New gas tank leaks at the seam. Can something like JB Weld smoothed over repair it?
It starts out as a seep then gathers to a droplet in about 20 seconds. No visible crack. Just at the weld where the lip meets the round part of the tank.
thanks. bob
Take it out,empty it. Then fill with water and solder the seam. It will not blow up. Drain water out and dry tank using some Acetone.
At the Napa store you can get a fuel tank repair putty that works very well, can even be used on active leaks. We have used it at work in emergency situations. Highly effective. Follow the instructions in the package.
Erik
I have used JB Weld to fix a leaking gas tank. It held for years. I use it to install freeze plugs, it is a semi hardened substance when cured. JB Weld is fairly remarkable, given that it does what the manufacturer says it will.
Send it back. You old one is better to repair
Call the vendor and have them Drop-Ship you a new one.
Or, take it to a radiator shop and have them solder it.
Got to go with Jack. My original gas tank leaked, and I soldered it back up and never had a problem. The key is to make sure that there is no gas left in it at all. Fill it with water, drain it, and repeat a few times to make sure that all the gas and fumes are gone. Leaving it filled with water is a good idea, but can make soldering much more difficult. If you're really concerned,
JB-Weld will work in a pinch. Just make sure that the surface is completely clean, and only use the original JB-Weld. The quick-setting stuff doesn't hold up as well.
We once used J-B Weld on a motor Cycle Gas Tank. It worked well until we got some gasohol in the tank. Then it seemed that the alcohol dissolved the J-B weld. Ed
I can understand repairing an old tank...BUT A NEW ONE! If you purchase something NEW you shouldn't have to REPAIR IT! The manufacture should be held accountable for poor products. Send it back.
Return it and get another one. That leak will just return later on from vibration, and may lead to a fire.
DO NOT USE JB Weld. The new fuels will lift it from your repair and the leak will return( ask me how I know). If its a new tank call your supplier and have them send you a call tag for UPS to return it. Then have them send you a replacement.
just sayin'
brasscarguy
If you decide to solder, use a large iron. Don't use a torch. Even a tank which has been filled with water a few times can explode when heated with a torch. The soldering iron works very well. I have used one in the past.
Norm
Scrape the offending area until it is absolutely perfectly shiny clean.
Or use a brass wire wheel (or do both)......do NOT burnish the steel with a STEEL wire wheel.
THEN it'll take solder like a dream.......
Ed gave you the best advice,
RETURN it and get one that is mfg'd properly. You may even get reimbursed the shipping if it was a reputable dealer.
Of course, if you got it from a friend for free then solder it yourself or take it to a radiator shop.
Thanks guys, I put JB weld on it a couple hours ago OVER the seeping area. It still bled thru.
I bought the tank from a very reputable vender last year spreading out the expense as I am restoring the car. So it is a little late especially since I already put JB on it.
I'll take it off and have it repaired.
Take it to a radiator shop, if the vendor won't replace it, tell them anyway. That they will know, and ask them why the old one vibrated for.and lasted , 100 years, and the new one. Lasted about a year. And more likely 300 days if not driving the T? Hope they cover it for you, cause I've stopped buying from a couple that haven't!
Had a Blacksmith in Palmer, Iowa that soldered gas tanks all the time.
He would clean all the bad spots, and then bring his air hose over and stick it in one hole or the other, which wouldn't be in the way, and set the air regulator at 15, to 30 pounds.
I do the same thing, and have always used a small tipped torch.
Herm
It is the smoke created inside that has to be kept out with fresh air.
gas tanks only blow up in hollywood movies. i've had cars on fire burn up completely, no boom. fill with water and at most the fuel floating on top the water may burn, but no boom.
Robert,
If you bought the tank new from a vendor then by all means you should send it back and get a new one. If you you want to drive your T right away use the repair putty from the parts store. It works very well.. JB weld will not cure and be effective in the presence of gasoline. Send your defective tank back or fix the leak, your choice depending on how long you want to wait.
I bought a new repro tank for my '24 Tudor when I first got the car.
After a couple years it started leaking at a lower seam.
I chased leaks around the bloody thing several times then tossed it in a corner and bought a good original off Epay and all has been well since.
Wonder why we can't make things now that we could make easily a hundred years ago?
It makes you wonder if the 'new' tanks are tested before they are sold.
What vendor makes the new tanks. Anybody know?
The concept of trying to solder something with water in it sure made me smile!!! I want to meet the person who can solder something with water against the other side. I haven't met that person yet.
Now my technique "which I'm not recommending to anyone else, but it has always worked for me" I will not post here. Most of the "armchair quarterbacks" will brand it dangerous. I figure it is the safest of all.
In 2012 when I was chasing a new gas tank for my 15, nobody had one in stock. I was told by more than one vendor that the one old man that made them had died, and his apprentice was taking over, but, hadn't caught up with the backlog of orders. Chafin's had got a few in on the day I called, so he shipped me one. No problems with it yet.
I'm with Less on this one..
Ever try to solder a pipe that still has water in it?
It will not go over 212 F (100 C) until the water evaporates.
Standard tin lead solder needs 183 C to melt and the new lead free solder requires 220 C.
Silver solder is even higher!
1. Do it outside, away from everything. 2. Don't use a flame; use a soldering copper ("iron"). 3. Make sure the joint is cleaner than just clean. 4. Use flux judiciously; excess or too little will cause problems.
Robert,
If was a "very reputable vendor", they'll take it back, JB Weld & all. What have you got to loose by calling them?
I wouldn't waste the time and effort trying to fix this Bob. Not your mistake....not your problem. If the vendor who sold it won't make it good, call them out here. You can be sure that posters here will rub their nose in it.
Regards,
Scott
I bought a NOS tank at Chickasha a few years back for $100. I couldn't believe no one wanted it! It's on my '25 pickup now. Doesn't leak, and the best part is it is original with zinc plating, not galvanized.
Now you guys are scaring me. Makes me wonder if my new tank which is yet to be installed on my speedster project will leak, especially if I put 1 pound pressure with hand pump. Might stick with original tank that's is on now.
Galvanizing IS zinc plating. You can look it up.
I agree, if you bought it new return it for a good one.
This talk of problems with new tanks got me thinking. A few years ago I helped a good friend make a new gas tank for my 1906 Cadillac. It quickly developed leaks at the seams. Research revealed that we had used the readily available "galvanized", BUT it is actually "galvalum". It provides excellent corrosion protection for buildings and it will take solder. The problem is it is not bonded to the steel like good old hot dip galvanizing. It has a very nice "smooth" finish. Straight galvanized has a "mottled" finish. And yes it costs more and you need to special order it at the steel supplier.
This may be the source of the problem
The galvalum is great for buildings and costs less. For car gas tanks, true galvanized is required
Soldering used tanks; two options
1. Remove all the fuel
2. Remove all the oxygen
I find #2 is easier to accomplish
Dry ice in the tank will remove the flammable vapors, however still use an iron not an open flame. It would be wise to "tin" the area to be soldered with tinning compound firstly. It is easy to say send the tank back but the logistics may be more than you want to endure. I returned a part to a vendor and the total cost was greater than the cost of the part in the first place. It would have been cheaper to keep the part and order a new one. Keep the tank and solder it.
Good old exhaust fumes from your tail pipe will work to safely use a torch on a gas tank. Drain the tank, let the remaining gas evaporate then pipe exhaust into the tank until it purges any air. Once that is done you can weld up the tank with a torch. I have done it many times but maybe I have just been lucky.
Val, that does work, I've done it also, but you need to make sure the engine you are using for the exhaust isn't running too rich. That kind of defeats the purpose(DUH). Don't ask how I know. Dave
Just re-soldered the lower bung on mine yesterday. Was feeling lucky so I "experimented" My thought is if the tank is well vented it should not go boom because pressure cannot build. So with cap and fuel shutoff removed and the most possible gas removed and the tank in the middle of my yard, I decided to light the fumes coming from the opening to see what happened. Turns out it burned like a candle out of the hole for about ten minutes. After it went out I soldered it back on. No more leaks. I would not recommend this, but it worked for me.