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I once heard there was a way to remove a dent from an aluminum fuel tank using compressed air. Has anyone repaired one succesfully? My 74 pete 359 has good size dents in the bottom of each tank from bottoming out. They are the original tanks date coded. Or is there a jobber that can restore them? Thanks for any advice
Fred Kuhn St.Albans VT.With my hand on the wheel foot on the floor runin wide open wouldn't do no more 1974 Pete 359st 12v71n 13 spd 1971 Ford F100 4x4 390 4spd
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| I don't know about truck fuel tanks but I have seen large oil storage tanks repaired with air. They will fill the tank with water to max capacity and then put air to it to pop the tank back out. it sounds like an explosion when this happens. It also only works if the metal is not crinkled. If you were wondering how the hell a large oil storage tank gets dents in it this is what happens. If you have a mostly full tank and you are pumping the most of the product out of it and the roof vent sticks in the close position a very large amount of vacuum builds up in the tank. At the IMITT tank farm in Bayonne NJ they had this happen 1.5 weeks ago. It sucked the walls of the tank in about 5' at 6 places around the tank.
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| Do not use compressed air alone... The amount of stored energy in a fuel tank is very large. If you are set on trying to use pressure to pop a dent, fill the tank to the top with liquid (water) and slowly pump in air... Useing liquid alone with a small pump to force more in is even better, but if you have to use air, use something like a radiator testing pump to force the air in at a speed that you can control. You want the minimum of stored energy in the tank... when a dent pops, and the area increases the pressure should rapidly drop if you use very little air or water alone.
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I think the ideal of trying to pop with air is over rated but if you must then stop pumping air just right before it blows your what ever off. I can see how it who work i9f in the flat or on a flat surface but when it is bent like when you ran into a curb or another something that you did not see then looks to me only thing to do is undo the bend with a hammer on the other side.If you have a tank on both side the why not just put a dent in the other side to match this one. May be safer.
glenn akers
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and if the vent sicks in the closed position while you are filing the tank watch for a vent cap (a chunk of steel) falling from the sky fast enough you'll wish for a helmet and shoulder pads. Don't ask me why I know.. thud LOL
Eddy Lucast ATHS Online Division Charter Member
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I've seen patches on the bottoms of tanks and have known guys to have end caps cut out and new ones welded back in and couldn't tell it had been done. Now the crazy part and I'm only thinking out loud here but living in Vermont what would you have to lose if you too all fittings and vent off and plugged them and filled with water while it's still winter and see if it might swell the bottom ba ck out.
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| I was thinking that using compressed air would be a little scary but that makes sence using water and air. Lynn, thats a thought but would be hard to control and would probably end up splitting a seam
Fred Kuhn St.Albans VT. With my hand on the wheel foot on the floor runin wide open wouldn't do no more 1974 Pete 359st 12v71n 13 spd 1971 Ford F100 4x4 390 4spd
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Lynn Dearstone (2/6/2010)
I've seen patches on the bottoms of tanks and have known guys to have end caps cut out and new ones welded back in and couldn't tell it had been done. k out.It used to be a common mod here to cut a tank in 1/2, weld a new endcap on, then weld the rest of the tank back on, makeing 1/2 fuel and 1/2 hydo tank.
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I doubt that you would get all the dent out with air/water there is a crease on each side of the dent where it got smashed flat that won't come out, I think I would look into having a new center section put in keeping your ends, ( if good ) necks and caps, the only way to get Pete necks and caps is a salvage yard ( maybe ) cause Pete won't sell them over counter any more. but that could run about $500 each, maybe more.
I can't get anymore out of it, I've got both sticks hot clear up to the knobs allready.
www.killcarb.org
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Eddy Lucast (2/6/2010)
and if the vent sicks in the closed position while you are filing the tank watch for a vent cap (a chunk of steel) falling from the sky fast enough for you wish for a helmet and shoulder pads. Don't ask me why I know.. thud LOLLMAO thanks!
Tony, Roaring Gap NC. 1980 W900 Any advice from me is worth what you paid for it! What other people think of me is none of my business.
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When filling with water you can just rig the water hose to pressure the tank. Most faucets run 60 to 100 psi. which is way more than than the ends of the tank can stand. The barrel of the tank is the strongest and the ends are the weakest, which make it doubtfull that the barrel will pop out without bulging the ends. May want to crib between tires and tank end for support. With the tank full of water and little or no air inside, the pressure will increase greatly with just a little bit of water added. May want to use a gauge or leave vent open on top so you can watch the water escape and get a feel for how much pressure you are putting on the tank. Unless its got a screw on cap, the filler cap may not stand the pressure and may fly off. I would apply pressure from at least 50' away. I can tell you from dealing with air testing underground storage tanks, that removing a 4" bung under 5 psi is way more force than you think you can handle.
All I need is one more good deal and I'll be out of business. I'll stick with the old and they can stick the new.
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| Fred, If you dont want to try to pop them out, and there are no decent aluminum welders near you, yank them and ship them to Alumitank in Illinois. http://www.alumitank.com/fuel_tank_repair.php If youres cant be reasonably repaired, then they make the closest thing to an aftermarket Pete replacement tank, pretty tough to spot the difference between their end caps and Petes.Give them a call, let us know what they qoute you.John
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JC thanks for that link, I'll give em a call tomorow and see what they say. I thought Alumitank just fabbed up new ones didn't realize they did repairs. If its too much with shipping and all i'll probably just try it myself with water and see how they come out. There on the bottom anyway so should be fine. Rest of the tanks are perfect, just need a good polishing.
Fred Kuhn St.Albans VT.With my hand on the wheel foot on the floor runin wide open wouldn't do no more 1974 Pete 359st 12v71n 13 spd 1971 Ford F100 4x4 390 4spd
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| Fred Pull it off plug everything up fill it with water pump up to around 15 to 20 PSI get a air hammer use a flat round button bit run the hammer along the edge of the dent all the way around A little heat to the dented area max 300 to 400f while hammering keep heat spread around never in one spot Pressure alone will never bring a tank back to shape before it explodes
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Is pulling the dent out unrealistic? Drill a small hole and use something like a dent puller to pull out the dent and weld up the hole when done.
Trenton
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Do you guys think this one can be saved? the driverside tank is in great shape, but this one is pretty banged up, would like to keep them they are both 185 gallon cap. I thought 2-150 gal tanks was alot of fuel, at about $4.00 a gallon 370 gallons $1,480 ....Doug
Greetings from New Mexico, the "land of entrapment" 
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| Doug if you are or know a welder who does Alum. then remove the heads Iron the dents straighten the rear head and weld them back in place a bit of work but doable By the way the heads will be incerted about 3/4 of an inch into the drum best way to cut them would be with a radiac cut off blade or a skill saw with a metal cutting blade set to just reach through the weld.
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| We Use air @ 20psi + or - seal off all connections n place air gauge on one opening then tap round the edge of dent with rubber mallet But look n @ them pix I'd say they R creased N u aint gunna get it look n like new Also Aluminium goes hard n brittle with age I'd B inclined to turn tank round or swap with tank on other side th@ way the the dents will B facing in towards chassis rails ( Outa sight!..........outa mind! ) LOL §wishy
HasBeen
"Jist doing wot cums naturally" Sum may say "The early bird gets the worm!" But we all know the 2nd mouse gets the cheese Ifn U're truck comes with two sticks, U might as well just row a boat
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Swishy (2/10/2010)
I'd B inclined to turn tank round or swap with tank on other side th@ way the the dents will B facing in towards chassis rails( Outa sight!..........outa mind! ) LOL §wishy
HasBeen THats a thinking mate
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