leaky petrol tank fittings

the 2 fittings ( outlet to carby and return ) on my petrol tank ( escort van mk2) Kit car, are loose and leaking around the "flange" where they enter the tank. Previous owner bodged a repair by smothering in epoxy, but this is naff, and I need to sort it better. How exactly are these 2 pipes meant to be attached and leakproof to the tank? I cant seem to figure how the union is meant to be leakproof?? Is there any reason why I couldnt just get 'em welded around the base where they enter the tank? - cant see any future need to remove them? any helpappreciated. pictures available if helps:-)

Reply to
Tim
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Hello Tim,

If you ever weld anything to a petrol tank TAKE GREAT CARE!!! At best , don't do it. If you really have to then remove the tank and fill it to the brim with water first Don't think that because there is no petrol in the tank it won't explode. The petrol vapour and air mixture can blow the tank to pieces

You will then need to remove all traces of water by swilling out with meths, a couple of times.

But there should be no need to weld it. It was designed to be screwed into place and either there are some gaskets missing or else something is damaged and not seating properly. Find one in a scrap yard and have a good look at how it all went together when it was first produced.

Haydn. .

-- The Smarter way...

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Reply to
BurlingtonArrow

Work from first principles. What sort of a union is it? Is it like a brake pipe where the end of the pipe is belled and is held tight to the other half with a nut? If so, is the nut bottoming before it's pushing the bell up tight? Or does it have an olive? Again, there's a nut which holds the olive tight to the other half. If you wriggle the pipe does it feel loose, i.e not being held up tight? Or is the bit that emerges from the tank leaking around it, i.e. it's not the joint that's the problem but the tank fitting?

A description or a decent photo would help, with a precise explanation of where the leak is. Not always easy to tell but we'd need to know.

Rob Graham

Reply to
Rob graham

You don't need to do any of that. Drain the tank, preferably removed from the vehicle, and feed the exhaust from a running engine into it. This dries it a treat in a couple of minutes. This does not work for diesel tanks though.

Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

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