ejparrott Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 Day's not going quite according to plan but I have now got the last bits for the main body of the tank. You can see how the original tank baffle sort of sits in my spare tank now...It's shaped a bit differently but you get the idea. I was hoping to get on and weld it up today, but the weather's not great, and I've a delivery coming sometime during dinnertime...no idea what it is..dog food came yesterday so it's a bit of a mystery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Looking good! And heavy. Is the fuel sender separate from the fuel pick up? On mine (1980) it's all the one unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 Separate on mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted October 19, 2015 Author Share Posted October 19, 2015 I've finished off welding up the main body of the tank this morning, now it's ready for the rear mounting bracket, pressure test, trial fit and front/side mounting brackets, plus paint. I'm going to start some of the painting as soon as it's pressure tested, just leaving the sides where the front mounts are going to be and a suitable point for earthing.This shows the pads I've welded to the inside for the sender unit and the pick-up and return pipesAnd the fully welded main tankIf Holly works from home tomorrow I'll have a measure for where the rear mount needs to be and what size it is and go and see if I can get a bit of plate cut for it ready for the end of the week. Still going to be a little while before it's ready to fit but it should be in within the next month or so. I've managed to loose my spare pick-up pipe somewhere...put it down and now can't find it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sparkes Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 ... I've managed to loose my spare pick-up pipe somewhere...put it down and now can't find it..... You have shaken the tank to make sure it doesn't have an unexpected rattle, haven't you? :-) Some decent work there, well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted October 19, 2015 Author Share Posted October 19, 2015 lol, I have...for a minute when I was welding on the big top I couldn't remember for certain if I'd recovered ALL the magnets I used to hold the smaller lid in place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 That tank looks great! Top job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 17, 2015 Author Share Posted November 17, 2015 I've given the tank a test at 4 PSI this morning which it's failed, I've got a number of pin holes on the top plates where welds have started and finished. Annoyingly I've also got a leak on the filler neck and one of the drain tubes, which I didn't expect as they're welded both sides fully. I'll hopefully pick it up Thursday weather permitting and tackle them, should be good then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 Start of fitting-new-tank week, been a bit delayed after spending two mornings pressure testing and curing leaks. I've got one corner that I must have ground out and re welded a dozen times and it still kept blowing bubbles. There's still a tiny weep there now but the tanks not normally pressurized, so a few coats of paint and hopefully it'll be fine. I'll no where to look first if it does start leaking. I've lit the stove in the conservatory to warm it up so I can get some more paint on it, I had hoped to have that done already, so The 109 is under the carport ready to start, but I've not pulled the old tank yet just in case. The wife will need the 88 to go to work next week so if I need anything I'll need The 109, but I think I've got everything anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lo-fi Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 You could pull a very mild vacuum while painting that area, get it to draw into the pinhole a little. Can be very effective. Lovely work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 That's a good idea, didn't think of that! Be worth trying if I do get a leak, I've got a vacuum bleeder I could rig to do it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Why not get yourself the bits to do a dye penetration test? That would show the leak up pretty sharpish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Just hope the paint is fuel-proof, or it'll just eat through it and leak anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deep Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 You could get some silver solder (something like easy-flow) and run it along the suspect area. Done with sufficient heat and a proper flux, it seeks out all the little pin prick holes and sticks much better than paint... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Or use a proprietary fuel tank sealer, loads out there on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lo-fi Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Peening/caulking it with a small, blunt punch around the leaks might help too, depending on their location and size. I've been learning the dark arts of loco boiler making, which involves sealing lots of metal to metal joints. It still amazes me that a rivet or even a stay in a threaded hole can be permanently sealed using no sealant, against 200psi steam, over hundreds of thermal expansion cycles just by impacting the plate around the joint. And it's all worked cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 I'm a model engineer, I know all about silver soldering and boiler making. Trying to use it on this tank would result in far too much warping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 You not got a tame TIG welder around anywhere? That would fix the problem area as you have a controlled start and stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Ambersil make dye penetrant & developer in aerosols for not bad money (sold by many places including RS), although now you've welded the lid on it may not be practical. POR15 make a fuel tank sealer you pour in & slosh around. As said above, very few paints or sealants will live in fuel permanently, even ones which are "fuel tolerant". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 I don't think it's a big leak, and I don't *think* it's actually going to cause a problem in service. At the moment I'm building up the mounting brackets and getting the pickups fitted to the tank. While having warm-up and tea breaks, I've been looking at the liquid tank sealers, that will be my most likely answer to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Have you tried running a 2nd bead over the top of the leaky weld? Might just do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenstream Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Would there be anything wrong with makeing a cut with a thin cuttingdisc where the two panels meet and then make a new hot weld ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenstream Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Double post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Have you tried running a 2nd bead over the top of the leaky weld? Might just do the trick. Yup...tried that! Must have ground it out a dozen times and rewelded it! Would there be anything wrong with makeing a cut with a thin cuttingdisc where the two panels meet and then make a new hot weld ? Yup...and that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted November 25, 2015 Author Share Posted November 25, 2015 Well it's nearly all in. Hangers are made and waiting for paint to dry, tank mounts have been made and welded on. Need to make my special bolts in the morning, drill the rear holes and it'll be fitted before lunch...hopefully permanently! Had to drop the exhaust off to get the mounts better but I'm okay with that. I like the 300 exhaust setup and it's easy enough to drop, and that's the bit that's likely to get changed any time, rather than the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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