Triumphrat

johnnypence

so i have a mind to solder the hairline leak in my gas tank sooner than later.

i KNOW it's not safe to weld a tank with any possibility of gas fumes inside.

however, is it safe to solder one, even if there could be fumes? doesn't seem like it would be safe, but it would save me a little hassle if it was.

otherwise, i plan on getting a radiator shop to strip it down to bare metal, and get them to seal the inside. after that, i figure it'll be safe to weld, solder, whatever, right? then get some good cleaning chemicals, prime, and paint. i'll probably have a million questions about painting when the time comes, but for now, the question is about saftey, heat, and explosion.

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GrandPaulZ

It's safe to solder AFTER you flush the tank well and stck a running airhose in the filler neck while you solder.

Best to do this BEFORE sealing the inside. In fact, just have the radiator shop do both jobs and assure that it is leak-free.

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Lutz

There is no real need to flush the tank . Flushing the tank will just cause it to rust very quickly.If you will connect an air hose to the petcock holes and turn on the air and tet it blow out through the filler neck for a while then solder with a good soldering gun and rosin core solder .I prefer Weller 550 gun and make sure you have a new tip . If you don't have a good tip it may be broken at the end and can cause a spark. The spot or spots you want to repair must be super clean and shiny use a brass brush or 3M scuff pad to clean.the spots.never use anything that may cause a spark. I have even soldered fuel tanks on cars even with fuel in the tank.Never had a problem.
I have found that Kreem sealer deteriorates when gas with alcohol (Gasohol) is used .
Lutz

peintremondain

i made my tank repair(welding).the welder told me to wash it with water and then fill it with water.iwas there when he did it and..no fumes nor explosion!
must dry it quickly after for rust
ben

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okiecityflash

I've heard of that process. Seems weird. Was the water spattering all over the place? :???:

peintremondain

nope sir!water and welding are ok ,they can weld underwater(ithink sobut may be false)
ben

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tinhead

underwater welding done with shielding gas completely enclosing electrode,water and electric not good buddies! better to fill tank with inert gas that does not support combustion( nitrogen), then tank can be welded using any process- mig, tig, arc if your good! solder is best, but much harder. issues with cleanliness always present. best to clean with muratic acid( pool supply store) before soldering. easiest= clean with sandpaper,mig weld, regrind, pressure test with modified gas cap,then seal interior as necessary, or not! will repair your tank if you want to ship to ohio, but could be lengthy process, with big shipping, better to find someone local if possible. purging tank with airhose is risky business, as most are not patient enough to give time for ALL flammable vapors to be removed.9/10 works allright, but do you want to risk being#10????? good luck with tank, email if you have more Q's
see www.uscomposites.com for epoxies available for tank sealing, MUCH better than Kreem, will not break down if allowed to cure properly,10- 12 days.

[ This message was edited by: tinhead on 2006-06-13 15:44 ]

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Gale_Gorman

Forget about the gas tank exploding. If you rinse it out with water and leave the cap off, the most you'll get is "poof." I've done this numerous times and add hald a small box of Arm&Hammer Soda to the water to make it rinse clean.

I would braze the crack instead of solder. Much stronger and the brass holds up well with vibration.

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Gale Gorman
Houston

johnnypence

it's funny. fifteen years ago, i wouldn't even have asked for advice. i would have rinsed, filled it up again (water doesn't burn and displaces fumes), and done the job without thinking -- while smoking an unfiltered camel.

funny how times change. my friend who owned this bike until he died would be laughing at me. i get the feeling he's enjoying this saga on several different levels.

if i'm getting the radiator shop to boil it down anyhow, might as well just get them to fix the crack too. thanks for the reality check GPZ. sometimes your glasses are already on your head, you know?

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:wink:

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