Small pin hole leak in Fuel tank

[RRover85]

Ive got a small pin hole leak in my petrol tank on my GQ, obviously its a petrol model but can the hole be welded up? all it needs is a zap with a mig but can you safely weld on a fuel tank?

any tips or anything?

thanks!

[PJ.zook]

http://www.osh.govt.nz/order/catalogue/pdf/hotwork.pdf

[PJ.zook]

..

[BundyRumandCoke]

Use a large electric soldering iron for pinholes. Clean around the hole by about an inch, very very well. Make sure it is absolutely spotless. Clean the hole itself with something like a nail tip, to scrape away any rust. Then using soldering flux, tin the area well, a good 1/2 inch all around the hole. Then solder with a good, well spread covering over the tinned area.

Personally, I actually tap the area immediately around the pin hole down slightly, and fill it with solder.

Clean it up well to remove flux, then prep and paint as usual. I have never had a properly prepared tank leak again.

But its the preparation that is the crucial part, dont skimp on it. It must be spotless.

[pongo]

should be fine to weld up if it it full of fuel at the time. Less vapurs the better.

Me personally i would rub some soap in it every service or drain and use some knead it or similiar.


I have had to weld up tanks before, And i just drain and remove them, fill em up with water and grind and weld away.

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

Easier way below:

Take of fuel cap to releive any pressure.
The emptier the tank the better.
Roughen aroudn the hole with COARSE sandpaper
Permatex or Devcon putty or Selleys Knead It Steel - Get just enough IN the hole to stop the leak and let it go off
Clean the surrounding area with solvent
Patch it with the same stuff - but over the area of a 50C coin - not too thick.

Come back 5 years later - betchya it's still there.

Been stuck and temporarily patched 1 petrol tank, 1 diesel tank, 2 radiators. All temporary, that I never got roudn to fixing cause still fine years later.
Always a tube in my toolbox when I go on trips.

Paul

[chimpboy]

I would just use that instant steel stuff as well.

Ten bucks and half an hour and you're done.

[grimbo]

or for a real cheapo fix, grab a bar of Lux soap and rub it over the hole and work it in to fill it. Works a treat, obviously not long term solution but you could just keep doing this every time it reappears and save some $

[BundyRumandCoke]

The bar of soap does work. Filled up just north of Mackay early one Saturday afternoon, heading north. Walked back after paying to see fuel dripping from tank. Bar of soap fix lasted till Monday morning in Cairns where I had it repaired.

Another temporary fix is a self tapper and a piece of flat rubber. Screw self tapper through rub ber, then firmly into tank through hole.

[chimpboy]

Melting some wax over the hole with a cigarette lighter can also work well.

[mkpatrol]

Use a large electric soldering iron for pinholes. Clean around the hole by about an inch, very very well. Make sure it is absolutely spotless. Clean the hole itself with something like a nail tip, to scrape away any rust. Then using soldering flux, tin the area well, a good 1/2 inch all around the hole. Then solder with a good, well spread covering over the tinned area.

Personally, I actually tap the area immediately around the pin hole down slightly, and fill it with solder.

Clean it up well to remove flux, then prep and paint as usual. I have never had a properly prepared tank leak again.

But its the preparation that is the crucial part, dont skimp on it. It must be spotless.

This is my preferred method but I add one other thing.

I tin some coins, 5 & 10c pieces & solder them over the hole. 1 & 2c pieces work better, they tin better, but they are hard to get hild of these days.

Also one of the old dumpy soldering irons are better for this type of work, they seem to distribute the heat better.

[trains]

I ve also used minties successfully to close over petrol tank holes.

make it nice and flat, and gummy, wipe away area so its clean, and apply.



Trains

[Matt_85Lux]

I used the quick metal to fix at the time then when I got home got the epoxy fuel tank repair kit fom autobahn, still good over a year and a half later

[lump_a_charcoal]

Melting some wax over the hole with a cigarette lighter can also work well.

You serious? It is leaking petrol...

[bogged]

goto LPG fitting place, most used to have GQ tanks laying around.

[chimpboy]

Melting some wax over the hole with a cigarette lighter can also work well.

You serious? It is leaking petrol...

A little joke.

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

FYI: One of the one's I patched was from a GQ (ok - a Maverick)
It was a crack round a factory spot weld where an internal baffle or somethign was.

I used Selleys Knead it (now would use Devcon).
3 yrs later I sold the car - still no leak.

I was diesel. I have used on Petrol too (lowered turbo 4cyl cars aren't ideal on back roads from Roma to Injune)

Paul

[lump_a_charcoal]

Melting some wax over the hole with a cigarette lighter can also work well.

You serious? It is leaking petrol...

A little joke.

Sorry, I missed your 'subtle' sense of humour there...

[RRover85]

All fixed... thanks for the help!

Just soldered it up with soft solder and it worked a treat!

I couldve got another tank no worries but didnt want to stuff around pulling it out!

thanks!

[dumbdunce]

tek screw

[bazzle]

Easier way below:

Take of fuel cap to releive any pressure.
The emptier the tank the better.
Roughen aroudn the hole with COARSE sandpaper
Permatex or Devcon putty or Selleys Knead It Steel - Get just enough IN the hole to stop the leak and let it go off
Clean the surrounding area with solvent
Patch it with the same stuff - but over the area of a 50C coin - not too thick.

Come back 5 years later - betchya it's still there.

Been stuck and temporarily patched 1 petrol tank, 1 diesel tank, 2 radiators. All temporary, that I never got roudn to fixing cause still fine years later.
Always a tube in my toolbox when I go on trips.

Paul

X2 or solder BUT do not use flame. Use a copper iron heated well away from tank.

Bazzle

[Wozza244]

Well its a farm fix, but me old pop told me he used to empty whatever he could out of the tank and then run argon, (mig) gas by a hose into the filler hole, in turn it would not have enough air to ignite while you weld, its usually a small fix so he did it heaps of times with no explosions

[BundyRumandCoke]

Well, the Sierra tank I talked about was migged in Cairns. It was emptied, and flushed with water for about an hour. It was then hooked up to the exhaust of a diesel vehicle with a length of radiator hose, and the vehicle was running while the crack was migged.

[WRXZook]

Well, the Sierra tank I talked about was migged in Cairns. It was emptied, and flushed with water for about an hour. It was then hooked up to the exhaust of a diesel vehicle with a length of radiator hose, and the vehicle was running while the crack was migged.

That's how I have done them.

[mickbeny]

Hi all...Purging the tank with Argon would leave a nice and clean weld on the inside if welded.

Self tapper or Tek screw would be the easiest though.

[Wozza244]

It was then hooked up to the exhaust of a diesel vehicle.

I was just havin a yarn to him bout that and before the days of Argon, the old ehhaust trick was the go he said!!
Gotta love the old aussie farmer for his ingenuity!!!!
Get it going at any cost!

[dumbdunce]

It was then hooked up to the exhaust of a diesel vehicle.

I was just havin a yarn to him bout that and before the days of Argon, the old ehhaust trick was the go he said!!
Gotta love the old aussie farmer for his ingenuity!!!!
Get it going at any cost!

using diesel exhaust it idle isn't very safe. it still contains most of the oxygen that is in air. petrol exhaust would be safer.

[Wozza244]

[using diesel exhaust it idle isn't very safe.

Maybe not, but i know who is still alive after using this method quite a few times

Personally i wouldnt do it, but old fellers are stubborn and just do stuff like that

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

It was then hooked up to the exhaust of a diesel vehicle.

I was just havin a yarn to him bout that and before the days of Argon, the old ehhaust trick was the go he said!!
Gotta love the old aussie farmer for his ingenuity!!!!
Get it going at any cost!

using diesel exhaust it idle isn't very safe. it still contains most of the oxygen that is in air. petrol exhaust would be safer.

Well spotted. I missed that.

Paul