Aluminum Fuel Tank Repair

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How Do I TiG Well An Aluminum Fuel Tank Without Blowing Up?   I Am A Beginner Welder And I Know How To Well Aluminum, But A Fuel Tank?Last edited by edsuar; 12-27-2007 at 09:22 PM.
Reply:Fill it with water up to where you need to weld.   JohnSMAW,GMAW,FCAW,GTAW,SAW,PAC/PAW/OFCand Shielding Gases.  There all here. :
Reply:Since you are inexperienced with containers capable of knocking your neighbors house off it's foundation, I would either send it to a shop experienced with tanks or someone you know that is confident in tank repair.  You only get one swing at life unless your a cat or blackberry bushes.-MikeCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Have it steam cleaned.
Reply:Don't do it.. You just admitted you don't know how so why bother?Stay safe!Sorry...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:How big of a tank?What type of "Fuel Tank" is it?Me!
Reply:find someone who can do it.... NO job for the untrained...  ya don t want it to leak. so send it out .
Reply:are you building one or repairing one?Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:Well, since you are willing to take the time to learn, here is the process: Remove all fuel. Use a strong detergent soap and hot water to flush the tank thoroughly. Washing the tank interior a couple times, and then let the tank air dry completely, for a day. Clean the area to be welded, and weld it up. After the repair, pressure test tank to 10PSI, plug all the outlets, and pressurize it. No leaking, no hissing, roll the tank in a tub if you can, and look for bubbles. Or, use soapy water with a squirt bottle like you would for plumbing leaks. Good to go?? Make sure it is dry, and reinstall it.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloWell, since you are willing to take the time to learn, here is the process: Remove all fuel. Use a strong detergent soap and hot water to flush the tank thoroughly. Washing the tank interior a couple times, and then let the tank air dry completely, for a day. Clean the area to be welded, and weld it up. After the repair, pressure test tank to 10PSI, plug all the outlets, and pressurize it. No leaking, no hissing, roll the tank in a tub if you can, and look for bubbles. Or, use soapy water with a squirt bottle like you would for plumbing leaks. Good to go?? Make sure it is dry, and reinstall it.
Reply:as you can see by the posts, it's not a good idea if you have no experience. also, welding AL is unlike anything you have welded. i would think that you would want to get proficient at welding AL and research welding a petro tank. if you can get an older copy of api 653 this would be where i would start my research. i have seen 40' steel tanks open up like a jiffy pop container, because they were not properly prepared. its not worth the potential risk.
Reply:i agree 100% with dave. this is the same as i use and never had a problem, well kinda never. i went to work at a shop that was going to send out a 40 gal. alum. gas tank to be repaired. well being the new guy i had to speak up and tell them i could do this no problem.right? using the method that dave spoke of.the foreman made me set up outside the shop,with about 30 people watching from just inside the shop doors, cracking death jokes lol. done it 100's of times no problems. just as soon as i struck an ark a bolt of lighting struck a tree about 50 yards from me. if you could have only seen. needles to say after i picked myself up and we all cooled our nerves and clean our shortseverything went off as planed with out a bang.sorry for the long story. but i find it very funny some years laterlisten to dave and you willnot have a problem Lee
Reply:definatly dont do the water thing
Reply:dont forget the acetone.
Reply:1-The pressure testing---then having it rupture-violently can be equally hazardous.2-A bonus of 'doing tanks'.... that are really gassy ones, giving off lots of fumes in the purge gas outlet, after the purge gas shows 1% or less O2, etc, etc.---and one's ready to start welding is the rush you get---when firing off that arc!3-These gassy ones will light up and flare fire-right around the arc, since the fumes are being pushed by the purge gas into open air, where burning-not explosions, then occur. That's a rush--too; and is telling you something.Blackbird
Reply:Originally Posted by edsuarHow Do I TiG Well An Aluminum Fuel Tank Without Blowing Up?   I Am A Beginner Welder And I Know How To Well Aluminum, But A Fuel Tank?
Reply:Thank you for all your replys. I am not welding the tank. This is a foam filled fuel cell tank on a friends car.  It is a real  nice tank but he has to buy a new one. Again, thank you for all your comments.
Reply:Thank you for all your replies. This is a foam filled fuel cell tank made of 5051 aircraft aluminum on a friends car, but I think this is more than what I can  handle. So I told him he has to buy a new tank.
Reply:dave is rightChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder