The fuel flow from my ali tank is suffering cavitation due to some form of blockage near the outlet. This in turn is causing the car to misfire and
stall.
As the outlet comes directly from inside a swirlpot inside the tank which I cant get to the only solution would seem to cut into the tank clean it out
to remove any blockage and reweld it back up.
Does anyone here know of someone who may be able to do this (in particular the rewelding of an ali tank that has had petrol in it).
Ideally fairly close to West Sussex.
Thanks
Jim
[Edited on 6/4/06 by jimgiblett]
Jim,
The place down the a24 from Rich just past the buckbarn lights can weld ally, fozzie and stu have a tig set at work aswell.
Ned.
Do you know the name of the place?
Will the fact that it has had petrol in it be a problem ?
don't know the name myself, but rich has their no as he's talked to them.
no idea about it having had fuel in it, there was a post about welding tanks in this situation a while back...
Ned.
POR-15 Marine Clean will shift the petrol residue/vapour/sludge.
Pat...
I have a feeling that the blockage is either petrol proof flange sealant or some ali swarf so unfortunately I dont think POR-15 will shift it.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
Jimg, sorry to be the bearer of bad news and all that but I think you will find that any pro welder won't touch a tank that's had fuel in
it. They used to reckon that filling it with sand(!) dissipated residual fumes etc. but my old man barely made it beyond his teens when he and a mate
tried the same technique on a bike tank and it blew up! Cheers, Pewe
I have heard that some purge with Argon / fill with water but if I cant get it welded then a new tank will be required.
I can't imagine that any intelligent welder will want to weld a used petrol tank, no matter how well it's cleaned out. I know it can be
done, but it needs skill and experience.
Could you cut away the swirl pot and replace it with a removable fitting? You could then fix a ring onto the hole with a threaded part to screw the
new swirl pot onto. If you're ever seen 'A car is reborn' on Sky you will have seen that the E-type's fuel tank had a removable
'sump' to allow the crud to be cleaned out.
Rotten explanation, but I hope you know what I mean!
[Edited on 6/4/06 by David Jenkins]
An old trick with used fuel tanks is to connect the inlet of the empty, cleaned out tank to your road car exhaust, and let it tick over for twenty minutes with the exhaust gasses purging the tank. Has worked for me several times and no bangs yet!
quote:
Originally posted by Phil.J
An old trick with used fuel tanks is to connect the inlet of the empty, cleaned out tank to your road car exhaust, and let it tick over for twenty minutes with the exhaust gasses purging the tank. Has worked for me several times and no bangs yet!
I have been pointed in the direction of someone who will do the work.
Apparently they purge with Acetylene which neutralises the petrol and fuel vapour.
quote:
Originally posted by jimgiblett
I have been pointed in the direction of someone who will do the work.
Apparently they purge with Acetylene which neutralises the petrol and fuel vapour.
I think I'd rather take my chances with the fuel vapour rather than acetylene!
Did you mean acetone? The solvent?
i found someone who was prepared to weld a tank for me. they steamed it for 24 hours prior to welding.
but like the others say proceed with extreme caution!
Oi! oioi, get on an sort out those throttle bodies! 
Thanks for the Autocad file!
I think I'm going to machine up individual couplings though as I have access to a CNC mill and they'll be easier to make up.
I have done a few tanks in my time i just wash with water then use a air line to dry it out then pour spirit wipe in to it then slosh it about then empty out and dry with high presh air line then cut and weld with no probs and i no other people that have done the same with no probs i have even tryed puting in a lighted asetelene torch in to the tank.