Leaking Tank
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
Leaking Tank
Just fixed (soldered up) my front Tank on my 91' F-350.
There was a bunch of salt, sand that built up behind the plastic rock guard that protectes the front of the tank from getting hit by rocks. All that built-up between the tank and the guard cause some pitting corrosion which eventually ate several pits thru the tank.
You might want to remove your guards and coat your tanks before it is too late. Your can remove the guard by simple dropping the front clamp that secures the tank. The hard part about this job is removing the metal guard that protects the bottom of the tank (rusty bolts).
I coated the tank with a thick asphalt undercoating before I put it back and won't bother with putting the plastic guard back, only the metal guard that protects the tank bottom to prevent future build-up.
Seb....
There was a bunch of salt, sand that built up behind the plastic rock guard that protectes the front of the tank from getting hit by rocks. All that built-up between the tank and the guard cause some pitting corrosion which eventually ate several pits thru the tank.
You might want to remove your guards and coat your tanks before it is too late. Your can remove the guard by simple dropping the front clamp that secures the tank. The hard part about this job is removing the metal guard that protects the bottom of the tank (rusty bolts).
I coated the tank with a thick asphalt undercoating before I put it back and won't bother with putting the plastic guard back, only the metal guard that protects the tank bottom to prevent future build-up.
Seb....
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
Tank repair
As for cost by the time you add pulling the gauge, probably a new gauge if you are going that far, new gasket, new locking ring plus labour you are looking at a significant bill.
If you know how to weld a diesel tank than that will save you a lot of money.
Safety first of course....
Seb....
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
Working on a diesel tank is nothing close to the danger involved with a gas tank.
I have brazed a diesel tank that still had a bit of fuel in it.
A gas tank, they can blow even if the have been bone dry for a week.
In the off road world, the mud gets packed between the skid plate and tank bottom.
When I replaced the first set of tanks, the bottoms were rotted out from that mud.
I have brazed a diesel tank that still had a bit of fuel in it.
A gas tank, they can blow even if the have been bone dry for a week.
In the off road world, the mud gets packed between the skid plate and tank bottom.
When I replaced the first set of tanks, the bottoms were rotted out from that mud.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
More leaking tanks
Well I finally got around to reinstalling my tank guard on my 91' on the weekend to finish off the front tank repair and just as I am lying under the truck I look over to my 93' and see some diesel dripping, sure enough the rear tank on it is now leaking. Along with my leaking hot water tank, my leaking toilet that needed repair and my leaking roof on the carport what else is going to start leaking next. Better keep that soldering iron plugged in. Arrrrghhhh.
Atleast all the above I can fix. Not sure sure about my own aches an pains.
Atleast all the above I can fix. Not sure sure about my own aches an pains.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
Rear Tank leak
Well buckets will have to do for the roof leak for now as my water main comming from the city to the house sprung a leak this weekend.
I did get the rear tank out of the 93' and it is badly corroded right under the two lines where the support plates are glued to the tank. The tank otherwise looks like new. As near as I can tell the goop Ford used to glue the tank to the supports plates is soaking up water and creating a very corrosive enviroment. It will take a bit more soldering to close up all the holes and probably some fibreglass to protect what's left of the tank bottom.
What next!!!!
Seb.....
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 387
Likes: 1
From: Bald Knob AR
The front tank on my 90 F350 started leaking over the weekend. Crawled under to see what the problem was and it had rusted out at the seams. No fixin it. Got a new one today from the local parts store for 103 bucks. Now if it would just jump on there.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 243
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From: Kremlin, Ok
You do realize that diesel will EAT asphalt, right? Not trying to make anyone feel stupid.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
I cleaned all that undercoating crap off mine and painted them.
The undercoating is fine, but in a couple years it dries out and starts cracking.
The the water and salt get in the cracks and under the undercoating.
Then dead tank the next year.
The undercoating is fine, but in a couple years it dries out and starts cracking.
The the water and salt get in the cracks and under the undercoating.
Then dead tank the next year.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
All leaking tanks
After all my leaking tanks I decided to pull the plates holding on my 91's rear tank that was just replaced 3 years ago by the fellow I bought the truck from.
Sure enought there already was lots of corrosion already again on the tank where it sits on the plates. Cleaned it up and coated it with Tremclad Rust paint and put it back together.
Good thing I checked, my break lines running along the drivers side frame rail are also pretty much rusted out and suprisingly have not yet started to leak. Well there is next weekends job.
I agree with Dave on the undercoating, a good rust paint is better as the undercoating will crack and cause corrosion eventually.
Seb....
Sure enought there already was lots of corrosion already again on the tank where it sits on the plates. Cleaned it up and coated it with Tremclad Rust paint and put it back together.
Good thing I checked, my break lines running along the drivers side frame rail are also pretty much rusted out and suprisingly have not yet started to leak. Well there is next weekends job.
I agree with Dave on the undercoating, a good rust paint is better as the undercoating will crack and cause corrosion eventually.
Seb....
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
From: s.e. wisconsin
i will never try to braze a gas tank again even though i know how to do it the right way last summer the tank in my friends jeep started leeking there were a few pin holes so i made some calls to see how to braze it we pulled the tank shoved the garden hose in it for a couple hours and let it bubble out the sending unit hole figured all the fumes would be out wrong!!! started heating it up and it ignited my cousin for some reason had his head over the hole for the sending unit he ended up with some pretty nasty burns and burned hair that was the first and last time i will do that now ill just spend the $100 on a new tank
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
Solder, don't Braze
[quote=88f150302;7300957]i will never try to braze a gas tank again
You got to be careful and you DO NOT BRAZE a tank, you solder it. No flame, just use a hot stick. Prepare the tank by steamcleaning it, grind the rust off, treat the area with Muratic Acid, apply some flux and then use the hotstick to melt the solder onto the tank. Works really well. You can cover large areas this way. (i.e. on a rear tank you can cover the entire strap contact area which is usually badly pitted with solder. There is no flame so some folks I know will do this on diesel tanks without even cleaning the tank, I am not that stupid.
Anyhoooow, the rear tank setup on the F-Series is not a very good design. I am amazed that tanks in wet climates like were I live even last 10 to 15 years like they do, I could not believe the corrosion on my 91's rear tank just after a new tank had been put in 3 years ago.
Seb.....
You got to be careful and you DO NOT BRAZE a tank, you solder it. No flame, just use a hot stick. Prepare the tank by steamcleaning it, grind the rust off, treat the area with Muratic Acid, apply some flux and then use the hotstick to melt the solder onto the tank. Works really well. You can cover large areas this way. (i.e. on a rear tank you can cover the entire strap contact area which is usually badly pitted with solder. There is no flame so some folks I know will do this on diesel tanks without even cleaning the tank, I am not that stupid.
Anyhoooow, the rear tank setup on the F-Series is not a very good design. I am amazed that tanks in wet climates like were I live even last 10 to 15 years like they do, I could not believe the corrosion on my 91's rear tank just after a new tank had been put in 3 years ago.
Seb.....
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,501
Likes: 5
From: Faibanks Ak.
i will never try to braze a gas tank again even though i know how to do it the right way last summer the tank in my friends jeep started leeking there were a few pin holes so i made some calls to see how to braze it we pulled the tank shoved the garden hose in it for a couple hours and let it bubble out the sending unit hole figured all the fumes would be out wrong!!! started heating it up and it ignited my cousin for some reason had his head over the hole for the sending unit he ended up with some pretty nasty burns and burned hair that was the first and last time i will do that now ill just spend the $100 on a new tank
Washing or filling a gas tank is not preparing it to weld. A gas tank will explode that has been empty for years.
One of the simplest ways is pipe your exhaust in it and you can use a cutting torch and cut it in half if you want to.