Look, a hole in my tank.

brian h

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I was installing my new fuel petcock when, what should I find? A hole in my fuel tank. you can see it in the picture below. So, whats the best solution? Is this braised or welded.Looks like a crappy job either way. I am gonna fix this, time to start learning a new skill!!! ALso, my supplied shut off valve only stopped the fuel flow while in the half way open position. It was letting fuel through full open and full closed.

CHECK YOUR TANK!
 

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I had a leak in the same place but it started about a week after my build.
I didn't feel like washing out the tank so I bead blasted the area and used J.B. weld and repainted. It's been holding for over a month now.
If you haven't had fuel in it yet I would clean the area well and braze it.
I think that's how the valve works.....mine is on when in line with the hose and off when side ways.
 
i have had fuel in the tank. there must be something to clean/clear it out for repairs. What do i use to braze it. I know how to solder copper pipes, but what do i use for my filler and can i use map gas?

I will google all of this but I will check back here if you want to leave some info
 
soap and water will wash it out just fine.
I use a plain rod and flux but you can also get a rod with flux coating.
Map gas should get hot enough to braze. Just remember it must be clean just a little dirt or paint and it will not flow out and seal....
 
flush the tank really good with soap & water and let it air out for a day or so. remember it's the fumes that will explode.
The fitting on the tank is brazed. Brazing is pretty much the same as soldering, but you need more heat, and you use brazing rod (which is brass) and it needs flux to stick to the area. you can probably get brazing rod at any auto parts store. get the kind with theflux coating...it makes it a lot easier. Make sure you clean the area very well before you try to braze it back up. Don't get the tank too hot or the metal may warp.
 
Hot water and soap is no guarantee of safety. I had a lawnmower tank fly across the garage because there is a small amount of gas left in the seams. Better to fill it with sand after washing it.

My HT tank had a hole where yours is, but mine was smaller. A hefty soldering iron and 50-50 solder cured it after cleaning the outside with acetone.
 
Drain tank and use rag to clear as much gas out of it that you can. Crank up your lawn mower or some other small engine (you can even use a car/truck). Run a hose from the running engine exhaust into your tank. When your tank is warm the fuel will be dead. I have done this to tanks as large as 30 gallons...just takes longer to get warm. Repair as you like...I'd use silver solder or braise it.
As far as the fuel cutoff.. the fuel is cut off when the wing is perpendicular to the supply lines.
 
the shutoff i figured out(got a new one anyway). the stock part is ****. it leaked anyways.

i have decided to just use jb weld on the tank. i would like to solder it but i already have some jb weld in the shed.
 
why is it that a lot of people seem to think that j.b. weld is THE fix-all product?
it's nothing more than an epoxy with the word "weld" in the name.
Good luck with it...gas will eat jb weld over time.

well, i'm going to correct myself here.
it says that jb weld is impervious to gasoline on their website.
But from personal experience, i have seen jb weld literally melt away after being exposed to gasoline over long periods of time.
 
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why is it that a lot of people seem to think that j.b. weld is THE fix-all product?
it's nothing more than an epoxy with the word "weld" in the name.
Good luck with it...gas will eat jb weld over time.

well, i'm going to correct myself here.
it says that jb weld is impervious to gasoline on their website.
But from personal experience, i have seen jb weld literally melt away after being exposed to gasoline over long periods of time.

I agree with you. If whatever you are working on is worth fixing then fix it both correctly and to last. With JB..one day you might (might never too) be down the road and what are you going to do should it decide to let loose?
 
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