Ok, before I hear any BS like are you fawking stupid, here is my dilema. I have my tank off of the Sidetrack cleaning out the damn sugar some Heep driving ahole had put in it. I really need to drill a hole in the corner of the tank to properly clean it. My Q is this, how or with what, do I need to be able to seal this hole up. I would prefer to weld a nut to the outside of the tank so I would be able to drain it easily in the future. I know how most people feel about welding a gas tank, but if no nut then what, JB Weld? What else would work so that I could drain it later, nut and bolt with washers, what? Is there anything I could put in the tank to prevent the thing from going :nuke: Any help would be appreciated.:confused:

Just run car exhaust into it and weld away, I do it all the time.

a safer thing is replace the tank

take it to a radiator shop and have it vatted they will clean it up real good

but if you must weld it was it out several times and then fill it completely with water
thats all i know

The exhaust is a good idea, the carbon monoxide prevents it from exploding, huh.

The vatting of the radiator shop I hadn't heard of before. I can't afford to throw it away and buy a new one, this one is in good shape, just needs to be cleaned. I think that I will call the rad. shop tommorow and see if he can do it for me. I also would still like to have a drain in the tank, anymore ideas on this?

B+M used to sell a drain plug set up for automatic trannys, just drill a hole and tighten it up with the washer and put the plug in it. it should work for gas you will just have to pull your sending unit or fuel pump witch ever one has the better location for the socket and long extension to go through. and prob. use teflon on the plug threads and loc tite on the larger threads.

I would replace it. The stock tank is really thin for welding.

I melt sugar for a living. Just take the tank and wash it out with hot water. Really hot water. Like from your water heater. If you do it enough and get the tank warm, it will evaporate the remaining water after you dump it all out.

A good washing at the radiator shop will probably do it for you pretty well. They are relatively inexpensive and will clean it out real well.

If you have an early tank, just use the stock drain plug. :rasta:

Just pull your tank out and clean it up with some hot water. Then bolt it back in. No need for any new holes.

-Wayne

After washing a quart of rubbing alcohol or witchhazel sloshed around will evaporate out the water.;)

Bryan---vent somebodys exhaust fumes into the tank....it can't explode with no O2.

Gas floats on water. Submerge the tank and turn it over 3000 times. All the gas may find it's way out the top. I have welded a tank after filling it up 2x w/water. No boom. Never heard the exhaust thing. Could use argon from the welder bottle too. I saw a guy throw a lit paper into an "empty" race gas drum. After the V2 rocket display in reverse, he torched it in 1/2 for a BBQ. I stood WAY back. MIKE

Thanks for the ideas, but the main concern is that I need the plug, and can't afford a new tank.
The B+M thing, I haven't seen this, but I think that I will check into it. I called my local radiator shop today, and he said that he didn't have a tank this wide. I think that I will just blow the bitch up and hope that the insurance will pay for the whole vehicle.:D
I'll tell you guys this much, it really sux not having any money to do anything. I bought this POS about 5-6 months ago, and have driven it a whole 3 fawking days. I paid $1500.00 for it with a burnt valve, and this terible miss that turned out to be SUGAR. The upside to all of this is that I may have some new parts for converting to all Sidetrack running gears, and rear axle. I also got new tires on the thing as well. Here's a pic...

Mike wrote:Gas floats on water. Submerge the tank and turn it over 3000 times. All the gas may find it's way out the top.

Mike, the main two things wrong with this cenario are, "turn it over 3000 times." , and, "All the gas MAY find it's way out the top." :flipoff2:

What, you don't like me?:D
You want me to get so tired of turning it over that I take out a loan and buy a new one?:D
Or, do you want me blown the fawk up trying out something very unorthadox.<sp :flipoff2:

Either way I really do appreciate the ideas. Thanks to all of you guys.
BTW, it is a '95 with 80,000, and 5 speed 16 valve. I mainly got it because the heater is better than a Sammi in the winter for my children. I really do love these damn things to much, because they are higher than H*LL to buy parts for unless you can get them off the intranet.:flipoff2:

I think you shouldn't do anything ahole. Or you could put your lips over the fillerneck and suck out all of the offensive vapors. Now you can tell me why you don't want to do that either. I submerged a radiator once and shook it to get the oil (blown gasket) out of it. Worked well enough. Sorry, I thought you might see the 3000 thing as exaggeration. I didn't want to personally vouch for you ability, hence the "might". Either way, you can still do the fillerneck thing. MIKE

Mike, sorry if I offended you. I was trying to poke a little fun your way. Did you not notice the smileys, or the thanks that I did express to you then the rest of the guys? If you didn't then just piss off.:mad:






















Chill doood, I'm joking with you again. I do thank you for the ideas. I probably will just fill and drain it a few times to finish cleaning it and then dry it all out and say FAWK IT.:)

BTW, has anyone actually looked at one of these tanks while its off and nothing in it(pump, sending unit.) It is very tight as far as getting my big ass hands and arms in it. I still think that i could pull off the B+M thing.

Be careful. Jim at the shop was fixing an exhaust stud (welding a nut onto it to try and pull it out) on his MB 6.9 and a spark went in the dipstick tube. The oil vapor blew up in the motor and blew both valve covers to bits. Would have killed him except he was under the car. The oil pan was steel and the VC's aluminum. Weakest link thing. Usually a gas tank just goes "fewf" out the filler neck and then you can weld away. I had to put a notch in the tank of my Bronco to clear the rear mounted PTO winch. We filled and drained it (with water) twice and welded it with no boom. The guy welding was happy with this, I would have done it 3000 times at least. MIKE
PS: Anybody know where to find a set of '71 Benz 6.9 valve covers?

First I have to say that, that is funny as hell. Next I have to say that I am glad that he didn't get hurt, but it is still funny. I was welding on some new exhaust pipe(since that is what I do all day long at MEINEKE) on an old Bronco II , when I start smelling gas. I stopped welding only to look and smell when I noticed that the tank had sprung a leak while in the shop. It had allready puddled up at my feet by the time I had noticed it. It was practically on my clothing. I mad a mad dash for rags and the fire extinguisher. I wiped it all up, put up some cardboard and continued welding.:angel: Thank GOD that I was able to finish the thing before:nuke:

BTW, Mike, don't I recognize you from the Topica site?

I'm not sure about Topica. I have to watch/post on a zillion boards to keep the Jeep 4.0 stuff alive. I am either getting pumped up or flamed somewhere every day. I come here to relax and not see any Jeep engine stuff (ever). I'm working (lie) on a Zuk (mostly) buggy and I lurk here for related poop. And the Bewbies (not much lately). And the high art style of bullshit only available on the PBB Zuk talk. Still can't place Topica though. Better Bewbies or BS? MIKE

Originally posted by Bryan_Sheets
First I have to say that, that is funny as hell. Next I have to say that I am glad that he didn't get hurt, but it is still funny. I was welding on some new exhaust pipe(since that is what I do all day long at MEINEKE) on an old Bronco II , when I start smelling gas. I stopped welding only to look and smell when I noticed that the tank had sprung a leak while in the shop. It had allready puddled up at my feet by the time I had noticed it. It was practically on my clothing. I mad a mad dash for rags and the fire extinguisher. I wiped it all up, put up some cardboard and continued welding.:angel: Thank GOD that I was able to finish the thing before:nuke:

BTW, Mike, don't I recognize you from the Topica site?

ha, that always sucks. Similar thing happened at our jobsite. Except it was about 50 gallons of fuel oil....next to 2 10 million dollar turbines.

Sounds like your in the GAVY. No harm intended. My shop foreman was a Master Chief, and we kid him about the service.

OK, I found this at my local parts house........
Part #65128. It is a drain plug kit that I plan on installing tonight. It is pretty much self explanatory. The little bolt has an o-ring on it that screws into the bigger bolt. The bigger bolt goes through the tank, with washers on either side then the big nut tightens it all up. Viola, instant drain plug. You can get this at any parts store that has the little red help tree's. Its cost was around $5.00.