Fixing a TRASHED Gas Tank

[uBoat Commander]

1981 928S - EURO / ROW

Flood car - tank full of flood debris & 13 year old fuel, blocked. In fact, with a half full takn of "gas", removing the fuel hose from the reaer bung did not even produce a drip. Nothing.

Too clogged to even blow air back into the tank. Must be the screen inside the tank - so I get my deep socket, crank a little, it breaks loose, then spins. And spins. And spins. The threaded isert & all is spinning as one. Crap.

I slowly work the whole mess out, and I get this




I'm told its time for a new tank, because I pulled out the threaded insert. No.




Previous owner obviously changed this screen before, used no gasket, just a ton of silicone sealant




Recovering the threaded bung - there was no way to grab it with a vise & pipe wrench without completely twisting it. I drilled a ton of pilot holes thru the old aluminum screeen holder, and used a slow grinder bit to save the outside threaded bung.

[uBoat Commander]

Once everything is ground, chisled, cut out, I wirebrushed & hand-ground the rough edges - important to no squash it - keep it round!!





And then we use the new screen & insert as the actual support for the outer ring/bung.

I used pliant form-a-gasket un the upper 3rd of the threads & on top side of gasket

[uBoat Commander]

Then you just have to keep thinking - cork in a bottle -

I cleaned the inside of the tank thoroughly, as well as the bung area.

Lightly sanded the tank where it had a little lip, then lightly tapped in the edges of the bung.

Remove all sharp edges.

I used hardening form-a-gasket, put it inside the tank and on the bung.

Deep socket, extension, and perfect alignment, and lightly tap it in with a hammer

[77tony]

Great job. Looking good now T

[MPDano]

I dunno. This is not a repair I would feel comfortable with. There's a lot of pressure weight there and that form a gasket stuff doesn't really stick well on this type of plastic. If you can figure a way to brace that piece from popping off, that might be a whole lot safer.

If that piece pops out, it's gonna pour mega amount of gas out that hole and can cause serious injury to the following car.

[uBoat Commander]

Originally Posted by MPDano

I dunno. This is not a repair I would feel comfortable with. There's a lot of pressure weight there and that form a gasket stuff doesn't really stick well on this type of plastic. If you can figure a way to brace that piece from popping off, that might be a whole lot safer.

If that piece pops out, it's gonna pour mega amount of gas out that hole and can cause serious injury to the following car.

Understand what you are saying, but keep in mind - the bung could not just slide in or out - It had to be lined up perfectly & hammerred in place. Friction alone would be enough to hold it, the form a gasket was more to prevent leaks than to secure it.

[MPDano]

Cool, just please monitor it.

[SeanR]

This is a perfect example of why I love this forum.

Please tell me you are not actually going to drive this car on the streets?

[saxen]

not something I would do....

[stepson]

Originally Posted by SeanR

Please tell me you are not actually going to drive this car on the streets?

Aw,come on Sean! Don't be such a spoilsport! I hope it works for the guy.
That being said: I wouldn't park it in my garage and like Leo says, I would monitor the heck out of it.

[uBoat Commander]

LOL -

You ever go on a car ride in the middle of nowhere, and all of a sudden you have to go to the bathroom really, REALLY bad, as in #2, and you franticly look for a store, a resturant, anything, where you can stop & do your business? And you finally find a Diner, you run inside, barely holding on, run in the bathroom, and sit just before making a mess of yourself, and you do your thing. AHHHH.

Then you walk outside the bathroom and everyone is staring at you with disgust because you went in the woman's room instead of the men's room?

That is the way I feel right now. I am definately on the wrong forum.

Nobody here has ever heard of John Muir have they?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ovKWPNlZC6A/R-rxCUPbMaI/AAAAAAAACNs/xvwWOGxeaDE/s400/idiotsguide.jpg

Didn't think so.

[MPDano]

Originally Posted by uBoat Commander

That is the way I feel right now. I am definately on the wrong forum.

.

If you feel that way here, you for sure will be back after trying the "other" forum.

[19psi]

If that knurled piece is solid, I'd securely tighten a clamp around the plastic neck as insurance.

Better yet if you can find a clamp with an inward shoulder or some tabs that would fit over the metal portion.

[stepson]

Originally Posted by MPDano

If you feel that way here, you for sure will be back after trying the "other" forum.

+1 The "other" forum would have flamed YOU after your first post not just your repair.

It's all good though.

[uBoat Commander]

Originally Posted by 19psi

If that knurled piece is solid, I'd securely tighten a clamp around the plastic neck as insurance....

That is an excellent suggestion that I will do.

[AirtekHVAC]

When I got my car, the plastic on the tank, at the bung was cracked. I clamped it with a hose clamp when I screwed in the new strainer. Once in, I removed the clamp.....I should have left it....a few months later, I lost 1/4 tank of gas due to it seeping from the cracks......I used plastic epoxy to seal the cracks, let it set a week, and then put it all back together.....so far so good.....I think a clamp would be good insurance in your case. Good fix....I hope.

[JK McDonald]

Hey U-Boat - I actually still have an old worn out copy of John Muir's book on how to keep your VW alive. Many years ago, his practical suggestions went a long way toward keeping several of my air cooled VW's on the road. I've owned one 72 VW bus that I use locally as a parts chaser and knock-around mobile for around 30 years.

Just be aware that some quick fixes may sound practical and inexpensive but can sometimes not turn out so good. I once had Jerry-rigged a fuel line repair on one VW bus that seemed like a wonderful idea at the time. I had not only saved some down time but also some money. Later, while at a red light a driver behind me ran up to my window to excitedly announce that there were flames coming out of the engine bay. Luckily a small fire extinguisher from a near by trucker saved the day but the time and money I saved was almost a disaster. Another 100 yards and I'd have been a streak of flames while at the air cooled VW max highway speed - 50 mph....

In any case - Just please be aware that maintaining a Porsche 928 can be a lot more intense (parts/labor/time) when it comes to reliability and safety. These cars can easily and often do perform at well over 100 mph where what may have seemed like a minor repair can cause a major headache to yourself and others. We are all friends here and what everyone on this site is saying as we make suggestions and recommendations to each other is - let's enjoy restoring, maintaining and driving our 928's but lets do it safely.

Michael

[Crumpler]

Originally Posted by SeanR

This is a perfect example of why I love this forum.

Please tell me you are not actually going to drive this car on the streets?

Aren't you the guy with the shotgun avatar over on RL?
I think I used one of your quotes when I was describing how chippy RL can get.
It was when the chosen few were putting pins in their Carl Fausett voodoo dolls a couple of weeks ago.

[SeanR]

Originally Posted by Crumpler

Aren't you the guy with the shotgun avatar over on RL?
I think I used one of your quotes when I was describing how chippy RL can get.
It was when the chosen few were putting pins in their Carl Fausett voodoo dolls a couple of weeks ago.

One and the same. I don't feel the need to change names on each forum I'm a part of.

What do you mean about the "Chosen Few", you mean those who are not afraid to call out inferior products or stupid ideas? Sorry if that offends you. When I see something that is dangerous to not only the person performing the task, or is doing something that will endanger others on the roads, I can't sit back and say nothing.

[Crumpler]

Honestly Sean I took the comment as a slam on the whole forum, so if that was not your intention then it's all good.

If you go back to our Weissach Bushing thread mid-October, it will make more sense where I'm coming from.