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Pulling a dent out of a fuel tank.

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chris-red
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PostPosted: 12:51 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Pulling a dent out of a fuel tank. Reply with quote

I have a dent in a Fuel tank that I'm going to trying pulling out tomorrow it is a shallow dent about 2 inches left on the fuel cap. There is no paint damage.

First I was going to try heating and cooling. Was going to pour boiling water over the dent then use an a can of compressed air upside down as it sprays really cold stuff(liquid air?) out. Any improvements to this method?

Due to the neck of the fuel tank I cant get to it from the cap I was thinking about maybe using a slide hammer with a u shaped bend on the end if the heating doesn't work.

Any other/better suggestions?
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jaffa90
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PostPosted: 17:12 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Close the fuel cap and shove a garage airline up the fuel tap to max pressure.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 17:42 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

jaffa90 wrote:
Close the fuel cap and shove a garage airline up the fuel tap to max pressure.


Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Are you mad! ....... unless that tank has been thoroughly cleaned , you are asking for trouble.

Sudden increase in pressure + hydrocarbon (fuel/oil/diesel) can result in ignition/explosion/big problem Shocked Shocked .
And having seen a colleague set fire to an oil bath with careless use of an air line I KNOW it can happen.
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chris-red
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PostPosted: 17:49 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

pepperami wrote:
jaffa90 wrote:
Close the fuel cap and shove a garage airline up the fuel tap to max pressure.


Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Are you mad! ....... unless that tank has been thoroughly cleaned , you are asking for trouble.

Sudden increase in pressure + hydrocarbon (fuel/oil/diesel) can result in ignition/explosion/big problem Shocked Shocked .
And having seen a colleague set fire to an oil bath with careless use of an air line I KNOW it can happen.


I'm glad I read this Laughing
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.
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jaffa90
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PostPosted: 18:15 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes i am mad, try a water/jet pressure washer then.
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Pete.
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PostPosted: 19:29 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't do either of those. I can tell you from experience that it'll blow the tank up like a balloon without popping the dent and you'll put loads of dents back into it trying to beat it back into a shape that'll fit on the bike.
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 19:40 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

jaffa90 wrote:
Yes i am mad, try a water/jet pressure washer then.

Phew! Smile would hate to find you spread all over your garage Shocked
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 19:51 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

In a similar vein, I have pulled a light crease/dent out of a panel in the past using a sink plunger.

However it was on an old Morris Marina and I wasn`t to bothered about the final finish to much.
It did take the worst of the dent out and after a lick of hand painting it was as good as new Laughing
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Hong Kong Phooey
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PostPosted: 22:16 - 18 Jan 2017    Post subject: Re: Pulling a dent out of a fuel tank. Reply with quote

chris-red wrote:
I have a dent in a Fuel tank that I'm going to trying pulling out tomorrow it is a shallow dent about 2 inches left on the fuel cap. There is no paint damage.

First I was going to try heating and cooling. Was going to pour boiling water over the dent then use an a can of compressed air upside down as it sprays really cold stuff(liquid air?) out. Any improvements to this method?

Due to the neck of the fuel tank I cant get to it from the cap I was thinking about maybe using a slide hammer with a u shaped bend on the end if the heating doesn't work.

Any other/better suggestions?


Heating and cooling tends to work better on shallow large areas, like car door skins that haven't creased.

I've seen these used with success in smaller dents.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/172203731658

Plenty of vids on yt.
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recman
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PostPosted: 10:25 - 19 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I don't have easy access to a dent I'll use a glue tab dent puller.
We have all manner of different shapes and sizes at work as well as various different strength glue sticks.
I prefer the slide hammer on these tabs but we do have a little pulling apparatus thingy.
On a strong, curved area of a tank I'd use a slide hammer puller.
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jaffa90
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PostPosted: 11:20 - 19 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave-G wrote:
A work pal has a dent removal tool similar to the one above but cheaper.

Here is a video of pops-a-dent, does what it says on the tin; pops out a dent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PKkFTu_ZVI

Ebay link.

https://goo.gl/XkPrDP

Just watched the video and the guy left a dent in it!
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recman
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PostPosted: 11:23 - 19 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cos he doesn't have a clue. Laughing
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bladerunner
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PostPosted: 01:11 - 21 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

drain the tank and airline works fine....i do usually just use a rag to seal the filler hole and air line...a few gentle taps with the heel of your hand can help persuade the dent to pop ....30 years of using this and never had one explode/get warm or the such! granted the rag stops you from over pressuring the tank to the point you'd bend it out of shape it. I had a fireblade tank with a blocked breather vent and the fuel pump sucked the top of the tank by 3" (riding at night for 30 miles and didnt notice whilst riding untill I parked up!!! came out great thank god!!
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jaffa90
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PostPosted: 01:50 - 21 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

pepperami wrote:
jaffa90 wrote:
Close the fuel cap and shove a garage airline up the fuel tap to max pressure.


Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Are you mad! ....... unless that tank has been thoroughly cleaned , you are asking for trouble.

Sudden increase in pressure + hydrocarbon (fuel/oil/diesel) can result in ignition/explosion/big problem Shocked Shocked .
And having seen a colleague set fire to an oil bath with careless use of an air line I KNOW it can happen.

Are you mad bladerunner?????????????????
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pepperami
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PostPosted: 18:37 - 21 Jan 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

jaffa90 wrote:

Are you mad bladerunner?????????????????


If only you see what my eyes have seen Wink
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Ayup_Mi-Duck
Renault 5 Driver



Joined: 25 Jan 2017
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PostPosted: 11:36 - 27 Jan 2017    Post subject: how ive done it in the past Reply with quote

Hi my mate once asked me to hep with something like a fuel tank.

I tack welded a bit of rod to the middle of the dint and used a slide hammer to gently pull it out. we then used bondo to level it off as it had stretched the metal.

not sure if that will help, but people have been helping me on here so want to repay.

Dan
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Hong Kong Phooey
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PostPosted: 12:02 - 27 Jan 2017    Post subject: Re: how ive done it in the past Reply with quote

MahoosiveDan wrote:
Hi my mate once asked me to hep with something like a fuel tank.

I tack welded a bit of rod to the middle of the dint and used a slide hammer to gently pull it out. we then used bondo to level it off as it had stretched the metal.

not sure if that will help, but people have been helping me on here so want to repay.

Dan


Great for normal panels but welding fuel tank = potential for much funtime explosion. Even welding near a tank is dodgy.
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Ayup_Mi-Duck
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PostPosted: 12:30 - 27 Jan 2017    Post subject: Re: how ive done it in the past Reply with quote

[quote="Hong Kong Phooey
Great for normal panels but welding fuel tank = potential for much funtime explosion. Even welding near a tank is dodgy.[/quote]

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KIQYLpLBmIo/T4m79k4642I/AAAAAAAAD6Q/6Hl9SauGyOQ/s800/meme-mother.of.god.jpg

Almost ballsed up.

Erm, fill it with sand ? Wink
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