Welding on car

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How dangerous is it to weld on a car full of fuel. Know it sounds dumb but the muffler guys to it all the time. My truck has a fuel tank in the cab so welding holes in the floor would not be safe. Would I have to remove the tank and block off the fuel lines to be safe? then again it has a carb so I am sure there are fumes present. Any tips?
Reply:Don't be dumb.Don't play dumb.REMOVE THE BOMB before you set it off.Sure...the muffler shops do it all the time but they are only welding on the pipes..and usually far enough away from the tank but in a enclosed area like the cab...One wrong move and BOOM!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by johnfinHow dangerous is it to weld on a car full of fuel. Know it sounds dumb but the muffler guys to it all the time. My truck has a fuel tank in the cab so welding holes in the floor would not be safe. Would I have to remove the tank and block off the fuel lines to be safe? then again it has a carb so I am sure there are fumes present. Any tips?
Reply:In the 70's and into the 80's when that style was common we did it quite often without removing the tanks depending on the damage to be repaired. Always look for leaks and seepage along with fumes and if in doubt, remove the tank and seal the lines as suggested.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Zapster, I have seen the muffler shops weld inches from the tank in my car, ie mufflers and tail pipes. They even caught the bottom of the car on fire once because of the grease and oil on the bottom of the car in that area. Put it out with a rag. Knick, what dangers are there by draining it and filling it? other then smoking , fire and sparks.
Reply:I've seen plenty of small fires caused by spilled fuel, or from rags soaked in fuel used to clean up a spill. Sparks from welding travel a long ways, and if conditions are right, it doesn't take much to get the fire going. I've seen old clean paper towels or rags start to smolder from sparks guys thought were well clear of the welding operation. Add a highly flammable fuel, and things get 10x worse.If nothing else, be sure you have an extinguisher accessible and ready. Minor issues can quickly get out of hand while you hunt for one, or have to dig it out from behind junk..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Is this an old GMC with the tank behind the seat? It its a good tank and not leaking, just weld what ever you need to do. If its a leaky fuel system, then by all means remove the leaky issues!
Reply:Those in cab tanks aren't hard to remove, so I'd pull it out of there. As mentioned they are notorious for fumes if not leakage. There are a lot of combustibles in even an older truck (most common interior pieces and undercoating) that can start small but controllable fires... do you really want a bomb beside you when that happens?250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:Fuel tanks in the cab are death traps anyway.  GM was sued over them years ago.  There are some retro fit kits that put the tank between the frame rails (maybe even over the drive shaft).  Unless you are restoring, consider an alternative.  Even if you are restoring, maybe use that tank for something else.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:Originally Posted by whtbaronThose in cab tanks aren't hard to remove, so I'd pull it out of there.
Reply:Epoxy?
Reply:Even if you drain the tank, you will have vapors.  The vapors are what go BOOM when ignited.  A tank filled all the way up, with no room for vapors, would be in my opinion safer than an empty tank.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Exactly.  As long as you do not have fuel vapor around the area, you won't have any problems.  If there is fuel vapor, all bets are off.
Reply:Originally Posted by johnfinZapster, I have seen the muffler shops weld inches from the tank in my car, ie mufflers and tail pipes. They even caught the bottom of the car on fire once because of the grease and oil on the bottom of the car in that area. Put it out with a rag. Knick, what dangers are there by draining it and filling it? other then smoking , fire and sparks.
Reply:IMHO its not something you want to get wrong...
Reply:Probably take 20 minutes to pull the tank. When in doubt, pull it out. The little bit of fuel in the lines is not a problem, cap them off and dont worry about it. Biggest problem with those style tanks is the fuel filler connection leaking, which will often have copious amount of dried fuel goo around them, as well as old fuel soaked dust. This would be an excellent opportunity to replace the fuel tank with a frame mounted tank. Plenty of options for most vehicles on the webernet.