Oil & Fuel Fuel Tank Crack

[zkurtb]

Any one ever get a crack in their fuel tank? Happened to me on a former tractor. I noticed diesel smells and eventually the wet on the frame and ground. Was happening even with very low fuel levels, so figured the leak was near the bottom of the tank. From what I could see there were no hoses or fittings near the bottom. So one day I pulled it out to see what was going on. It was quite a bear to get it out. Found the crack shown in the pics.

 

[tommu56]

Is it steel?
Under warranty?
If not
If so drill a small hole at the end of crack clean it up and get it welded
The hole is important to relieve the stress at the end of the crack.

tom

 

[sal64]

i had same thing we soiderd it .

 

[Soundguy]

I'd solder it or braze it.

soundguy

 

[Danno1]

.

Drill the stress relief hole, then solder or braze a patch over it.


.

 

[E/S]

Solder will not hold, drill & braze it.
E/S

 

[roamrdb]

it is very dangerous to braze, solder, or weld on a closed container much less one that has had petroleum products in it. i know you have the cap off and line off, but for all practical purposes it is a closed container. i also know many are going to say " i have done or seen it done many times". it just wasnt your unlucky day. a man was killed about 4 yrs ago near here torch cutting a 55 gallon drum that had been a used motor oil storage drum, exploded and killed him. diesel fuel thats hot enough is nearly as explosive as gas. the safe way to do it would be to fill and keep it filled with inert gas while the repair is being made.

 

[Soundguy]

Solder will not hold, drill & braze it.
E/S

Solder will -certaintly- hold it... how many sumps have you soldered?

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

it is very dangerous to braze, solder, or weld on a closed container much less one that has had petroleum products in it. i know you have the cap off and line off, but for all practical purposes it is a closed container. i also know many are going to say " i have done or seen it done many times". it just wasnt your unlucky day. a man was killed about 4 yrs ago near here torch cutting a 55 gallon drum that had been a used motor oil storage drum, exploded and killed him. diesel fuel thats hot enough is nearly as explosive as gas. the safe way to do it would be to fill and keep it filled with inert gas while the repair is being made.

I know a guy that was killed while eating with a plastic fork.. proves nothing.

take the proper precautions for using heat around a container that previously held flamables and then go for it.

soundguy

 

[roamrdb]

well sir,i would tend to agree with you, since we arent talkin about plastic forks, it does prove nothing. and up to the point i posted, nobody had mentioned the proper precautions, thats why i posted. i would hate to think somebody got hurt because nobody posted the "proper precautions" and they did not know any better. nothing wrong with not knowing, we all got to learn sometime. i took a welding course 35 years ago, and thats one thing the instructor drilled into us nearly everyday, never weld on a closed container without the proper precautions. i sure am sorry to hear about your friend and the mishap with the plastic fork, would have been nice if somebody would have warned him i reckon.

 

[Soundguy]

My point was .. just about anything can hurt you.. if you -try- to get hurt.

welding on a closed container holding or recently holding petro products and fumes is -trying- to get hurt, at least in my book.

soundguy

 

[tommu56]

it is very dangerous to braze, solder, or weld on a closed container much less one that has had petroleum products in it. i know you have the cap off and line off, but for all practical purposes it is a closed container. i also know many are going to say " i have done or seen it done many times". it just wasnt your unlucky day. a man was killed about 4 yrs ago near here torch cutting a 55 gallon drum that had been a used motor oil storage drum, exploded and killed him. diesel fuel thats hot enough is nearly as explosive as gas. the safe way to do it would be to fill and keep it filled with inert gas while the repair is being made.

Fortunately for me I did blow a drum up back in 85 it took my right knee and abdomen were cut.
Most of the accidents like mine was because we got inattentive and forgot to remove the bungs.

luckily I'm still here to tell about it.

Yes brazing will work too and so will PC7 if you get it clean.

tom

 

[sal64]

clean it well and soder it with a big sotering iron dont no what they are called they have a bigger head, not one of the wire ones , also sottering irons have no flame much safer, i did it on a jeep tank and it held for me .

 

[roamrdb]

hey tom, you are a very lucky man, sorry to hear about your misfortune. one really important thing to note is that, it is not enough to remove the bungs, that does give somewhat of a release but in an actual explosion the air expands so rapidly in most cases the result is still the same. i will be the first to admit, it is not a common thing to have one blow up, but it only takes one time. i am really glad you lived to tell about and are doing well. best regards

 

[YesDeere]

Run an airline to it and weld it! Just did a diesel tank like that. Different on a gasoline tank though be careful. On my old Shovel (Harley) I cracked a tank before a run and was eager to ride. A friend of mine said to pipe the exhaust from his bike into the tank and weld it. No oxygen no explosion. Dam if it didn't work, Rode all weekend.

 

[Soundguy]

clean it well and soder it with a big sotering iron dont no what they are called they have a bigger head, not one of the wire ones , also sottering irons have no flame much safer, i did it on a jeep tank and it held for me .

we used to call them soldering coppers.. big copper heat with a wood handle you heated in a fire or with a torch...

soudnguy

 

[Eagleview]

Any one ever get a crack in their fuel tank?

What you will need to do once you repair or replace it is to put a rubber strip under the lips of the tank where it sits on the cradle . This will protect the tank from the torsional twisting of the mounting frame which has caused it to crack .

 

[E/S]

Solder will -certaintly- hold it... how many sumps have you soldered?

soundguy

How many tanks have you soldered and not had re crack?

E/S

 

[Soundguy]

As far as I know, -none- of the tanks I've soldered have re-cracked.

Just takes a lil care.. stop the crack, clean it up, flux the heck out of it and lay some lead on it.

soundguy

 

[Egon]

[QUOTEsaid to pipe the exhaust from his bike into the tank and weld it. No oxygen no explosion. Dam if it didn't work, Rode all weekend.][/QUOTE]

At the proper air/carbon monoxide mixture it is explosive! It would not be considered a proprietary procedure for welding on a closed vessel.