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I need to drain the bad gas from my truck, pull the tank and fix a potential leak.
I put a box end wrench on it, but could not get it to budge. I don't want to strip it, and I really don't want to round it off. Givne that it is a gas tank, I don't want to use heat (my usual solution.) I have hit it with PB Balster, but it has had little effect.
Any ideas? I would like to get the bad gas out before it really turns into gum.
Zach
PB blaster, pipe wrench and a long cheater bar. Put a new plug back in.
If the plug is brass, then it will come out and replacing it is the best thing.
First though, I'd try a really good short 6 point socket and a steady pull on it. If that doesn't do it, then if you have an impact screwdriver, give it a good whack and see if it can shock it loose. To be as safe as possible, I'd recommend a brass hammer to do it. After that, I'd try the pipe wrench idea Kwai mentioned.
All you have to do to get rid of the gas/fumes etc. is drop a burning paper towel or napkin in the tank. It will clear out the tank of gas and fumes and it will have zero flammability at that point.
My brass plug was rounded completely and I plan on using heat to get it out. Nothing, even vise grips worked.
a pipe wrench will grip rounded nuts, etc. The advantage of the pipe wrench over vise grips is that the harder you pull the more it grips the fastener.
Yeah, I've never had much luck with vise grips on anything round. Just seems to make it rounder.
I had a tank that I had to weld, so I drained the gas out, ( I know thats why you want the drain plug out) I then washed it with hot soapy water, then I took my z50 mini bike ran it and put a hose from the exhaust the filler neck, let it run for a while, the fumes are inert, so I then welded it. you can do the same and then apply heat to the tank. sometimes they fill the tank with argon before they weld or heat it.
Duane
I was able to put a floorjack and a board or 2 up under the tank and get it out...it balanced rather nicely on the jack...
If you have an electic fuel pump, the tank does pump out real nice that way to...less than a gallon left easy...more like a quart...
I had the same problem and took the tank out...after the vapors were gone and it sat in the sun for a while, I used heat on the drain plug and as soon as it had the initial movement, it spun out by hand...hope yours is as easy.
Those ATV jacks they sell at Sears and other places work very well for removing fuel tanks. Nice flat stable platform. Also good for NP200's, TH400's and the like.
The idea of removing it and draining, then running exhaust through the tank does work well. Renders any leftover vapors harmless so you can heat the tank.
If you do this, be sure all traces of liquid fuel are gone, then take out the sending unit, and run a hose from the tailpipe of the car you are using to generate the exhaust intot he filler neck. Leave the car running while you are doing the heating to get the plug out. Of course I needn't say do this outdoors.....:D
I am going to have to weld on this tank. Or use a fuel safe epoxy I guess.
There is an OLD sheetmetal screw in the bottom of the tank that is trapping a piece of cloth. I am guessing that the tank got punctured or rusted out there.
maybe I could remove the screw to drain it (more slowly, granted....)
I am planning on coating the interior of the tank. I am guessing its goign to be pretty bad. Everyhting else on the truck has rust on it.
Zach
I have that feeling I'll be doing the same thing soon as I just started driving the truck. I was thinking of replacing the plug with an aviation quick drain if they are the same size. Some are pretty much flush-mount.
http://www.skygeek.com/qudrva.html
In airplanes they are placed in the lowest part of the fuel tank and fuel system to check for and/or remove impurities.
I used aircraft fuel tank epoxy to seal 3 pencil lead size holes in my tank, so far so good.
If you aren't going rock climbing, you may want a drain. I put a ball valve on mine so the tank can be drained easily. It's still higher then the axels however my truck will not be used off road in any way.
I just drained and dropped my tank this week. It's at the radiator shop right now to get acid boiled and lined inside and out. Rather costly about $250.00 but tanks are not easy to come by. The tank was in very goog shape when I dropped it and I needed to anyways because my sending unit ground wire was broke and the fuel guage didn't register. My plug came right out with a 6 point box wrench.Powdered rust in tank but know debris at all. Lucky for me. Good luck. Militarypotts.
sorry for a couple of spelling error's. I'm on heavy doses of TAMAFLU because I was diagnosed yesterday with H1N1! I'll try to do better next post. Thanks
Hey amigo if you have a rusted plug drain try coca cola the phosphoric acid will penetrate the threads and eat the rust...THEN us PB blaster and a wrench with a cheater bar ive loosened some pretty impossible bolts that way good luck dude. soak a shop rag in fresh coca cola and find a way(duck tape) or Ive even filled the gas tank part with with coca cola and then drained it out to remove rust.