Gas tank

Yes, a tank can be welded. Often times without blowing up. One guy in San Jose got away with it seceral times - the only problem was the last one. The question is, should it? A weakness at one place that causes a leak may soon be somewhere else, anyhow.

Just about anything can be done, given expertise, money and material. As for me, I'd look for a good tank and get it cleaned and sealed, if needed.

Karl

Bill Glass wrote:

Take it out and take it to a radiator shop. Jeff

First, remove the gasoline, tank and/or Hawk from the garage. IIRC, your garage is part of your home. You and Ellen are much too important to take the risk. Then, either replace or repair the tank. You may get some gasoline resistant two part epoxy to contain things until you come up with a real fix for the problem.

I have used Gas Tank Renu 5 times over the years and the peace of mind is worth every penny.

Bob40.....fuel tanks/brakes/tires are the 3 areas I dont skimp on

Cancel the leak............................. I put fuel in it yesterday, and I wondered why it would only take 3 gallons. You know the old saying "water seeks it own level"? Well so does gas. The filler neck is way higher than the sending unit. The fuel leak was out the TOP by the sending unit and it ran down under the tank. and was dripping, as in running around the tank and dripping from the bottom. I pulled the cover plate out of the trunk floor floor, and there right on top of the sending unit was wet gas, a whole bunch.

Tomorrow (we have garage open) I will clean off the sendig unit top and find some fuel proof epoxy.

Since I have had the car, that sending unit has always been a sore point. I think the PO, had had work done on the sending unit at some point and whoever worked on it could not tighten the screws all the way. There is no way to get a screw driver around to all the anchor points, plus you cannot find a 56J sending unit.

The gasket under the sending unit might be shot. It's an easy repair. My '54 coupe had the same problem. It took maybe and hour to fix.

Chip

Until it is really fixed... Run it down to 1/4 then start looking for a gas station. Stop filling when you've put in ten gallons.

That should do it for most driving conditions.

Karl

Bill Glass wrote:

I had a leak in the 51 years ago and took it to a radiator shop and had it boiled out. And soidered. And put in some sealer from Bill Hirsch in Newark, NJ. And put POR 15 on the outside. Havn't had a leak in about 6 years or so .

I agree that welding can be done, but it should be done by an expert. The procedure recommended in my welding book is to flush the tank with water several times, then place the tank with the are to be welded facing up, and fill the tank with water as much as possible to reduce the free air space in the tank to the minimum to reduce the area that can hold fumes.

Clearly, this is something that should be done by an expert.

I once succesfully repaired a gas tank using polyester resin in a carrier (didn't have fiber glass on hand, used a paper towel soaked in resin. It didn't need a lot of strength, it just had to hold the resin). But if there are now products on the market specifically designed for this purpose, use one of them.

Juicy Fruit chewing gum. ABC varity.

Why not R&R the sending unit, and use a new cork gasket coated with Permatex No. 2 and copper washers under all the screws? That should work just fine...

nate

Bill Glass wrote:

Good suggestion except that it's next to impossible to locate the correct copper washers...

JT

N8N wrote:

After driving the car for about an hour, which burned off the excess fuel, I cleaned off the entire sending unit top, years of crude, greasy junk etc. I thightened the screws, removed the sending unit wire, cleaned off the contact and as I was putting the wire back on, I discoverd that the fuel leak is actually at the "neck", where the tube coming out of the tank makes the 90 degree turn towards the front of the car, and joins with the fuel line.

As for the copper washers, ........ "I don't see no stinkin copper washers". What is so special about these washers? I like the idea of using the Permatex No. 2, but where do I get a gasket for a 56J?

Thanks

Bill

Get some of the thick cork gasket material and cut one yourself. OCF, insert your joke here ( ).

Chip

Hi,

I removed mine and took it to a radiator shop, they cleaned it welded it and put an epoxy coating in it for under $200.00.

Ernie