Any words to the wise about removing an old tank? I have done this before, but it always makes me nervous. I don;t want to put myself in orbit. I know a guy who burned his house down with just a gas can in his garage, and put himself in the hospital trying to save the house. Thanks for any tips.

Sam

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I have taken them out both ways...

Easy method is siphoning gas out of tank using an old electric pump or EFI pump to make it lighter, PB blaster the straps... position a jack with a board under the tank, snug it up, then undo the straps, lower the jack slowly... if the seal is still good you'll have to manhandle the tank off the spout as best as possible, if it's old and withered and leaking... it'll fall right off... (if removing the spout and it's trunk grommet, you'll be able to pull that assembly out then pull the tank out after the spout disengages the tank seal)

If doing this project and you have some time, siphon the gas, leave the tank open to the air for a week , if the weather is warm it'll evaporate it out (but might ruin your paint...)


Have fire extinguisher handy, just in case...


-D.Idiot

"Let me show you something!!!" - Fire Marshall Bill....

Thanks DI. This tank was out of the car maybe 3 years ago, and the straps are almost new. It should not be hard to get it loose. Isn't it most dangerous when it has nothing but fumes in it? Someone suggested filling it with water. I don;t know if they meant before taking it down, or after.

Sam

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For safety, I would recommend siphoning out most of gas and backfill/overflow with water to get last gas out (gas will float on water). Or, let it dry for a while after siphoning as DI says. Could also siphon, disconnect tank lines and pickup, and plug holes while you're pulling it.

Many ways to skin this cat, and yeah, fire is a concern.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines

Not to overstate the obvious... but it's always best to work on / remove / replace gas tanks with the car parked outside, well away from the garage and the house.

Heaven forbid something does go wrong, you still have a garage to build the next car in!




-Mac

Don't use droplights.

Use flashlights...............

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

I actually like 'daylight' outside in the driveway better...



-D.Idiot

Search for 66Dart Wagons lil story about this.....made me think

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

I really appreciate all the tips. Don't worry you might offend me with any really obvious things that you think I would know. DI, I might not have thought about the flashlight thing. I must paint this tank first. I put metal prep on the top part of it tonight. I'll flip it over and do the bottom tomorrow night, and then prime it Sat, and Sunday, and paint it maybe Monday and Tuesday. So next week is the earliest I would start taking things apart. Again, I really appreciate the tips.

Sam

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Make sure you don't have a lit cigarette dangling out of your mouth while doing it...

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'68 Dodge Dart 4dr Sedan

A lit cigarette won't start a gas fire unless you cheat and put powdered flint on it.

Ground the car

Have a fire extinguisher ready, also baking soda will put out small gas fires and can be poured on spills that aren't burning.

I didn't see anyone mention it but I suggest wearing clothing you can get out of reasonably quickly even if you don't catch fire gas on the skin is very uncomfortable.

If you have welding equipment you could put CO2 or argon in the tank just as a precaution but its overkill if you ask me just stay away from the opening if you feel there may be some spontaneous event that ignites the vapors. If it did light it would likely be one loud woof with a jet blue flame capable of VERY severe (deadly) burns but not an explosion sending you or your car into orbit.

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1970 Vitamin C Duster 225 2bbl 904 eventually turbo efi r154 5 speed

1969 B5 blue roadrunner 383/727 soon to be turbo slant (JK)

1972 Barracuda was green 318 who knows?

Just remember a near empty tank is more dangerous than a full one because of the fumes.

When I was in high school some friends and I were going skiing in a ford LTD. On the way we ran over a construction A-frame sign that punctured the gas tank (I'll never forget turning around to look out the back window and seeing nothing but flames behind us). We quickly pulled over and scrambled out. After the firefighters came and put out the fire on our car and the four other parked cars that the gas trailed under the fireman told us we were lucky the tank was full rather than empty because the fumes would have blown up the car.

Don't hit your self in the face with the tank when you drop one strap, it hurts

I dropped the tank outside with about 10 gallons in it, not to smart. But don't overthink this. Just have natural light and move with a purpose, I can't remember if you got a new tank or not Sam, but hot tanking is an easy way to clean it.

Thanks for the advice, always. New tank.

Sam

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