Weld up a leaking gas tank

Step by Step method I use to permanently seal a steel gas tank.
Brazing rod: amzn.to/26MQW3U
Repair it quickly without welders using epoxy: • Fix a Leaking Metal GA...
Rear 19gallon tank repaired on my 1978 Ford F-150 4x4
Last part of the video is Moab Utah Poison Spider/Golden Spike 4x4 Trail

[@wyattoneable]

I always learn something by coming here. That was a great repair and i loved the air across the hose to draw out the water tip.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+wyattoneable I was excited the first time I saw the water/air hose trick.

[@marcclad9112]

Excellent repair work man I was always afraid of the repairs of gas tanks for obvious reasons but you showed it could be done safely. I also love the tip on syphoning on the hose.

[@pixelpatter01]

I watched your tank repair method with interest as I've done a few and added necks and outlets to different spots. People need to be able to do repairs that would otherwise put their vehicle out of commission. I would guess one person in a hundred would even attempt this job; so good for you. I always soldered mine which isn't as strong but is much easier to do and gives a great seal. Your exhaust method works, and I've used it, but is suspect because modern cars inject enough air into the exhaust to burn the remaining CO and hydrocarbons. My first tanks were flushed with 79 cent cans of R-12, which gives you an idea how long ago that was. Almost any freon will work as long as it's not flammable. They all produce toxic fumes in a flame though so work upwind or hold your breath. As I got older and smarter I got some CO2 tanks, as used in beer tanks, and used them to flush the tank. Two ounces ,by weight, of CO2 will displace about 5 gallons of air. Obviously dry ice will work too. Nitrogen will also work as will Argon/CO2 mix. Surprisingly full tanks are less likely to blow up because they contain less air and the air they do contain is too rich in fuel or over the UEL Upper Explosive Limit. I don't recommend working on full tanks though; as a mistake makes a very bad scenario. Empty tanks are not safe either though. Don't be fooled by a tank can flash more than once as fresh air gets back into the tank and mixes with combustable vapors given off by you heating the metal. The bad news is then you might have molten metal present and you get it in the face. When there are pin holes like you have there, I like to tin the area around them and put a short sheet metal screw in the hole and then solder the screw head to the tank. Often people overlook the old fashioned heavy copper soldering irons which work extremely well on gas tanks and don't overheat the thin metal as a torch might. If you overheat the metal when soldering it gets a layer of oxide and won't tin. Thanks for the video.

[@fredfenske6957]

.9.ll,l.

[@LetGaiaLive]

Although Exploding Death might be a good name for a heavy metal band, it’s definitely not what you want when repairing a gas tank! Great job, and video.

[@customcutter100]

That's a great tip on running the exhaust through the tank. I remember trying to repair a couple of 5 gal tanks for the boat 50 years ago. Rinsed the tank 3 times and filled it with water, turned it upside down with the lid on it. Hit it with the torch and it jumped about 2 feet into the air. I went and got some JBweld to finish the tanks with. LOL Also loved the venturi syphoning trick.

[@imwteach]

Soldering with a soldering copper is much better and safer then brazing with an open flame, a process I learned decades ago the hard way! I love your confidence with a pole and the propane torch but the $30,000 truck is parked next to the tank!

[@BlockchainToTheFace]

Gary Hutchins More like $2500 ,that’s about a 2001 expedition

[@cubbeezx]

Nice fix! I really liked that siphoning trick.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+cubbeezx Thanks. I really like the siphoning trick as well and give full credit to the youtuber Zippovarga.

[@bufordt.justice4052]

ahhh, venturi!

[@yohancetaylor3939]

9:00

[@RinoaL]

thats a really nice truck, reminds me of our 1985 Dodge Ram we had for a long time.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Rinoa Super-Genius Thanks...

[@RinoaL]

sixtyfiveford did i say something bad?

[@sixtyfiveford]

I don't think so.... ?

[@RinoaL]

sixtyfiveford oh, sorry i misread that then. ussually "..." means somebody is pausing, like they arent happy with you. i was afraid id touched on a vehicle brand favoritism like how people bicker over dodge/ford/gm or whatever. haha

[@sixtyfiveford]

I guess I use the .... too much.

[@jaroninnis7588]

Excellent video. I've learned about this but never seen it done. Engineering courses did not stress ventilation, but adding water was a MUST. Flammability triangle is Oxygen, Fuel, and Ignition source, so filling it up with water removes Oxygen from the picture. So hot fuel (if trapped), cannot combust. Thanks again for the video!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JS-Galaxie500]

Think I'd move my truck out of the way before sticking a flame in the tank..!🤣

[@ClassALiving]

Sweet, this is exactly what i needed to see thank you!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Awesome.

[@GhettoWagon]

I love the idea hooking the tank up to the car exhaust, Heck yea that will work! I could of fixed up my 1956 Olds gas tank like that but I was young and dumb back then

[@michiganfarming1955]

Nice fix man that old ford looks good for her year to

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Michigan Farming She's been a great truck.

[@carlsaberhagen628]

Wow. You're a champion. I weld *new* tanks. Never had the male reproductive oval organs to weld on a used gas tank.

[@livevilife]

Lol , 👍👍

[@Wipsplash]

Great fix and I like how safe you were about everything.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Wipsplash Thanks.

[@edwardkawecki8101]

SAFE!!! M.A.

[@cutworm59]

You can also run exhaust from a running vehicle in the tank while you weld. Carbon monoxide will not burn.

[@walkingweapon]

That's what he did.

[@waynetrent754]

I have heard that also !!!!!!!!!

[@walkingweapon]

Wayne Trent I heard it too. In this video, because he said what he was doing... IN THE VIDEO.

[@cutworm59]

De-Ja-Vu

[@RobbsHomemadeLife]

another good one Moe, I want to come back in 30 years to see if you were right.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Robb's Homemade Life / Yeah well see.

[@SuperPropwash]

Actually it is the FUMES that burn. Look up running vehicles/engines of fumes here on KZbin. Pretty cool stuff. I have tried it on a small scale in my mower. It does work as long as you can make the fuel warm to help turn to vapor.

[@AldoSchmedack]

Very cool and makes sense. Trying to learn about cars.

[@DAS-Videos]

That hill looked like it was vertical. That is some truck you have there.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Dasdfjkl Thanks. It was steep.

[@retrorestore]

Nice repair, super siphoning trick. That JB Weld did a good job though for all those years. Cheers Martin

[@sixtyfiveford]

+retrorestore Yeah, I'm impressed with the JB Weld.

[@jonathangalvan7232]

Thanks very much for your expertise I appreciate listening to you and watching you

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@timthetoolman4575]

Another big money saving tip! I liked the siphon idea

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Tim theToolman Thanks. When I first saw the siphon trick I was impressed.

[@SteveRobReviews]

I like the fumes to dry out the tank and That climb looked like straight up, I'm not sure about doing that. LOL

[@sixtyfiveford]

+STEVE ROB Yeah, the camera saw more of the path than I did going up.

[@curiosity2314]

If you are going to take on a gas tank that is the way to approach it. All the caution and warnings are here in the video...

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Curiosity It can be dangerous for sure.

[@HERodriguezJr]

4:57 - "It goes HOOWOOSH" lol! Made my day!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks for watching.

[@1970chevelle396]

I solder up gas tanks . I normally take the air compressor blow gun and tape it down and tape it to the fuel filler pipe. Then I solder it. That keeps air blowing threw it so it doesn't build up any fumes. I've even done it with a vacuum cleaner before.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+1970chevelle396 What are you using for solder?

[@1970chevelle396]

Same Solder and flux for doing copper pipes.

[@advancednutritioninc908]

As always great Workmanship!! :)

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks for watching.

[@bobbyjohnnascar]

Good repair. I believe there is a liquid that you can put in the tank and slosh / rotate it around to seal the tank. Good videos.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Bobby John Yeah, I've quit a few stories of stuff. Mostly good but a few bad. This tank is rust free on the inside but definitely think a coating is a good idea on a tank that has a rusty interior.

[@hanskinslo326]

The strap on my '96 F150 collected moisture & caused my tank to rust, too.

[@sixtyfiveford]

That sucks.

[@hhova29]

Nice video. My mechanic showed me this morning that my little commuter cars gas tank showed some residue of gas and suggested it may be seeping because my car does have rust throughout. He suggested I leave it alone and drive it because the bolts holding it may be seized and will cause more issues for me and the car. He knows the car is sentimental to me being it’s my first car but suggested I look into another commuter. I don’t have these tools or know how you show but is there another suggestion in my case where I can coat the whole gas tank to preserve its life something like a a big tube of jb weld

[@TaiwanBobby]

This is a fantastic video!!! Great information and nicely put together. Thank you so much for this!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful.

[@DonaldAJr]

That's pretty cool and I don't know if you will comment or respond. Here's my question, is buying a new one from let's say eBay or Parts Geek a good idea? Maybe I'm just stupid but I'd think a tank from like the 70s or 80s would be twice as thick. Granted we understand Metal a lot better nowadays.

[@sixtyfiveford]

All the cheap tanks I've installed for people are horrible steel and won't hold up long term. That's why I chose to repair. Now if my tank was rusted on the inside everywhere I would have replaced it.

[@knoledgeful]

very informative, I really like the focus on being safe

[@ozzstars_cars]

Do your neighbors give you weird looks at night when they see you with a propane torch duct taped at the end of a 5 foot long pole? Mine don't. The old Ford has a few more gallons to drink now. Nice fix.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Ozzstar Yeah, I think they're used to it. I'm sure I'm the topic of discussion once in a while around the dinner table.

[@ozzstars_cars]

+sixtyfiveford your normal to me, the neighbors are the weird ones, pass the salt n pepper please lol

[@57WillysCJ]

There is a bunch of good tips in this video. Thanks.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+57WillysCJ Thanks Man...

[@2LateIWon]

i need bigger oxyacetylene tanks. i use it for lots of things but I've never tried brazing. man that was a step hill. as always great vid

[@sixtyfiveford]

+2LateIWon I had to horse trade from smaller to bigger over the years. It's darn near the same price to fill a huge tank as it is a small tank and they last forever.

[@2LateIWon]

Thats what Ive heard. I dont use mine all that much but when I do I tend to run out pretty quickly. (And Ive checked to make sure I had no leaks every time LOL) But I'm REALLY leaning toward bigger tanks.

[@slicaltimistic1]

Great job. That the answer Im looking for.

[@Subgunman]

I would have hit that area after a good clean up with two layers of epoxy primer followed by two layers of good paint and then undercoating, especially where those straps run to hold up the tank.

[@Fireship1]

More good tips and tricks. Thanks Moe!

[@hunt4fish]

Excellent job, is it still good. I did mine with silver solder and that worked fine as well.. Watch all your vids....great channel..take care. Happy New Year!

[@sixtyfiveford]

It is still holding up great. If I did it again I would probably go the solder route as well. Brazing can be time consuming and tedious as times.

[@MikeGuy993]

Great fix and great looking truck!

[@sixtyfiveford]

+MikeGuy993 Thanks Man.

[@pacificovw9522]

Thank you for taking the time to explain.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@RodderFiles]

great fix

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Rodder Files Thanks Man.

[@transdetendal]

HOoly shit , that was a steep incline !! nicely executed !!!! to your vid i might ad ,normal soder with the right flux and only electric soder iron , i made a alost half full gas tank on the car with lifted tail end to fit under , worked a treat ,but it have to be a big ass sodering iron tho ,this was a boat sodering iron a inch thick and took half hour to warm up but it worked ! some zinn 1 flux is gret for the job as flux!

[@sixtyfiveford]

+transdetendal I have a few massive soldering irons I just need some new flux to help bond the solder to steel.

[@transdetendal]

sixtyfiveford well that is a must!! i havent tryed it myself , but ive heard that pine amber is a real good flux! guess it isnt called amber when its still soft!

[@allenlin6880]

Center Enamel is the first and most experienced Glass-Fused-to-Steel tanks manufacturer in Asia. Center Enamel has more than 30 years of experience in Glass-Fused-to-Steel bolted tanks design, manufacture and installation.

[@rustyjeep2469]

???

[@aleblanc3547]

Excellent work!

[@sixtyfiveford]

+A LeBlanc Thanks. I seams to hold gas, so I accomplished my goal.

[@dentasla]

Thanks Man. I have a Lexus gas tank I have cut open to get the gas lines reattached and the rust cleaned out. I am now trying to figure out how to re-seal the partition I made. Hell I know my Dad could do it. He's too busy, I just need to go use his torch with brazen rods.☝✌🤕💜

[@sixtyfiveford]

You can also use lead solder with acid flux if you have huge areas to join.

[@1607rosie]

Mr Ford ,you know we gearheads like explosions and burnt eyebrows.!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Absolutely.

[@jakewilliams1]

i like the speeded-up bits!!.... i'd been thinking your videos are getting longer... i bet you could still edit it down shorter than 11 mins(?) . Would it be easier to cover the last pinholes with a thin steel patch on top of the melted brass, instead of relying on just the brass? .... jake williams, scotland

[@sixtyfiveford]

+jake williams People asked for longer and more detailed videos. This one is around 9 minutes without the summarize and off road clip. I'm with you on short videos but get bombarded with the same questions on "how to" videos that don't give enough detail. Brazing with brass is very strong and is/was used for structural repairs on projects for decades, so personally think another layer of steel was unnecessary.

[@jakewilliams1]

Thanks for the quick reply!........... especially i like the idea of using the exhaust as an inert gas... jw

[@sedighehhariri9049]

Hi, Very nice and great video. I have a gas tank that has been removed from the car for about a year and has been out side with no cap on it. It is completely dry inside and I do not smell any fume. is is safe to sand it with a sander that can generate spark? someone told me something with gas that it will never go away even sitting outside for 10 year

[@sixtyfiveford]

Personally I wouldn't have an issue sanding on. Leave it open to the air(don't cap it) and you'll be fine. I've heard the same and don't believe it if there is no smell.

[@chadmoyer1453]

Good job brother. God bless you

[@sixtyfiveford]

Hey thanks

[@kevinburgess6112]

nice video i learned a few new tricks from u. tnx

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

very good fix moe , Thumbs up !

[@sixtyfiveford]

+ShawnMrFixitlee Thanks Shawn.

[@hziegler]

Very informative, and makes sense. Thanks very much

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@yehah]

Hey man, great video. How long did you wait after you drained the water? The place I took my fuel tank to get welded used water as per your video and I have been draining the water from the tank since but am wondering what can be classified as enough waiting time to assume the inside is dry? Should I also pour some other chemical to absorb the water totally?

[@djmips]

he probably used the exhaust method to dry out the water too!

[@lestergillis8171]

You could also use dry NITROGEN or Co2. They are both cheap.

[@ellieprice3396]

Actually, you don't need to add water except to check for leaks. In addition to drying the inside, the inert exhaust gases will drive out the oxygen and leave the tank safe to weld. Leave the engine running while welding the tank. Gasoline cannot burn without oxygen.

[@sixtyfiveford]

The only purpose of the water is to reduce the size of air capacity. So just taking up space so if it does go POP it will be significantly smaller.

[@fieldsofomagh]

Hard to beat oxy/actl for heat application.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Tom OConnor It's one of my favorite tools.

[@wurzle48]

Great video again and very informative, keep um coming mate 👍

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@MajorCox777]

I've got an extra rear tank and straps still in the box in southern Ohio if you happened to need it.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Hey Thanks. I hope this one lasts a good long time now though.

[@thekamalwhf]

very useful knowledge, excellent video.

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Kamal Gill Thanks for tuning in.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

LOL man.....get a new tank! I recently had the same problem with an 86 toyota ---- the fuel pickup and return (carb version) in the tank were clogged with flakes of rust -- probably about 80% clogged on one and 100% on the other. After the tank was cleaned it sounded like a box of cornflakes when you shook it! LOL

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Slappy Fistwad There's not a single spot of rust inside the tank. It rusted in 2 small areas from the outside and will outlast a cheap Chinese steel tank ten fold.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

$140 is what I paid for tank Made in Canada

[@one4stevo]

Nice repair man

[@sixtyfiveford]

+one4stevo Thanks. It holds gas and so it's a good repair in my book.

[@nucleargator1]

hey man, got a question. how can I safely cut a 2000 gallon diesel fuel tank? most say fill with water, but thats a lot of contaminated waste water to deal with. any thoughts?

[@sixtyfiveford]

That's a big tank. The water itself shouldn't contaminate as the diesel will float on top and you can drain off the bottom. The little bit you have left can be left in the sun to evaporate. That being said it is a lot of volume of water. If the tank had a man size hole/hatch in it you could burn off the fuel first. I've heard of people purging it with CO2.

[@bobbyjohnnascar]

Could you solder those holes??? No open flame. Thanks

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Bobby John Yeah, you can use lead solder and an electric soldering iron. Or just use some JB weld and it'll outlast most vehicles.

[@adegboyegajames5543]

You mean JB weld lasted for 15years?

[@sixtyfiveford]

Yep

[@mr-t1243]

Holly crap are those tank straps stock.You could turn them into jack stands. Don’t make them like they use to

[@sixtyfiveford]

They are beefy.

[@ggordon4127]

That's the way to do it.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks for watching.

[@KitJBenn]

Your doing too much talking!! Which suggests to me that JB Weld is not all it's cracked up to be!! A view that seems to be supported on KZbin!!

[@markusgarvey]

I always have just let a water run through it for an hr, repositioning every 10 minutes or so and then use a shop vac on reverse in the hot sun for 2 or 3 hrs and never had even the smallest of flare up.

[@andrewstambaugh8030]

I work at an airplane company. Tanks are quite expensive - enough that we reweld any that don't pass. But we also have an explosive meter with a sniffer you can fish around to different places in the tank. It detects both fuel and oxygen, that is about 300x more accurate than any human sniff test. The tanks are cleaned out, then blown out for min 8hrs with high flow air with a nozzle & baffle system to ensure turbulent flow reaches all the nooks and crannies. Statistically, you can get away with rewelding a lot of tanks without cleaning them out properly, but eventually rolling that die catches up... Even water filled, you might think, "How can it blow? There's no oxygen." But you have heat and water (H2O), and when you have a localized heat spot (welding...) it can create a localized bubble and displace your inert fluid (be it an inert gas or water). Bzzzt....Bzzz-Boom. Mark, your method very inadequate, especially if it has internal gusseting. Glad you haven't had a tank blow on you. I know a welder (prior job) that has welded on fuel tanks many times in his life (marine). He washed his tank much more thoroughly than you described, and if he hadn't had a full face shield, he probably wouldn't have a face. It shattered his jaw into 23 pieces and came close to needing 2 fingers removed because they were smashed bad enough (tissue damage) that gangrene was a concern. He refused to let them remove the fingers, but can stiffly use his hand now after many years of painful recovery. If his son hadn't been visiting up at his house, he probably would have bled out on the shop floor... I'm not against people rewelding tanks, (like a said, we do it all the time at work) but strongly consider whether it is worth it. ($150-300 tank vs possibly maiming yourself)

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Cool thank you for sharing

[@1fanger]

Good tips, as usual, thanks

[@sixtyfiveford]

+1fanger Thanks for tuning in.

[@hank5655]

it's the C 02 coming from the vehicle the exhaust is what prevents the explosion, never try to find a gas leak with water because water is a way heavier liquid and won't leak where gas will instead just use air to pressurize the tank

[@revbikerbigd8664]

ivory dish soap foam gets rid of gas problem for soldering holes in tank, pennies work well!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Good tip.

[@queenofyeay]

Yeah, brazing it is probably the best way to go and pretty easy, BUT an even easier way is to solder or lead weld the hole closed, I've done that and had it work out quite well. PLUS you can use a heavy duty electric soldering iron...

[@sixtyfiveford]

+MISTERComaToes Solder is great.

[@IronMan-ml5yi]

Update on repairs? Is it still sealed?

[@sixtyfiveford]

Yes, it's still fuel tight.

[@peetky8645]

put chunk dry ice in tank

[@YouTubeCertified]

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a flame 🔥 Take care buddy. (Changed my channel name; formerly: Jesusmuzik)

[@sixtyfiveford]

I know right! Fire is always cool.

[@eastcoastlowlife1]

nice fix

[@sixtyfiveford]

+east coast lowlife Thanks for watching.

[@Rockxenez]

Cool.

[@sixtyfiveford]

Thanks Man.

[@joedirt1549]

Good job brother but I think it be easier just to buy new tank 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@sixtyfiveford]

Sure it is, but that makes for a crappy video.

[@joedirt1549]

That’s true your video was nailbiting I watch the whole thing

[@chrisstratton3430]

Gasoline engine exhaust is not a safe "inert" gas! I can't believe PPL still do this. If you have a miss or the engine is rich you are just making it a bigger bomb!

[@sixtyfiveford]

Any modern fuel injected engine made within the last 20-30 years is not going to be running rich.

[@pacheco464]

Fill up whith water

[@tblbaby]

very nice

[@sixtyfiveford]

+tblbaby Thanks man.

[@FredLarracuente]

Awesome. Question: could you use lead or tin to seal a gas tank pin holes?

[@sixtyfiveford]

For sure. Soldering steel works great.

[@GeorgeGardinier]

without as many smarts as i know now, in my 20's some 40 years ago i tried to do this on a 66 dodge gas tank. it did not go well. as i was trying to solder it the tank blew up to large pillow. everyone there laughed a lot. only later i learned to do it your way. young and dumb

[@sixtyfiveford]

+George Gardinier That'll keep you on your toes.

[@pacheco464]

And soap and let it run for a bit

[@mwskiko]

why cant you use flux core

[@sixtyfiveford]

Flux core will create holes upon holes and will never seal.

[@Chris-h3s5q]

Better safe then sorry

[@lobmin]

What about a gas tank from a two stroke, that has had oil mixed gas in it? Will the fuel it still evaporate as well?

[@sixtyfiveford]

The oil won't evaporate.

[@lobmin]

sixtyfiveford So the oil gets left behind?...would it be ok to weld with oil residue still in there? I would assume that, if anything, the oil would just slowly burn on the metal.

[@louieboe1164]

Nice

[@sixtyfiveford]

Hey Thanks.

[@gpowerdragon9852]

yeah my tip is get a plastic gasoline tank

[@sixtyfiveford]

+Len Vantil Those aren't immune to their issues and often crack.

[@johndemore6402]

Just let it dry naturally

[@carslover3509]

smart

[@thesquire6352]

ridiculously big truck

[@jeffro221]

Get back in your Prius and leave.

[@dontblameme6328]

Your more likely to die from carbon monoxide poisoning than a gasoline residue explosion doing this method.

[@RockCrushing777]

Never Never weld on a gastank!!!!.. too many men lost their lives at attempting to weld on gastanks. Buy a new gastank and save a life.

[@sixtyfiveford]

To each his own.

[@edwardkawecki8101]

Your comment is one of the very few on this video that makes sense. Unbelievable what is posted and believed on YT.

[@luckychucky3426]

I don't mean to be critical but if you've taken all the time to get that tank out why not just buy a new oneI bought a new one on my truck and it didn't break the bank

[@sixtyfiveford]

True. However, I have all the tools and skills to repair the original tank so why not? I'm leery of Chinese steel rotting out in a few seasons and I would be right back to putting a new tank in or dealing with clogged filters, carb, etc.

[@jamesobrien8668]

Just buy a new tank it's $80

[@sixtyfiveford]

That would make for a boring video and people would learn nothing.