Gas tank

[steve from staten island]

I had read were a member had problems getting his sending unit to seal and it got me worried. So before i put gas in my tank for the first time,i took the tank down. I want to plug the vents and feed and stand it on end and put some diesel fuel in it. Enough to cover the sending unit. Im figuring diesel is much safer to work with. Draining is no problem and after draining i would put a gallon of gas and shake the tank and dump that. What do you think?

 

[pwtjr]

I had read were a member had problems getting his sending unit to seal and it got me worried. So before i put gas in my tank for the first time,i took the tank down. I want to plug the vents and feed and stand it on end and put some diesel fuel in it. Enough to cover the sending unit. Im figuring diesel is much safer to work with. Draining is no problem and after draining i would put a gallon of gas and shake the tank and dump that. What do you think?

Can't hurt to check since you already went to the trouble of taking the tank down. Pretty good idea with the diesel, but the gallon of gasoline you are going to use to slosh it clean is likely just as flamable as 2 or 3 gallons if you just went ahead and used gasoline to check for leaks.
I've always been told its the fumes that blow up, not the liquidy stuff.

 

[69clone]

Can't hurt to check since you already went to the trouble of taking the tank down. Pretty good idea with the diesel, but the gallon of gasoline you are going to use to slosh it clean is likely just as flamable as 2 or 3 gallons if you just went ahead and used gasoline to check for leaks.
I've always been told its the fumes that blow up, not the liquidy stuff.

Just don't use a lighter to check for leaks

 

[steve from staten island]

Can't hurt to check since you already went to the trouble of taking the tank down. Pretty good idea with the diesel, but the gallon of gasoline you are going to use to slosh it clean is likely just as flamable as 2 or 3 gallons if you just went ahead and used gasoline to check for leaks.
I've always been told its the fumes that blow up, not the liquidy stuff.

My thought is if it didn't leak diesel id be good to go,probably just draining all the diesel is enough

 

[ykf7b0]

I performed this check the same way only I used gasoline. I had a leaky seal and my fix was to double stack the rubber seals.

 

[moparedtn]

I had read were a member had problems getting his sending unit to seal and it got me worried. So before i put gas in my tank for the first time,i took the tank down. I want to plug the vents and feed and stand it on end and put some diesel fuel in it. Enough to cover the sending unit. Im figuring diesel is much safer to work with. Draining is no problem and after draining i would put a gallon of gas and shake the tank and dump that. What do you think?

Yeah, that was probably me. Had a whole thread on the subject.
Lots of folks offered great advice in that thread, including one that said to make sure the collar (with its' female dimples) on the tank was true and was giving enough tension on the retaining ring.
It's one of the el cheapo repro tanks, which didn't help.
What "cured" my issue was using a factory Mopar retaining ring, a new gasket (with a touch of grease to help things move when installing the collar) and paying very close attention during assembly to make sure the metal ring was centered AND fully rotated into position so that the tangs were secured into the accompanying dimples in the gas tank female end.
I used a brass drift to drive that sucker into place, so no sparks.
Knock wood, no more issues to report since.

BTW, I still have a new Mopar retaining collar sitting on my desk courtesy of another FBBO member. He said to get it to the next person who needed it, since I wound up not using it since the post office lost the dang thing for a couple weeks.
Do you need it?

 

[steve from staten island]

Thanks M, i appreciate the offer. Maybe tomorrow i will take the tank to work and see if it holds fuel,if not i will PM you. I should have went for a better tank,not that this one was the cheapest but i feel it does not quite fit one 100% correct. Will let all know what happens

 

[440+6]

You can use air pressure and soapy water to find leaks.

 

[Ranger16]

probably just draining all the diesel is enough

Yup, the little bit of residual diesel remaining mixed with 19 gallons of gasoline will be infinitesimal.