Posted on 09/27/2021 7:20:42 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
A friend hit something, puncturing his gas tank! A local shop made the repair on the lift, without pulling the tank!
Made a tin patch and soldered it on with a heavy soldering iron; probably illegal today and chewing gum might work in plastic tanks.
Is it smart to use a soldering iron near a gas tank?
Maybe diesel but gas is a little different.
Funny. My first car was an old VW bug. There was a rust hole that prevented me from putting in more than a half tank. I was afraid to solder it - fear of explosion.
I have a memory military grunts using tootsie rolls to patch fuel lines.
Self-sealing fuel tank technology has been around since WWII. I’ve often wondered why it hasn’t been applied to more civilian vehicles. It certainly can’t add too much to the expense above what far more useless, mandatory, “safety,” features cost. Some racing circuits do require them and the POTUS limo also has them.
I wonder if the friction of a metal bit drilling a hole in a tank might not send a spark into the fuel.
—”Is it smart to use a soldering iron near a gas tank?”
I had some questions about the procedure???
That said, the owner of the service station was a mega gear head and a ‘heavy’ with the EAA.
Mega hours, more than a few successful builds, and more than helpful to other builders.
IMO, he knew very well what he was doing and was safe.
AND IT WAS NOT MY TRUCK!
“”Funny. My first car was an old VW bug. There was a rust hole that prevented me from putting in more than a half tank. I was afraid to solder it - fear of explosion.””
Here is the easy fix. I had an old Citroen that had a rust hole leak in the bottom of the tank. I used a screw with a rubber washer and inserted it into the hole and all was well.
SEE #8
“Funny. My first car was an old VW bug. There was a rust hole that prevented me from putting in more than a half tank. I was afraid to solder it - fear of explosion.”
I had an old VW Bug, too. It had the same leak. I fixed it with a 3/8” diameter rubber disk and a sheet metal screw.
Drain tank, remove it, fill it with water, then solder or BRAZE (better)...............
—”I was afraid to solder it - fear of explosion.”
IMO, the trick is to use a heavy copper iron heated with a gas flame away from the work and using a patch.
NO OPEN FLAME.
—”grunts using tootsie rolls to patch fuel lines.”
And many Motor T guys dumped coffee grounds in the radiator to stop leaks???
Others used black pepper!
I guess it depends on the size of the leak?
Because a leak or a puncture in a fuel tank is exceedingly rare in a passenger car.
Is the fuel shortage due to the lack of lorry drivers?
Or potatoes. Why do you think they call it a potato box.
A marxist/Leftist’s wet dream: Keep the turmoil among the citizenry at a fever pitch through persistent fear, distrust, anger and depression as it causes the “ignorant masses” to shift their attention away from the growing bureaucratic tyranny until it’s too late ...
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