body work, welding etc

[geraldchainsaw]

ok,  I'm going to ask what might be a stupied question,  but I'll put it out there any way.     when I get a new old car  towork  onb,  and it needs lots of rrear wheel quarter panel and other work around the gas tank,   and I don't want to take the gas tank off,  has any one drained it filled it with water so it can be worked n the area in case there might be any fumes?    thanks   jerry

[John Palmer]

My vote is to pull the tank if you have any welding/grinding to do anywhere near the tank.  The extra time it takes, is very short compared to the time it would take to repair the fire damage to the car and shop.  But I bet you already knew all of that because you were in doubt.

I would be more concerned about working on a car with a half empty tank, than a completely full tank.  Gas does not burn without oxygen and ignition.  Duct tape the filler and the vent line at the very least.  It's not that hard to drop the tank.  It's almost impossible to remove 100% of the gas even turning the tank upside down with it off of the car.  The radiator shop I used to use punched a hole in every tank in the lower corner just so they could drain the fuel.  They soldered a copper penny over the hole after they were done working on it.

Another body work consideration is sparks around the battery.  Most of us keep a collector car on a battery tender and the fumes are very combustible.  Remove all batteries and store away from your working area.

Nice car.

[mustang6984]

What John said. And to be honest...to be REAL smart...fill it to overflowing with water if you are working on the tank. Even though a full tank of gas shouldn't burn...all it takes is a little fumes to escape and then you are trying to make explanations to the fire department, the insurance company and your wife. Drop the tank. Or foolproof...let a professional do the job.
JMHO's!

[Ford Blue blood]

I have found that taking the tank out is the best and easiest way to stay safe.

Another thing I have found is to clean a tank for welding and such is I rinse it several times with plain ol wash lacquer thinner followed buy running a hair dryer into the fill tube for a couple of hours.  Wife made me buy my own!

[RICH MUISE]

Yes, Laquer thinner, and it is also good for checking for leaks. After I welded up my recessed fuel pump "box" into the tank, I put some blue dykem into some laquer thinner and used that for leak checking, figuring clear laquer would be really hard to spot leaking thru a pinhole, but the dykem would leave a blue tinge. You don't want to leak check welds with something that doesn't dissolve quickly and cleanly in case you have to go back with the weld.

[thomasso]

Coat your welds with green wicking Locktite.  It will seal any pinholes.

[abe_lugo]

If you are working on the tank itself remove it.

If you are working on the qtr panels and still need to have a running driving car, use a welding blanket.

As soon as you remove the tank for extended period of time you have non-driving project car.

Exhaust guys weld all around tanks all day long and no TV/Movie explosions happens. The usually use a welding blanket or have some weld towns in certain spots.
But I have had multiple exhausts done and the guys is just there welding away.

Farts are explosive if you get a flame close enough.

[mustang6984]

Farts are explosive if you get a flame close enough.

LOL!!! Yes...they are! Ask Mike Murphy of Chaminade High class of '71 Best night in the dorms that year!!!

[Wirenut]

I used to remove underground fuel tanks and rinsed them with water and a degreaser the best I could through the limited openings. I never removed a tank without putting dry ice into them to remove the oxygen. Dry ice is cheap and can be purchaed at most grocery stores. One can drain the fuel and rinse, drop broken pieces into the filler neck and plug the openings with exception of a 1/8" hole to allow pressure relief. Dry ice produces CO2 and displaces the oxygen,thus no fire potential. A small fuel tank on a vehicle should only require a pound or 2.
Dry ice will burn so gloves are a must. Better safe than sorry.

[RICH MUISE]

good info Kerby! Thanks for posting it.

[geraldchainsaw]

ok,  everyone agrees,  drop the tanki.    ok,  another dumb question ,  since I would be moving the car in & out of the garage,  could I rig up a bottle and entend a gas line to it,  and would be easly rmoved when working on the car?,   what I'm thinking of working o n is a full size bronco,  1978 to 1993 or so,   thanks    jerry

[mustang6984]

Harbor Freight...wheel dollies. Safer...and they will come in handy for other projects down the road.

[John Palmer]

The dollies are a good suggestion.  But if your like me, I have a very small lip from the drive way to the garage floor, and it's more than one old guy can overcome.

How about this, take a old solvent/thinner metal gallon can.  Solder a copper 5/16" tube in the top of the can, run the tube down to the bottom of the can.  Fill the can half full, and leave the cap loose.  You could place the can under the hood, and run a rubber hose from the fuel pump to the can.  Chances are the battery will go dead driving it in/out of the garage before you run out of fuel.

[rmk57]

 A plastic gallon gas can and extend the suction side of the fuel pump with length of rubber fuel line hose. I've moved a few cars much farther than in and out of the garage / driveway this way.

[CobraJoe]

I used to cut open Mustang gas tanks to remove the fuel pump baffle for use in the custom gas tanks I made for the Cobras.
One of my neighbors saw me dumping water out of a gas tank and called the fire department and said I was dumping gas down the street. Well, the fire dept. showed up and obviously saw that it was water and asked me what I was going to do. I explained that I needed to cut the tank open and he instructed me to use Tide laundry detergent when I rinsed it out and it would remove all the gas residue and vapors.
This actually works very well and I have done it probably 25-30 times with no issues. A couple of rinses with water & Tide and it comes out clean. Clean enough that the first time I did it, I threw a lit match into the tank expecting it to blow and nothing happened. I was able to cut them open with a plasma cutter with zero issues.
Just be sure to clean and rinse it thoroughly.