dave F.

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Doc

04-08-2002 20:16:28

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I will solder on a copper patch using an iron heated well away from the tank, no flames near tank. I cut the patch to the size I need, tin the patch and solder it on. Have the iron hot, tank cleaned well and it should work fine. I will not use a torch for any reason or with any so called precaution (inert gas, water, etc.)on a tank which has held flammable liquids for any reason. Things go wrong too easy and there are good alternatives. Why are you soldering pinholes? It is my experience if you start getting pinholes from rust more will follow and it's best to replace tank. I only repair damage which caused a hole. Doc

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04-08-2002 17:52:52

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

The best and safest thing I have found for gas tak repairs is JB Weld. I clean the area really good, then use some sandpaper and carefully sand away any rust, then apply a healthy portion of JB Weld.

I've never had a releak in the same area after using the JB Weld.

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Robbman

04-08-2002 17:39:01

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I have always brazed gas tanks by removing them and filling with water. I have never once had a problem and the high strength of a braze insures it will not fail. Inert gas purging is not feasible like you say due to cost,Unless you are TIG welding a pressure vessel or pipe.

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ernied

04-08-2002 17:03:55

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I had a '79 chevy with a bad section of tank. There was plastic nose piece that collected road grit and deicing chemicals, which knawed through the corner of tank. I removed the tank syphoned the gas out, removed the gauge sender and wiped out the tank. Let set in the hot sun for 20 min and used shop vac to blow out vent the tank. Brazed and soldered and patched and brazed and soldered and patched etc, probably 10x if once.
Being on the side and edge of the draw the heat would warp and crystalize the metal. As it cooled it would crack. Gave up and bought a new tank 3 days later.

Be very diligent cleaning the tank out. Had one chuff once. No, gas will not seep into the pores of steel.

The inerting using exhaust gas is an army trick.

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rod

04-08-2002 15:24:58

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

Some years ago I saw a guy sitting on a gas tank brazing it up he had a hose from a car exhaust running in it. He is still alive. There is a product called Por15 which is a sealer also up here we get southern gas tanks for a 100.00 dollars or so.
regards
rod

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Mac

04-08-2002 10:35:27

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I stay away from brazing with open flame. I have always had good results with a large soldering iron and 50/50 solder

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Tyler(WA)

04-08-2002 08:38:30

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

An inexpensive way to improve your safety in brazing that water filled tank is to throw in a few chunks of dry ice. The CO2 will fill the small void that your welding creates through boiling.

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Hanovertom

04-08-2002 08:02:30

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I have sucessfully soldered tanks by cleaning and then using CO2 to purge, then keep the CO2 going while I solder

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Dusty MI

04-08-2002 07:50:10

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

Easiest and safest way is to use epoxy.

Dusty

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Russ

04-08-2002 06:49:42

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

I know that CO2 works well for inerting a tank to be welded, but there is always some risk. I would suggest bleeding a little CO2 in while you weld(after tank was inerted) to insure that the tank stays full of the inert gas. The CO2 doesn`t promote heat transfer away from the area you are trying to braze or lead solder either. Russ

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Fred OH

04-08-2002 05:29:50

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Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Rod (NH), 04-07-2002 21:52:18

Remember the fire triangle:
1. Burnable material
2. Fire
3. Oxygen
Eliminate any one of these and you eliminate the fire. Some folks say to pipe an automobile exhaust into the tank to rid it of oxygen.(read cheaper than an inert gas) I have never tried it though.If you fill it with water and it is not completely full, that part will blaze. If you weld a patch on it, it may swell up and send the patch whizzing past your ear or worse! (My one and only gas tank weld.) I have seen a small pinhole repaired with a screw and a piece of leather belt. It's dangerous, try to replace it if you can. L8R....Fred OH

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Mike

04-09-2002 00:49:45

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Re: Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Fred OH, 04-08-2002 05:29:50

Don't do it! I know of a tank that was cleaned out, allowed to dry out for weeks, then filled with water and brazed. It exploded! Sent part of tank through car door, no it didn't kill my dad. He was repairing a gas tank, that must have retained some fuel, then the water turns to steam which supports combustion, the water won't move fast enough to allow venting before the pressure rises to the burst point. Yes I know it doesn't always happen, but it sometimes does! Wrap some cotton soaked with permatex around a sheet metal screw and screw it into the hole, works!

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bill b va

04-10-2002 10:31:49

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Re: Re: Re: Braze-Welding Gasoline Tanks in reply to Mike, 04-09-2002 00:49:45

my tricks... try at your oun risk. build a good wood fire under and around the tank in a open field and get way way back until the fire dies out and the tank cools . also have used air hose to blow air into tank and a the same time useing the suction side of a vac to help pull the air out .have done alot more foolish things like driving to town with all fools on the road .

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