I finally got around to taking out the gas tank today to replace the sending unit as I would run out of gas at 1/4 tank.

Sure enough, the gas sock was missing, and the pick-up was almost kinked at 90 degrees.

After cleaning off the dirt from the tank, I was going to spray some "Hammerite" paint to cover the rust. When I got down cleaning it off, there was a crack at the junction where the filler tube goes into the tank. As a matter of fact, it looks like it was fixed once before (probably how the sending unit got dorked up. There is also a radiator shop tag soldered to the tank.

Is this a common affliction? Should I have it re-soldered again? Is getting a radiator shop to do this going to be a hassle? (I live in a small town, 2 hours from any larger city)

Or should I shell out the $250 for a new tank?

>>>Rod<<<

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>>>Rod<<<
A.C.E.S. # 2894
Team Chevelle #115

I dont know how profesional of a job u want but I had a problem with the filler neck being loose in the gas tank. I used J&B liquid weld and it worked great, no leaks.I
would just seal the crack with that. also I saw some gas tank sealer putty at a napa auto parts. it looked like it would work but I just used J&B.

It is pretty easy to re-solder that joint. Just leave the empty tank out in the sun for day or two. I had the same thing on my '72 elcamino. I used a propane torch and 50/50 solder.

JWagner, might want to check that advice re: soldering gas tanks. A couple summers ago a very experienced radiator shop owner in our town killed himself doing that. This guy had owned a large radiator shop for many years and knew what he was doing. Took him three days to die in a burn ward. I can hardly think of a worse way to go. I understand that an open flame (any torch fits the bill) will ignite gasoline vapors at a 250:1 ratio, which is a long ways from the ratios in an engine.

I mean, if you want to do it, OK, but it might be good to think carefully about the possible consequences of advising (in writing in a public forum) somebody else to do it. Get my drift here? Thanks.

Tom

JW and everbody,

Tom is right! My brother owns a radiator shop and repairs gas tanks often (according to him not his favorite pastime). Don't risk it, let a pro do it, or go the JB Weld route. mgg

Sorry for neglecting to mention that I washed out the tank with water prior to the solder job.

I had a friend 20+ years ago that had a radiator shop in a small town. He had been doing radiator work for 30+ years.

He HATED working on gas tanks. If it was off, he would have it full of water in his dunk tank while he worked on it. Again, he really balked at working on any gas tanks.

I was just wondering if I was gonna have much luck getting this done (living in wacky California)- and if it made sense vs buying a new tank. I don't know when the tank was last repaired, but if it lasted 25 years, and then was repaired during the last 5 or 6 years, and now again, it has a crack (I've had the car a little over a year), I'm wondering if this is gonna rear it's ugly head again.

It's not like pulling the gas tank was ANY fun. So whatever I do, I would like it to last.

>>>Rod<<<

Buying the new tank may not save you a thing. The few new tanks I have seen do NOT have a fill tube attched you must use the old one. This was several years back, but it is one more thing you may want to check. On the other hand a shop may be more willing to work on a tank thats never seen fuel.


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Rick Schaefer
72 El Camino
TPI 350/700r4
Aces #00140
TEAM CHEVELLE #00038
NCOA #16197

The method I use for welding gas tanks, or torching 10k,gal. underground fuel tanks, Is to inject inert gas (from the mig welder) into the tank. fuel cannot burn without Oxygen, just give it a few min to push out the air.
Filling with water also works.
Note; Those large fuel tanks that the EPA has been forceing gas stations to pull out make excelent bullet proof dry storage.
Harley

[This message has been edited by Harley (edited 08-01-99).]

RBK;

Be VERY careful if you do the soldering yourself!

When the work is done, have the person add some stiffener plates. I hate to admit this, but a cut up soup can is just about the right thickness metal. (not aluminum)

I'm assuming that you are not doing a "points" restoration.



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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference & Wagons sections
Gold Member #5

As Oldsmobile Engineering, we regularly soldered used tanks AFTER purging several hours with a steam hose. Sheet Metal techs used to put their nose near the fuel sender and rap on the tank top to check for fuel vapor even though tank was clearly marked as "PURGED".

My recommendation: DON'T RISK IT! It's a lot like using a parachute packed by an inexperienced amature.

I changed a filler neck moving it from an old tank to a new tank as follows:
- Fill old tank with water and let set for 2 weeks.
- With water still in the tank,use an air chisel to cut a large hole around the filler neck and remove.
- Wash filler neck thoroughly with hot water
- Remove section of the old tank from the filler neck using a propane torch.
- Sniff new tank to assure that tank has never had gas in it. If you smell gas, don't procede. Tank should smell like die oil.
- Insert filler neck into new tank and solder with Lead/Tin acid core solder and a propane torch.


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Fred Aldrich
Web Site: www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle (http://www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle)




[This message has been edited by Fred Aldrich (edited 08-01-99).]

I had the neck sodered on my El Camino at a radiator shop. I don't know what they did, but when I got the tank back (2 days) I could not even detect the smell of gas in the tank.

I have known some people that wash gas tanks with metal prep before working on them.

As it turns out - a friend of a friend knew the guy at the radiator shop. He told me to flush the tank out with water and let it sit full of water all night. Empty it out in the morning, and immediately bring it to him.

I did that, and this morning he repaired it. He carefully unsoldered the area where it was cracked, and found that the place that had soldered it before, had not cleaned it up. They just soldered over the existing mud & dirt. He cleaned it up, and then took his time and resoldered it, and ran an additional "bead flow" around the whole filler again. He was amazed that they had soldered over the dirt & stuff, and then actually put their name tag on the tag. Maybe the were just making sure that they didn't get the work again? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Anyway, I'm going to dump some gas dryer/gas treatment in the tank to get rid of the excess water. Then tomorrow evening, back it goes.

What a fun task! I'll be happy to supervisor anyone out there in this little production. My son couldn't believe the hassle.

>>>Rod<<<

It's not such a big deal, don't use a torch, just use a large electric soldering iron. I have a 300 watt Weller pencil type soldering iron with a 1" wide flat tip. I can heat the metal and flow the solder just fine with this with minimal danger of igniting vapors. I emptied my tank and let it sit for a day or two then blew it out with compressed air for a while.