Fuel tank leak

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thecantaloupeman

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Lol, tanks are cheap. If I go to the effort to drop one, I replace it.
I'm not dropping it. I was going to try and clean the neck on the truck.

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gotyourgoat

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Will that get all the corrosion off?
The pads come in different abrasive levels like sand paper. If the corrosion is THAT bad you won't have to worry about it. You are getting a new tank.

The tank actually looks pretty clean to me. Probably a 1-2 brew job. It could be stretched to a three+ brew job if you are good with breaks and some complaining about awkward positions with it being underneath.

Clean up the outside, pull apart, clean up the mating surfaces, reassemble. Proudly proclaim awesomeness for having saved costs and downtime of having to replace tank. Keep how easy it was to yourself and put a new scrubby in the kitchen cause you just killed the old one.:cheers:
 

thecantaloupeman

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The pads come in different abrasive levels like sand paper. If the corrosion is THAT bad you won't have to worry about it. You are getting a new tank.

The tank actually looks pretty clean to me. Probably a 1-2 brew job. It could be stretched to a three+ brew job if you are good with breaks and some complaining about awkward positions with it being underneath.

Clean up the outside, pull apart, clean up the mating surfaces, reassemble. Proudly proclaim awesomeness for having saved costs and downtime of having to replace tank. Keep how easy it was to yourself and put a new scrubby in the kitchen cause you just killed the old one.:cheers:
Can you link me to those 3M pads? Am I just supposed to do it by hand? Or do I need an angle grinder/Dremel? I don't exactly have the money for a new tank at the moment, so I'm hoping this is all I need to do to fix it, but if not, I suppose I could pay someone else to fix it, or save up to replace the tank.

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DanMcG

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I'll also go to the big box store or local plumbing supple and get an expandable pipe plug to cork the tank inlet. It will keep the gas vapors in the tank and also keep possible debris from getting in.
 

gotyourgoat

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Can you link me to those 3M pads? Am I just supposed to do it by hand? Or do I need an angle grinder/Dremel? I don't exactly have the money for a new tank at the moment, so I'm hoping this is all I need to do to fix it, but if not, I suppose I could pay someone else to fix it, or save up to replace the tank.

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They're usually next to the sandpaper in the store. Probably don't need the real aggressive stuff though, should be able to get away with just using a kitchen scrubby.

Might be over thinking this. Maybe it just needs cleaned off and re seated with a fresh clamp.
 

thecantaloupeman

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They're usually next to the sandpaper in the store. Probably don't need the real aggressive stuff though, should be able to get away with just using a kitchen scrubby.

Might be over thinking this. Maybe it just needs cleaned off and re seated with a fresh clamp.
Yeah I'll give it a look.
 

thecantaloupeman

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Had the same problem on my 84 when I bought it and it was due to corrosion on the tank neck. I removed the hose and used a cutting wheel fitted with a metallic brush and polished the neck. I used a rolled up paper towel stuffed into the neck to prevent debris from getting in and a vacuum cleaner to suck out the debris and paper towel after cleaning.

I then cleaned out the interior of the hose with 620 grit sand paper about as far back as the neck will go. I treated the neck with aircraft alodine sealer to prevent future corrosion and reinstalled the hose and put in a new clamp.

This was 4 years ago and haven't had a leak since.

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So I just took off the hose. At least one end of it. I think the hose was my issue. It looks like it has some cracks in it and it bulged around where the neck attaches to it. The neck itself looks totally fine.
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thecantaloupeman

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Had the same problem on my 84 when I bought it and it was due to corrosion on the tank neck. I removed the hose and used a cutting wheel fitted with a metallic brush and polished the neck. I used a rolled up paper towel stuffed into the neck to prevent debris from getting in and a vacuum cleaner to suck out the debris and paper towel after cleaning.

I then cleaned out the interior of the hose with 620 grit sand paper about as far back as the neck will go. I treated the neck with aircraft alodine sealer to prevent future corrosion and reinstalled the hose and put in a new clamp.

This was 4 years ago and haven't had a leak since.

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So I just took off the hose. At least one end of it. I think the hose was my issue. It looks like it has some cracks in it and it bulged around where the neck attaches to it. The neck itself looks totally fine. Now my issue is that I can't get the other side of the hose off. It almost feels like metal and is super rotted to the metal underneath. Any ideas of how I can rip it off?
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1985c20

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Slice down the side with a razor blade and try to get a pick or small flathead under it to release the bond. Sometimes after you slice it if you can get a pair of curved jaw channel locks around it you can get it to twist and it'll loosen up.
 

thecantaloupeman

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Slice down the side with a razor blade and try to get a pick or small flathead under it to release the bond. Sometimes after you slice it if you can get a pair of curved jaw channel locks around it you can get it to twist and it'll loosen up.
I thought of that and sliced it, but for some reason it is extremely hard where it attaches to the metal underneath. I'm wondering if there is a hose clip that rotted into the hose and I can't see it from the side I'm looking at. I tried slicing it, and the scratches it made looked like metal. Is there any other tools I can use to try and cut it besides a razor blade? Maybe I just need a stronger blade idk.
 

1985c20

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Did you take a hose clamp off that end? there should be one on there so if you haven't removed one yet then yes I'd say there's one hiding under there.
 

Red Rex

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Might put some Kroil on the edge of the hose and let it penetrate between the hose and the neck. Same for any clamp on the hose as well
 

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I'd remover the filler neck housing from the box side and work on it on a bench. if the clamp is still on you can use a hacksaw or Sawzall to cut through it.
 

gotyourgoat

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Well hell, that's cleaner than a repop tank.
So I just took off the hose. At least one end of it. I think the hose was my issue. It looks like it has some cracks in it and it bulged around where the neck attaches to it. The neck itself looks totally fine. Now my issue is that I can't get the other side of the hose off. It almost feels like metal and is super rotted to the metal underneath. Any ideas of how I can rip it off?
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thecantaloupeman

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I'd remover the filler neck housing from the box side and work on it on a bench. if the clamp is still on you can use a hacksaw or Sawzall to cut through it.
I tried this and it worked! Great idea! Made it loads easier. Now my biggest problem is finding a filler hose to replace it. I found a new vent hose, but I now need to find where to buy a 1-3/8" hose with a 90 degree bend. Preferably not lmc because I'd like to have this thing driving within the next few days. Anyone know where I can buy this part? Do any auto parts stores sell them? Or something that will work? I'd appreciate the help.

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