Fuel Tank repair
Discussion
Just got the old Chim out of storage as the sun has started shining and I found it had leaked a full tank of super premium on to the garage floor, to the degree that there was only just enough fuel to back it out before the motor died. So I reckon I'm £50 down before we start!!
I am lucky enough to own a car lift and I have traced the problem to the outlet pipe from the fuel tank, which has fractured where it is welded to the tank itself. I know what caused this - I paid a local garage to replace the flexi fuel hoses last year and the guy has obviously been a bit heavy-handed.
Getting the tank out will be no problem, but does anybody know of a good professional fuel tank refurbishment company?
I was thinking of using these people : http://www.fueltanks.co.uk/pages/renu.html Has anybody any experience of them??
I am lucky enough to own a car lift and I have traced the problem to the outlet pipe from the fuel tank, which has fractured where it is welded to the tank itself. I know what caused this - I paid a local garage to replace the flexi fuel hoses last year and the guy has obviously been a bit heavy-handed.
Getting the tank out will be no problem, but does anybody know of a good professional fuel tank refurbishment company?
I was thinking of using these people : http://www.fueltanks.co.uk/pages/renu.html Has anybody any experience of them??
Looks a bit OTT ?
sounds like yours just needs a little welding, providing you can find someone who will put a welding torch near a used petrol tank ?
As a young apprentice (many years ago) I was told terrible tales of tanks blowing up even when they'd been left empty for months or flushed with water !
But there must be a way of pumping full of an inert gas or something to ensure there is no petrol vapour in it ?
phillpot said:
Looks a bit OTT ?
sounds like yours just needs a little welding, providing you can find someone who will put a welding torch near a used petrol tank ?
As a young apprentice (many years ago) I was told terrible tales of tanks blowing up even when they'd been left empty for months or flushed with water !
But there must be a way of pumping full of an inert gas or something to ensure there is no petrol vapour in it ?
People die every year trying to do this.... as I understand it, the tank needs to be put into an oven for a while to ensure that last vestiges of fumes are driven out.sounds like yours just needs a little welding, providing you can find someone who will put a welding torch near a used petrol tank ?
As a young apprentice (many years ago) I was told terrible tales of tanks blowing up even when they'd been left empty for months or flushed with water !
But there must be a way of pumping full of an inert gas or something to ensure there is no petrol vapour in it ?
neal1980 said:
From memory think that pipe is welded on to a big nut that can come updone so making it an easy repair for any welder.
I changed mine recently to a bigger bore for my new fuel pump.
Neal
If thats the case I'll relax and braze the pipe back in myself - as long as it its not attached to the tank at the time, I'll be happy to do the job.I changed mine recently to a bigger bore for my new fuel pump.
Neal
I suppose the thing to do is get the tank out first then assess the damage.
Today's update: getting tank out was relatively easy after I had drained the fuel off. Just undo the 13mm two floor bolts, disconnect filler pipe and breather, pull the straps out of the way, then heave the thing out onto the workshop floor.
This is what I found at the base of the tank:
On closer inspection I discovered the source of my leak!!!!
I have managed to remove the donald-ducked banjo union with a 20mm socket but it will take a 52mm socket to shift the large hexagonal plate to which it is attached. This will have to be grit blasted to remove the scale and only then will I know if it can be safely re-used. I have just ordered the socket as - annoyingly - my set only goes up to 50mm.
The tank has a manufacturers name sticker still attached (Warwick & Bailey Engineering) so I will try them on Monday for replacement parts, but if anyone out there knows a source of these bits of plumbing I would be grateful to hear from you.
As a postscript to today's work I had a bit of a strange experience: while taking the tank out I managed to break my fuel filler cap (dont ask). To my amazement there was a brand new filler cap stuck between the tank and the bodywork. Presumably it had fallen there during manufacture or some time in the car's early life.
The Gods of motoring smile upon me once more!
This is what I found at the base of the tank:
On closer inspection I discovered the source of my leak!!!!
I have managed to remove the donald-ducked banjo union with a 20mm socket but it will take a 52mm socket to shift the large hexagonal plate to which it is attached. This will have to be grit blasted to remove the scale and only then will I know if it can be safely re-used. I have just ordered the socket as - annoyingly - my set only goes up to 50mm.
The tank has a manufacturers name sticker still attached (Warwick & Bailey Engineering) so I will try them on Monday for replacement parts, but if anyone out there knows a source of these bits of plumbing I would be grateful to hear from you.
As a postscript to today's work I had a bit of a strange experience: while taking the tank out I managed to break my fuel filler cap (dont ask). To my amazement there was a brand new filler cap stuck between the tank and the bodywork. Presumably it had fallen there during manufacture or some time in the car's early life.
The Gods of motoring smile upon me once more!
Edited by fenderbender on Saturday 12th March 15:58
Edited by fenderbender on Saturday 12th March 15:59
Edited by fenderbender on Saturday 12th March 16:51
I sourced a replacement banjo union quite easily. It is a standard fitting 16MM banjo M16 x 1.5 and is readily available on eBay (cf item 310219709612) as well as elsewhere.
I will grit blast the 52mm hex plate this coming weekend and see whether I need to have one made up or not. 40 years ago I would have been able to knock one out in the metalwork shop at school, but sadly I no longer have access to a lathe. Or my old school!
I will grit blast the 52mm hex plate this coming weekend and see whether I need to have one made up or not. 40 years ago I would have been able to knock one out in the metalwork shop at school, but sadly I no longer have access to a lathe. Or my old school!
Edited by fenderbender on Wednesday 16th March 13:44
Yes indeedy!
In my case the hole in the underfloor which gives access to the union was stuffed full of newspaper to form a backing for the legendary dollop of mastic and dodgy rubber bung which covered it.
Presumably road spray made its way inside, soaked the paper and quietly started to eat my banjo union.
You can see the hole below, in a pic I took before removing the tank. The rusty remnants of the banjo union are visible still in situ.
There is evidence of the fuel leak, and the fuel has cleaned the fibreglass of its Dinitrol coat (better renew that to avoid rust!
)
In my case the hole in the underfloor which gives access to the union was stuffed full of newspaper to form a backing for the legendary dollop of mastic and dodgy rubber bung which covered it.
Presumably road spray made its way inside, soaked the paper and quietly started to eat my banjo union.
You can see the hole below, in a pic I took before removing the tank. The rusty remnants of the banjo union are visible still in situ.
There is evidence of the fuel leak, and the fuel has cleaned the fibreglass of its Dinitrol coat (better renew that to avoid rust!
)All sorted now...
After gritblasting the hex housing came up nice and clean. Although most of it is as pitted as Bill Murray's face, the crucial narrow band of mating surface against which the banjo union copper washer will seat was nice and flat, so no need for lathe work:
With the new banjo union, ready to re-fit:
I'll smear the threads with Green Hermetite just to make sure no leaks, and soak the whole area in Waxoyl before fitting a new rubber bung to seal the hole in the underbody.
And all in time for the improving weather (here's hoping!).
After gritblasting the hex housing came up nice and clean. Although most of it is as pitted as Bill Murray's face, the crucial narrow band of mating surface against which the banjo union copper washer will seat was nice and flat, so no need for lathe work:
With the new banjo union, ready to re-fit:
I'll smear the threads with Green Hermetite just to make sure no leaks, and soak the whole area in Waxoyl before fitting a new rubber bung to seal the hole in the underbody.
And all in time for the improving weather (here's hoping!).
Edited by fenderbender on Saturday 19th March 18:19
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