Anybody Know of anyone competent at welding fuel tanks???

[hairygit]

Hi there, my 75 750F1 fuel tank gave up the ghost recently and commenced leaking fuel big time, a full tank gone in 3 days! I took it off and found several small holes along the bottom edge near the fuel tap. Sealed these with Petro patch, which seemed to do the job. In the meantime, found another tank on fleabay, hand painted a vile shade of "toilet blue" (only way I can think of describing it!) It duly arrived, so I thought I'd have it sandblasted and painted as it is undented and free of filler, but before I could do this, the original started leaking again, same side as before, but forward of the fuel tap this time, so reluctantly I fitted the toilet blue one. Guess what, after 3 days that one started leaking from the same area! Getting pi##ed off by now (petrol at

[matthewmosse]

I've done it to diesel tanks and so long as they are really well flushed with water I've been happy enough to braze up holes but distortion is the main bug bear I've had. Give it a go, you can braze weld using propane I think though I have oxy Acete so use that, fraid I'm too far away to help, plus in the closing stages of a house rennovation so not even got time for my own bikes.

[hairygit]

The thought had crossed my mind, but I think it really needs the bad bits cutting out and new metal "let in", and it seems to be seeping through th side of the seam where the side meets the base, like the rust is porous. I can weld quite well, but I'm no sheet metal worker, and repairs to that seam would take a very skilled person to do it so it wouldn't show too badly when painted, but thanks for taking the time for the suggestion

[Bryanj]

Try looking for a local radiator repair shop they usually will do tanks

[ritchie-k1]

Try using this product or something similar http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Petrol-Tank-Sealer-Bsa-Ajs-Vellocete-/370537327167?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item5645beea3f

I've messed about welding and brazing tanks before using oxy/acetylene but I used to fill the tank with water first. The water displaces the petrol fumes which as you probably know are really difficult to remove, and just a slight amount of fume igniting is enough to scare the shit out of you! oh and anybody else that's there too!. I would use a chemical sealer like the one in the above link which puts a skin inside the tank that I believe lasts around 10 years if done properly.

[K2-K6]

If it's porous over a small area then brasing can usually get it quite well, some decent flux and well wired brushed first allows it to flow nicely.

The fumes problem is easy, just get a pipe onto car exhaust and poke it into the tank to make it inert.

You can get a "putty" (not sure of the name) that you put onto the painted outside to stop heat build-up in the outer surface, I've seen welding done this way without any affect to the paint but you have to do it a bit at a time to avoid building up too much heat.

Just a bit off beam but just read about a process of Flame spraying using zinc to repair old panels for classic vehicles etc that could be suitable for your needs. There are various contact details in the magazine if you need any.