Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

[OG48]

I put a hole in my "Sherman" gas tank last trip and was considering welding the hole and adding additional armor to the tank in the process. As of now the plan is to rinse and clean the tank with dish soap, then fill it with water and weld it(??????). I would like to get some advice and/or first hand knowledge of tackling such a endeavor. Part of me is also considering taking it to a shop and have the work performed. Thoughts? Advice? Or should I bust out the JB weld?

Thanks in advance

[plug ugly]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

rinse with dish soap a few times, and you should be fine. If you are worried about it, I know a guy in pville that will do it.

[helbnd1]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

You should purge it with an inert gas, like argon while welding on it.

[crawlin68]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

What he ^ said.

[pippinmader]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

I would NOT weld that tank after just washing it with soap and water! Inert gas is the best option, an easy way to do that is with dry ice, it is heavier than air so the vent should be on top. Another option I have done is to weld it with the tank totally full of water, it makes welding hard but keeps it from exploding.

[OG48]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

Thanks all for the advice/input....

[GREMLIN]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

put hose in exhaust pipe let run for ten minutes.

[OG48]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

put hose in exhaust pipe let run for ten minutes.

???

[highlander]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

I think he was trying to say you can run a hose from an exhaust pipe of a running vehicle into the gas tank. This will displace most of the vapors and oxygen, making it safer to weld.

[DirtDonk]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

Yep. And should work pretty fast too. Free "inert gas" basically, and at a pretty high volume delivery method.

Paul

[PhantomEB]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

Make sure you are wearing proper respirator, I say half mask with p100 filters as well welding jacket when you do this.

[nvrstuk]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

Don't add to many posts but I just did this mod "again" this summer on my build.

I made several more shape modifications to mine to fit my 4 link and RuffStuff housing (contoured it to follow the curve)...anyway, I flushed it for 3 days with the hose running in it. After 3 days, there is ZERO gas vapor smell and then I filled it to within a 1/2" of the top and started cutting. Once it was all cut up, there wasn't any confined space left.

Filling it with inert gas is definitely the way to go...

[B-Rad]

Re: Thoughts on welding on a fuel tank.....

I think he was trying to say you can run a hose from an exhaust pipe of a running vehicle into the gas tank. This will displace most of the vapors and oxygen, making it safer to weld.

Just make sure the vehicle you use isn't running rich.