where around Christchurch to get a crack in an alloy fuel tank welded.

[Spargs]

I have a developing leak in a weld on my boats alloy fuel tank. Can anybody suggest who around Christchurch might be able to repair this. Im out in Darfield so my side of town for preference.

Cheers
Steve.

[dannyb]

I have a developing leak in a weld on my boats alloy fuel tank. Can anybody suggest who around Christchurch might be able to repair this. Im out in Darfield so my side of town for preference.

Cheers
Steve.

Reuben from riverpro could probably do it and he's based in Oxford
http://www.riverproboats.co.nz/

[Tones]

Loctite make a product for the repair of petrol tanks and radiators, its good stuff and if applied correctly will last for the life of the tank.

[boomski]

Jet Seeker are down the road in West Melton. Lindsay and Gareth are great and will get you back out boating pronto.

[lachlan]

get a cake of soap and grind some into it. alloy tape over it . problem solved

[Jeff B]

get a cake of soap and grind some into it. alloy tape over it . problem solved

This will make it a lot harder to fix it properly down the track! Not a wise fix in my books.

Check why it's cracked, may be a design/mounting fault which may keep happening.

[Spargs]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. Ive got the tank out being welded up, but found the suggestions about the loctite product and the soap trick interesting too, more than one one way to skin a cat as the saying goes and the soap trick is a good one to have up your sleeve if youre stuck somewhere and need a way to block up a crack to get home. Maybe need a chunk of soap in the toolbox as well (it'll fit right in there with the kitchen sink)
Thanks again.
Cheers
Steve.

[Paul]

A few months back, there was some mention of a product designed for use in motorbike tanks to seal them up - can't recall any more details though.

Re welding up of cracked tanks, several very experienced welding guys have suggested it is an extremely risky job. This is as you never manage to get all the fuel vapours out, which means you have essentially got a bomb in your hands, that you're heating to 1000°C.....

[Spargs]

Thanks Paul. RE the welding, thats why I was looking for suggestions for people experienced in welding up tanks that have had fuel in them. Plenty of people are happy to weld up new tanks but as you say a used tank has a lot of potential to go bang in a bad way so was looking for someone who knows what they're doing and can do it safely.
Id certainly be interested if you remember the name of the product you heard about.

Thanks, Steve.

[Paul]

Id certainly be interested if you remember the name of the product you heard about.

There looks to be a few options about:
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fuel+tank+sealer&biw=1280&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=d4AtVdbSBoK1mAXLioCgBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ
However they mention rust etc, so I don't know if they would work at all with alloy.

[Waughloch]

I have welded up petrol tanks before. Remove from the vehicle
 Remove fuel gauge sender unit and fuel pump if in tank
DO THIS OUTSIDE NOT IN THE SHED!
Now drain out all remaining fuel then get some heat proof pipe put it INTO the exhaust pipe of a car and other end into the fuel tank.  Start engine and let the exhaust gas full the tank let it run FAST IDLE  for half an hour. The exhaust fumes have no oxygen left and the fuel tank is now HOT FROM Exhaust flowing through the tank which evaporates the hydrocarbons (fuel) and the flow of exhaust flushes them out of the tank which is purged of oxygen and is now filled with exhaust gasses . With the engine still running and exhaust flowing into the tank ! You can start welding it up.
You can use a big high wattage electric soldering iron and Aluminium solder and special Flux paste and fix it without the sparks and flames. Remember that it has to be CLEAN as a dinner plate for the solder to bond.