Crushed gas tank

[2001ExpSport]

Rick, believe you me, I wasn't planning on welding anything. It seems logical to make the tank plastic. I looked at it again today and it looks and feels like metal. It also looks like it's two halves(top and bottom) that are crimped together. I am at a loss as to what to do. I got the price from Ford parts and was quoted $500 after taxes($212 dealer cost, what a racket!). That was just the tank.

I could really use some sound advice from you seasoned Explorer guys. Do you think i am ok going to a junk yard and getting a tank? Shouldn't I be worried about contaminates? If I do get one, how can I clean it?

One more thing Rick, do you know by chance where I can find a tank skidplate? I have looked all over the net and came up with a big goose egg.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Edited by 2001ExpSport on 12-04-2000 at 07:34 PM]

 

[leebo]

I got a tank for my older Topaz after I put a hole in it....long and funny story that also involves 4wheeling...I got one from a junk yard for cheap. I made sure I used a fuel additive the first few fill ups to get rid of all the water that may have built up. Ran fine after that.

 

[Kampy]

Matt, do you have an air compressor? If not find one and stick a blowgun in the filler hole with a rag and put some pressure to it. Not to much though. You might get lucky enough to push it out. I've done it several times, usually with good results. I'd start out by regulating the air down to about 25 psi and start there. Have the tank about 3/4 full and see what it does.

Note*** let the pressure out slowly or it will blow gas all over the place, including you.

We used to do this all the time for a different reason, to bleed multifuel diesels after a filter change, we'd pressurize the tank to bleed the air out at the filter and you would hear the tank go "boing". And those were steel tanks.

 

[2001ExpSport]

Todd, won't that force fuel into the pump and lines? Will it hurt the pump? I have a compressor so I can at least try it, but I don't think a rag will hold the air. Maybe something rubber?

I also tried one of those cheap suction cups meant for pulling out dents with no luck.

 

[mattadams]

Rick, I believe the welding only to a fullt ank of gas is in an emergency type of situation, like a necessary on-trail repair. I agree no shop should be doing that and especially not me! (especially since the one time I actually tried to weld it came out looking little metal turds all over the place, LOL). I agree, if your gonna do it right you gotta drop it, wash it out and even then be very careful. I don't risk my own life too often, but I don't mind others risking theres! LOL

 

[2001ExpSport]

Thanks Matt....Dead Link Removed

 

[Rick]

Matt, why don't you try an experiment for us. Take a steel gal gas can, fill it up and weld a bead across it. Let us know what happens... Or maybe not...

A REAL trail repair for a metal gas tank is to use a bar of soap and rub it across the crack. The soap reacts with the gas and seals the tank. OR you can carry a gas tank repair kit, they make them for steel and plastic tanks. It's an epoxy based repair. I keep a kit for the plastic tank in my tool box.

Once again, folks don't be welding any gas tanks, leave it to the experts.

 

[mattadams]

ok ok ILl admit it I was wrong... DONT WELD TO YOUR GAS TANK, NO MATTER HOW COOL IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK! LOL. A while back someone here in Denver was burned pretty bad when she was fueling up her car and combined two stupid things... first off she was cold so she left her car running while putting in more gas, and then lit up a cigarette cause she didn't want to wait too long for it .

 

[RFR2212]

Now, don't get me wrong...I've seen mechanics put cigarettes out in gas tanks, but I still wouldn't try it...The only things I can say are weld it after you've drained the gas and it has completely air dryed..if not fill it w/ water then let it dry...But Matt...You could go total custom and mount some sorta fuel cell in there!
Pete

 

[Rick]

Well, one guy can put out his cigarette in a gas tank and another guy can blow up a gas station by filling up a 5 gallon can in a pickup truck bed with a plastic bedliner. Gasoline is highly volatile and the consequences can cause a whole lot of hurt. I don't think messing with it is worth the risk.

 

[01EB5.0]

I dunno about the older explorers but i am sure my tnk is metal. it looks like plastic, but you hit it and it clanks. it sure is metal.
Hey if anyone needs any welding on their gas tanks I'm sure you could borrow our welder for a bit! ;-)
(J/K)
Have a good day!

 

[Maniak]

Another good trail repair for a ruptured gas tank (besides teh soap fix) is to use Tank repair.. It looks like putty and you just shove it into the hole.. if it is leaking it will actually cure faster. I bought a tank from a junk yard for $50 with all the brackets since it had a hole in the top. Someone had drilled through the floor plan of the van right into the tank. I put the putty type stuff on it.. and it has been fine ever since (4 years now)..

The welding shop I've used (plus the person that taught me how to weld) said the only safe way to weld a gas tank is to fill it full of WATER. One of the stories I was told was from someone that welded the tank when it was full of water and all was fine.. He then drained the tank and tried to dry the tank with a torch (I know.. not smart).. even though it had billed filled with water before it still blew apart..

 

[rpenner54]

Okay as a person who has a serious fear of getting burned in any way shape or form. I don't think I would EVER weld my gas tank! LOL I think if anything I would use that putty type stuff. Thats what my dad used on my old '54 Jeep. But in all reality if it was me, I would just go out and buy a new or used tank! Hell its not worth finding out just how volital(sp) gas and gas fumes are! At least in my book! I think two summers ago a man from around here had a gallon of gas in his car. He opened the door and because of the heat differnce it exploded! Killed him too I think. Bad deal.

Smokey the bear says don't play with fire. Which in this case I will follow those rules.

 

[Chav]

Doesnt someone make high capacity fuel tanks? I remember a post about it a while ago. If you can find one for your truck this might be a good time to upgrade if you want. Just a thought. Oh yeah Leebo i know i'm no fun . Just trying to make sure no one blows themselves up.

-Chav

 

[Tom Wilk]

I got my skidplates from the Ford dealer, they were not standard on mine. One note, the gas tank on the 4-door is longer than than of the 2-door. They had originally given me the wrong one, so I had to take it back.

I looked for the part number in my receipts, but I couldn't find it. If it turns up, I'll let you know.

 

[gijoecam]

NOT PLASTIC!!!

The 95+ tank is NOT plastic! I used to build them at the Dearborn Engine and Fuel Tank Plant, Fuel Tank line #2. I can guarantee you that they are steel. They are sprayed with a heavy, thick "paint" that's a lot like rubberized undercoating, except thicker, and cured in an oven.

As for the fix, I'd say find one out of a junker, and dismantle your old one... sounds like you may have damaged the sending unit, but you can still pull out the pump, float arm, etc, and save it for a spare. E-mail me at GIJoeCam@prodigy.net if you need help getting the sending unit out of the old tank.

-Joe-

 

[gijoecam]

oops.....

I forgot.... as for how to clean it, once you have the sending unit removed, you can use soap and water and wet/dry shop vac to suck the last little bit of water out. We used to have to do that when we would have problems with the water test unit in the plant.... occasionally it wouldn't seal the filler neck, and the tank would fill with water, and then the robot couldn't remove it from the fixture because it was too heavy! Royal pain, but we would scrap the sending unit, suck the tank dry, and re-install a new pump. You might want to toss in a bottle of dry-gas to remove any moisture in that first tank of gas. Can't hurt....

Again, any questions about getting the sending unit out, let me know.

-Joe-

 

[offroader_69_me]

no welding

at the shop i work at we repair a tank or two occasionally but we never ever weld one with out lots of prep, fumes or liquid, gas burns, plain and simple, of course burning is better than exploding, but thats like getting hit by an explorer or an excursion, by the way anyone see the excursion in the new offroad mag??? damn thats nice, mmmmm 44's, sorry dreaming again, anyway if you can't beat the tank straight, not advisable, then get another one, hell go all out and get a custom one with more capacity. either way listen to rick, for the king has spoken!!

 

[2001ExpSport]

FIXED!!!!!!!

Ok guys I got it fixed. Todd's idea worked like a charm!! Todd, you are the man!!

I removed the fuel filler and then disconnected the fill line and vent line. I stuck a capped 4"x3/4" galv. pipe in the fill tube and sealed it with a hose clamp. I used various fittings on the vent tube to get to the 1/4" size of my compressor line fitting. I put a quick disconnect on the end and hooked it up to my compressor with the regulator valve a 0 psi. I slowly increased the psi until the tank completely filled out to it's normal shape. Surprisingly it only took 10psi to do this. Needless to say I was ecstatic!


WOO! Dead Link Removed

 

[riffman]

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