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how to fix dinted fuel tank?

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:03 am
by 83zook
Hi i need help on how to fix my dinted fuel tank.
any suggestions will be appreciated.
Mitch

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:46 am
by CairnsZook
Remove from car
Drain fuel
Plug all inlet/outlets except one
Attach air line from compressor
"Blow" it up!

And make sure you a well away from anything that could light it up, cos fuel vapours and compressed air are not a good mix. :twisted:

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:57 am
by 83zook
thanks. im having trouble finding something to block the outlets with. what can i use?
mitch

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:41 pm
by nicbeer
rags, pipe etc.

i have done this b4. it worked ok but i found it was worse to dent again as it would leak along the stree join.

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:03 pm
by want33s
Replace it!!!!! Tanks can be had for $20 in GC.

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:22 pm
by v6hilux
Some dents on tanks where there is a factory bend, can not be blown-out.

You can remove, drain and replace with a second hand unit or remove, drain, defume, use a dent puller, weld and paint.

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:43 pm
by mrRocky
mine holds about 5 litres i reckon. its that squashed. just had to change the fuel filter though as got extremely blocked soon after.
if replacement tanks are pretty cheap think ill swap mine to.
wheres the best place to buy em ?

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:34 pm
by want33s
mrRocky wrote: if replacement tanks are pretty cheap think ill swap mine to.
wheres the best place to buy em ?
Check ebay and the for sale section here.

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:23 pm
by zook7177
put in long range tank the bottom will hold the cars weight no more dents and then you get 70lts

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:46 am
by 83zook
yeah thanks alot everyone
i ended up using silver gaffa tape to cover off all the holes except one.
then i wrapped a rag around the end of the blower so it was a tighter fit and pumped it up.
Got most of the big dints out, but there is still some little dints where it has nerly bent the metal back on itself.
This shows what it was like before. if you look at it in this picture it dosent look bad, but im trying to sell this car and need it looking nice.
Image
i havent got a pic of it after but its better.
Thanks Mitch

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:41 am
by lay80n
Damn, if you think thats bad, dont look at mine. Now that you have fixed it, you might want to look into making a bash guard for it. There were some for sale a while ago too, i think someone on the board was making them. Either way, its worth it, as when they crack on the trails, its a bit of a PITA :oops: .


Layto....

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:20 am
by Red_Zook
lay80n wrote:Damn, if you think thats bad, dont look at mine. Now that you have fixed it, you might want to look into making a bash guard for it. There were some for sale a while ago too, i think someone on the board was making them. Either way, its worth it, as when they crack on the trails, its a bit of a PITA :oops: .


Layto....
X2 i cary fuel tank repair putty!!!

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:20 am
by fool_injected
I pumped my 15l squashed tank up a few months ago
Went a little too far and it now holds 35l
problem is the last five liters are below the pick up

Do it slowly with low pressure or you will split the tank and may even hurt yourself

I plugged the filler with a bit of 2" round steel and looped two of the three 1/4 hoses bock on to them self

The I put the compressor hose over the fuel pick up pipe (NO HOSE CLAMP - Idea being that too much pressure will pop the hose off saving the tank)

Then starting with and empty compressor (no air in the tank = low pressure) I kept cracking the valve on and off until the tank was 'popped' or over popped as in my case

Repairing a tank

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:26 pm
by Impulsive
I have also used one of those large suction cup things with the handle on it that you get from the K-Mart auto section that is used to pull dents out of dented car panels.

It would work really easily with some air pressure also pushing from the inside (as has been discussed here).

You have to wet the outside of the tank first so that the suction cup gets a good grip.

Best of luck...

Adam

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:13 am
by 83zook
i think i over inflated mine a bit, and i had trouble with it dying when i started it yesterday. and i thought maybe the fuel pumps chucked it in, but it still works, and when i went around the back of the car to get underneath to check fuel lines, i could hear a hissing noise, so i think ive opened up a little hole on the right-hand side at the back, just on top of the diagonal mount. is there silicon or something that was on the edge, because i did scrape a bit off thinking it was rust.
Mitch

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:48 am
by muppet_man67
Red_Zook wrote:
lay80n wrote:Damn, if you think thats bad, dont look at mine. Now that you have fixed it, you might want to look into making a bash guard for it. There were some for sale a while ago too, i think someone on the board was making them. Either way, its worth it, as when they crack on the trails, its a bit of a PITA :oops: .


Layto....
X2 i cary fuel tank repair putty!!!
bar of soap :armsup: got me out of a sticky situation once. Then I drove around for about a month like that till I got a new tank. :)