Silver Solder

[DavidG]

Cracked the 4 wheel drive fuel tank again (don't ask but the rock won).
Tried to silver solder it, with a LPG torch, but just could not get enough heat.

Remembered a previous discussion about MAPP gas so went to Bunnies and got a burner.

Not a problem. Plenty of heat and did the job real easy.

Thanks for the hints, they were useful.

PS: I washed the tank out heaps of times and then filled it almost full of water, with just the area I had to silver solder above water. Don't like things that go Boom.....

[Bob38S]

Using water - interesting way of doing it - something I saw about 25 years ago - not sure as to its legality, legitimacy or safety but it worked at the time [ie no boom]

- remove the tank, allow to sit in the sun for about a day, blow lots of air through it, then connect a hose from another vehicle's exhaust, allow "donor" vehicle to run for approx 5 minutes and then do the repair. I think the exhaust gases are supposed to prevent the ignition of any fumes
- this is what I was led to understand - perhaps someone more into this sort of thing could enlighten me, particularly as I thought that there was always a possibility of unburnt fuel in exhaust gasses

Regards,
Bob

[Dennis Millard]

Cracked the 4 wheel drive fuel tank again (don't ask but the rock won).
Tried to silver solder it, with a LPG torch, but just could not get enough heat.

Remembered a previous discussion about MAPP gas so went to Bunnies and got a burner.

Not a problem. Plenty of heat and did the job real easy.

Thanks for the hints, they were useful.

PS: I washed the tank out heaps of times and then filled it almost full of water, with just the area I had to silver solder above water. Don't like things that go Boom.....

Never forget a time forty years ago when the Mechanic next door tried to cut the straps to a petrol tank with an oxy torch. The tank ended up in the middle of the road, still smoking and flat as a tack! Amazingly no-one was hurt, but he didn't forget it either!