Have you ever welded or bonded a sump to fuel tank?

[econo racer]

Can you buy a 2 part expoxy instead of dangerously welding. I have never in stalled one but want to learn how.

[Caprimaniac]

after flushing the tank X times w / weater & detergent, fill it With water & weld away.

[Racer71]

Yep water it down wash a few times and go for it, done it plenty of times.

[turbo camino]

Solder is better at preventing rust, as you don't have to grind off the original zinc/lead coating on the tank. The sump can also be tinned inside & out before installing too. No open flame = no boom.

[prairiehotrodder]

I've welded on lots of sumps and had one close call. When flushing the tank its possible that an air pocket can hold gas fumes up high. Now i take them to a local shop that uses come chemical steam cleaning process to flush the tank before i do any cutting / welding.

A kid was killed nearby a few years ago cutting into a barrel that exploded.

Brian

[6.50camaro]

I used compressed nitrogen to purge the tank after cleaning . The nitrogen displaces the oxygen in the tank creating a non flamable enviroment . Used the purge when I cut the first side off with a angle grinder and cut off wheel . I narrowed the tank 4"s each side to fit the moved in leaf springs and added a sump .

[1972ho]

I had a shop weld or braze my sump to a stock 1969 mustang fuel tank and it worked out great.

[econo racer]

I am going to take the tank out and flush it good with Dawn and water. Then set it up right sand were I will weld try 030 wire. Start at top and pull puddle down with light taps on weld. This will be my 1st so I will take my time. Anyone got pictures of how its down?

[econo racer]

So is soldering better?

[77cruiser]

Probably tig would be the thing. I narrowed a tank 40 yrs. ago welded it with oxy acetylene.

[ProPower engines]

Back in the day we used to use a brushless motor vacuum after draining and flushing any raw fuel from the tank.
Now this can't be done with any vacuum only a brushless motor as fumes will light if conditions are right not every time
but it will at some point. The use of grade C nitrogen to blow dry will help dissipate fumes as well.

We would use a wire feed or TIG welder to weld the sumps to stock type tanks but I would always have a vacuum
source applied to constantly remove fumes. the weld was always better when using a feeder system cause it would help
with penetration as long as the negative pressure was no more then 2 inch's of vacuum to just keep any fumes from
rising up to the welded area.

[turbo camino]

Is this for the G-body? Still using the stock tank?

When's the last time you had the tank out and had a look inside? If it been a while (or never) you might not be real happy with what it's like in there. Replacement tanks & sending units are readily available and pretty cheap (be glad you don't have an Elky or a wagon), I would just buy a new tank and solder the sump on and replace the whole mess as a unit.

[econo racer]

It is a malibu wagon 79 model. So I will buy a new tank. Has set for 12 yrs. May be just weld a fuel fitting to the lowest point.

[turbo camino]

Well heck, wagon tanks are available. I thought they were near impossible to find a while back?

The coating on the Spectra tanks will take solder beautifully without any special flux or anything.

[enigma57]

See if you can find a new tank that has a threaded drain plug at the lowest point. Then substitute a fitting and attach your fuel line there. If you want to keep a drain plug, use a tee fitting. Plug or petcock at bottom and attach fuel line to side outlet.

HB