Soldering a Gas Tank

[steppinthrax]

Had a leak in my Briggs Rotary Tiller gas tank. I went online to look into getting a new one. It was $75.00 for a new metal tank. I drained the tank and used metal work solder to heat and solder the area where the tank was leaking. It works great now. No leaks.

 

[NutBucket]

I was going to suggest JB Weld since it isn't pressurized or subject to high heat.

 

[mmntech]

Just make sure you wash it out first. 😀

 

[steppinthrax]

I was going to suggest JB Weld since it isn't pressurized or subject to high heat.

I never had good luck with JB weld. I tried it on the plastic top of a radiator once, the fluid seeped right between the glob of JB weld and plastic. I also think the JB weld will probably break down over time with a solvent like gas.

 

[NutBucket]

Well, a radiator is pretty extreme application IMHO. I wouldn't expect JB weld to hold well given the pressure/temperature.

Obviously soldering the tank is a much better fix...

 

[steppinthrax]

Just make sure you wash it out first. 😀

I actually drained out the gas tank and let it sit for a few hours. I washed it out with water then with alcohol. I lit a match and a small flame shot out from the filler hole and went away.

 

[7window]

I have experience on leaky tank. Jb weld will work for 1 year but it will seep through then you will have to sand the jb weld off to apply another one or weld. I am not a welder but welding a good alternative. What I notice is after it is welded it does not have the gushing fuel out of the hole but this time just sweating. When you touch the welded part you can smell fuel. Now you don't have to wash the tank because when I watched the welder weld my tank he didn't even wipe it. amazing

 

[steppinthrax]

I have experience on leaky tank. Jb weld will work for 1 year but it will seep through then you will have to sand the jb weld off to apply another one or weld. I am not a welder but welding a good alternative. What I notice is after it is welded it does not have the gushing fuel out of the hole but this time just sweating. When you touch the welded part you can smell fuel. Now you don't have to wash the tank because when I watched the welder weld my tank he didn't even wipe it. amazing

In my life I've never had any good luck with plastics and glues in use for heavy duty applications. There are specifc areas where it's been engineered around it, but for the most part I imagine it wouldn't work unless you can jb weld inside the gas tank.

 

[Ferzerp]

What I've done in the past, when I needed to weld fuel tanks due to leaks, etc, is to drain the tank and then route exhaust through it during the welding process. That way, even if there is some vapor, it has not only likely been pushed out, but the environment will be oxygen starved as well.