On Thu, 22 Dec 1994, Agustin de la Calle wrote:
> I know that one can't do the soldering without heat. Heat and gas tanks
> are something to take special care of (like experiences in the Manhattan
> subway show - I know, tasteless!). So did somehow flood it with inert
> gas, such as N2 e.g.?
> I have heard that some people do welding in gas tanks all the time. For a
> lot of money and with special equipment, though.
I've done a fair amount of gas tank soldering (hard to avoid on MG
T-Types with their soldered tank seams) and have yet to blow myself up.
Flooding the tank with inert gas is the preferred method, but beyond the
scope of the average home workshop. Here's what I do:
o Drain tank completely.
o Remove tank from car.
o Leave tank out in sun with all caps, plugs, and other fittings
removed to let the remaining gasoline evaporate out. If you can
arrange to blow air through it at the same time, this will speed
things up.
o Wash out the tank thouroughly with a detergent solution. Then rinse
well.
o Solder.
The professionals use inert gas in the interest of speed, because it
eliminates the need to get every last bit of fuel out of the tank. I've
been told that piping exhaust gas through the tank serves the same
purpose, but am leery of that because exhaust gas (even from a
smog-controlled car) contains a lot of unburned fuel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chip Old 1948 M.G. TC TC6710 NEMGTR #2271
Cub Hill, Maryland 1962 Triumph TR4 CT3154LO (daily transportation)
fold@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us
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