Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

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Bruce Compton
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Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:20 pm

Not that I needed another project but........now I have one. The sediment bowl on my '26 coupe never really shut off properly so having a nice tight original replacement I decided to do the simple replacement today.......NOT . With a proper sized pipe wrench and some effort, I broke the bowl off the tank fitting flush with the fitting and now need to remove the broken off cast iron end of the sediment bowl. I'm very open to suggestions that don't even mention removing the tank, keeping in mind that I have a potential bomb in my shop if any sparks are involved in the process. I'm thinking of using a section of hacksaw blade with lots of oil and cutting through to the tops of the threads in two places (maybe an hours work). I was tempted to drill two small holes (battery powered drill) into the broken sections to save some hacksaw time but am afraid of sparks. Help!! Thanks : Bruce


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bryant » Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:32 pm

You need a pipe thread easy out set. Or a stubby set. I have to do this very often with Hydraulic fittings that break off just like your petcock. Just tap them in slowly and get a good bite and then unscrew. Works 7 times out of 10. Sizing is important
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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Don D » Tue Dec 07, 2021 6:38 pm

Bruce,

While suggesting you sell the car is easy, that word easy when added to the word out is what I would consider. Locating a reverse thread device like an Easyout, screw extractor, with a breaker bar might be a safe idea. Regardless please be careful. We want to keep all our members getting "smiles per gallon." Sorry I type slower than Bryant. :-)

Dom
Screw Extractor Set.docx
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Topic author
Bruce Compton
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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:01 pm

Thanks guys but I've never had any luck with an "easy-out". To me they just apply even more pressure to the surfaces you are trying to separate. Now after having said that, I have always used the garden variety hardware store easy-out, not the professional set as shown. My other big concern is breaking the soldered bond between the threaded female fitting and the actual gas tank with an easy-out that really does get a grip. Still looking for more ideas. Bruce


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by jeff10049 » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:32 pm

can you tap the broken part to the closest bolt size then thread in that size bolt with lots of red Loctite come back later and unscrew the whole mess? It has worked for me in the past.
Or tap it to a smaller pipe size and leave it in there use an adaptor to get back to the correct size if you think it's going to tear up the tank to remove it.

Jeff


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by mtntee20 » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:36 pm

Hello Bruce,

I believe you're too worried about sparks igniting gas vapors. YES, it is good to be safety conscious. There are ways you can put a purge on/in the tank to protect yourself while you work. Carbon dioxide or argon will do an exceptional job. While some of us have these items, most of us do not. I have seen and been a part of welding on fuel tanks. The first way is to keep them full of fuel. The fuel itself will not explode. It's the vapors you must address. Thus, welding below the fuel surface will and has worked just fine. With your tank in the car and you working under the tank, filling the tank is not an option. So, let's do the next best thing and fill it with a nearly inert gas: Exhaust from another vehicle. Many mechanics and welders will run a hose up the exhaust pipe of their service vehicle, start the engine, let the engine run, and put the other end of the hose into the fuel tank requiring repair. In your case, you "might" make a spark, or you "might not." Filling the tank with the exhaust will give you an excellent safety margin while working on the broken piece.

I have used the saw cut method and have had success. I recommend starting with two cuts to remove about a quarter of the piece. Doing this will allow enough room to get the small section out. Next, you can cut the remaining area in half since there will be adequate room for removal. My biggest worry is damaging the threads in the tank portion. I found using a hack saw blade for most of the cut and then a knife-edged file to go down to the top of the tank side threads works very nicely. A small chisel or punch and a hammer will break the remaining bulb threads with minimum damage to the tank threads.

Good Luck,


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Dan McEachern » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:41 pm

Yup- split the remains with a hack saw blade- you can buy a simple blade handle at most hardware stores that makes the job easier. You might have to grind the blade width down to get in thru the hole but...…… go slow, you don't want to cut into the tank fitting threads.
2 or three cuts should be plenty.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:50 pm

Would it be safe to drill out most of the broken cast iron piece with a DeWalt brushless battery powered drill and lots of oil over the drill bit to flood any potential sparks?? .......or should I be going anywhere near a gas tank with that kind of drill??


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Norman Kling » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:04 pm

I think the easy out might be the best way to get it out. I don't know whether there is enough snout left on the fitting from the tank to get a small pipe wrench or even a vise grip on it, but if you can do so, you might be work between the vice grip and the easy out so as not to put so much strain on the tank or the fitting soldered to the tank. Try a long handled wrench on the easy out and tap it with a hammer to act as an impact wrench. push on the wrench as you tap on it. you might need a helper to do the tapping while you hold the vice grip and the wrench. With the tapered pipe type thread, once you get it started, it should come right out.
Then if you are able to remove it and install the new one, fill the tank and check very carefully for any leaks at the pipe thread and also where the fitting is fastened to the tank.
Good Luck,
Norm


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Pat Branigan Wisc » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:15 pm

I've had good luck making a couple slits then using an internal pipe wrench. Internal pipe wrenches work well when you don't want to mark up the outside of a pipe.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bryant » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:36 pm

For what it’s worth if you use the easy outs shown you usually only need a wrench the size required to turn it out. If you use the proper size stubby ez out it won’t put anymore pressure on it than needed to remove it. If that doesn’t work then maybe it’s worse than we thought? Do you have a picture?
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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by RajoRacer » Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:43 pm

How "rusty" was the original bowl ? I've torqued on some pretty tight ones to get them to move but can't say I've ever torqued one off ! I'm also in the hacksaw blade route.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Tue Dec 07, 2021 11:22 pm

Thanks for all the input guys. The sediment bowl that I broke off was not very rusty but it was in very tight to get the proper orientation. My plan of attack right now is to temporarily plug the hole with a rubber plug, add maybe a quart of oil to the empty tank (enough to flood the outlet area inside the tank), and then drill two small holes into the broken cast iron to save a lot of hacksaw cutting (I'd have to plug one hole before drilling the second), remove the big plug, let the oil drain off and finish the job with a trimmed down hacksaw blade. I should be alright as cast iron isn't like hardened steel as far as giving off sparks is concerned, and I'll be drilling through cast iron into a pool of oil, so I'll try it tomorrow. If you hear a big boom from the frozen North........there just might be a sale of used T parts including some nice carburetors coming soon. Thanks again : Bruce

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by TFan » Tue Dec 07, 2021 11:48 pm

Bruce, You might check to see if you can find a set of internal pipe wrench's, here's pictures of my set. Jim
IMG_1739.JPG
IMG_1740.JPG
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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:13 am

Tanks Jim, but the hole is maybe only 3/8" diameter so I'd probably be drilling out the wrench as well as the broken sediment bowl part. Those tools work well on big stuff though. Thanks again; Bruce


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Don D » Wed Dec 08, 2021 6:41 am

Bruce,

I would suggest if you decide to drill that you find reverse twist drill bits that come with some easy out sets. This should not only remove material of the broken off shutoff but will loosen not tighten the joint.

Best of luck,

Dom

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Humblej » Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:23 am

This has turned into something bigger than ever thought. At this point I would suggest removing the gas tank from the car, cleaning it out, and working on a workbench in good lighting. 26-27 gas tanks are not being reproduced, so a good tank needs to be treated with care.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bryant » Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:29 am

Also beware of the drill bit or ez out length. You don’t want to accidentally go thru the back of the tank.
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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by TXGOAT2 » Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:41 am

I would not use a power drill around a fuel tank. Period. Plug the hole in the broken stub with
a wooden plug, or tap it and screw a plug in, and put a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank and let it soak for a day or two. Then use Eze Outs and patience. Adding about a quarter pint of acetone to the MMO will enhance its effect, but will add to the explosion hazard. GENTLE, persistent tapping on an EZout will often loosen a stuck thread. Use a small hammer and lots of very light taps. A brass hammer is ideal for this.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Jim Eubanks » Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:52 am

Go to your nearest super market and get a bunch of dry ice then, after you have siphoned out all the gas, put the dry ice in. It will kill the vapors and can do what ever you want to safely.

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by ModelTGal » Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:45 am

Years ago I worked across the street from a company that manufactured gas tanks for RV's.

They would take custom orders and make them from scratch, seal them up, do a pressure test and if they leaked fix the problem and re-test.

They had 1 guy who didn't understand the whole "fumes" issue, and not once but twice failed to deal properly with the fumes from the sealant they used and the tanks exploded when he went back to weld the leaks.

Thankfully he wasn't injured either time (lucky dog) but seeing those rather think (and large) fuel tanks shaped like a balloon was quite sobering. (Not to mention frightening as heck when they exploded!!)

Pls be careful!!

Jennifer


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Wed Dec 08, 2021 9:53 am

Bryant: Thanks for posting that picture as It clears up some concerns I had. Again, thanks to all that contributed ideas, once again demonstrating the quality and value of this great site. Bruce

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Mark Gregush » Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:13 am

My concern at this point, with as tight as you said it was and all the twisting, hopefully the solder has not come loose, and you end up with a leaker. Once you get the broken piece out, install a plug and test to check.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Norman Kling » Wed Dec 08, 2021 11:21 am

You'd be surprised at how flamable the fumes from gasoline are! Many years ago, I bought a used gas tank from a wrecking yard. I was making a strange car with a 22 Dodge body on a 29A Ford chassis. I needed a place to put the gas tank. So I decided to install it in the trunk of the Dodge Roadster. This tank had been in a Chevrolet in the wrecking yard. I needed to move the filler neck seal up the hole in the side where the neck had been. I filled the tank with water and tried to use an actaline torch on it but couldn't get it hot enough to weld, so I drained all the water out and put the torch to the metal and the tank jumped about a foot off the ground!
So be careful of sparks.
Norm


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:48 pm

For sure Norm,that's my concern as this isn't a Chevy tank...lol... and it firmly installed in a pretty nice original '26 Ford coupe....that's inside a pretty nice shop, so I really don't want any "boom". Bruce


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by ModelTWoods » Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:54 pm

Bruce, if it hasn't been mentioned by anyone else, the fitting to which the sediment bowl screws into is riveted and soldered to the bottom of the tank. As hard as your sediment bowl was to remove, it obviously required a lot of force or pressure on the wrench and sediment bowl to break the casting. Be real careful and securely support/hold the fitting on the tank bottom when applying any more pressure, less you break the solders grip and find yourself having to re-solder the fitting back to the tank to prevent leaks. Also, that connection, if I remember correctly is white metsl or something like it and can crack of break, easily. Go easy, my friend.


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Bruce Compton » Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:53 pm

Sure nice to have friends with professional tools. A buddy dropped by around noon with a professional grade easy-out and had the broken piece out of the tank before I could start complaining that it would never work........lol. Maybe 5-7 seconds elapsed time, and.....no big bang, no fire, no plugs, no drills, no hacksaw, and no leaks.........and no expletive-deletive language, doesn't get much better. Time to take some beer bottles back and buy a proper easy-out for the next round. Thanks for all the great input. Bruce


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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Norman Kling » Thu Dec 09, 2021 4:46 pm

That's great!
Norm

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Mark Gregush » Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:55 pm

ModelTWoods wrote:
Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:54 pm
Bruce, if it hasn't been mentioned by anyone else, the fitting to which the sediment bowl screws into is riveted and soldered to the bottom of the tank. As hard as your sediment bowl was to remove, it obviously required a lot of force or pressure on the wrench and sediment bowl to break the casting. Be real careful and securely support/hold the fitting on the tank bottom when applying any more pressure, less you break the solders grip and find yourself having to re-solder the fitting back to the tank to prevent leaks. Also, that connection, if I remember correctly is white metsl or something like it and can crack of break, easily. Go easy, my friend.
I am pretty sure it is a bronze casting, at least the one I have is.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Sediment bowl broken off in my '26 gas tank

Post by Craig Leach » Fri Dec 10, 2021 4:12 pm

This has a happy ending. Just a couple of notes on some of the thoughts on this. As far as drilling out the fitting slow turning pneumatic drills are a option. Almost all penitrating oils are flamable. Exhaust is a scarey prospect, the fist gas tank exposion I witnessed was using exhaust. Make sure the engine is warmed up & the choke is off, there are no miss fires, there are no leaks in the exhaust that will draw air in & that it has no smog pump.
The end result was a near death expieriance and a trip to the wrecking yard for another tank that was flat instead of round. I had refused to do the repair and was twenty feet away. Scared the hell out of me and I thought I was nearly fearless back then.
Craig.

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