My latest project - fuel tank

[Atik]

Just thought I'd share the latest project that I'm undertaking on the Stagea.

Some of you saw the car at the Area 52 meet earlier in the year. Everyone there definitely HEARD it! So the plan is to take the alloy fuel tank back out, and refit the modified original one back in. This way I regain the fuel gauge and warning lights, and maintain the stock look under the rear of the car.

I've hacked the fuel tank into two, with a clean slice down the middle. The plan is to utilise some of the leftover part of the tank, bake in the oven to flatten back out, then plastic weld it back onto the main section. I have a load of plastic welding strips ready but I think I might cut up some of the leftover tank and melt them down to weld with. That way, I retain the same material on the tank and create a stronger seal.

My alloy tank is 32 litres and is a ballache to fill up. The filler pipe is a little narrower and has a 90 degree bend at the tank which makes the fuel coming out of the pump splash back up the pipe and keeps cutting the flow. It takes around 7 minutes to fill 30 litres, whereas in a usual fill, you could do that in a minute or less. Hopefully this will reduce the filling times and cut out that inconvenience.

Also if my maths serves me right, I might gain a few litres. The original tank is 68 litres, of which the main half is larger, so around 40 litres.

Once the tank is sealed, I'll try a test fill with water to look for any obvious leaks. Try to put some pressure into the tank with a pump to check for any fine leaks. Then a fuel hold test to check that there is no vapour leaking out from the seal. and then a fit onto the car.

fuel tank.jpg

[Davezj]

I would have thought that would not be a good idea plastic welding the fuel tank back together.
In an accident I would have thought the tank will burst open along the weld line and you could burn to death.
Not a nice thought.
I am sorry to put it so bluntly but I would not risk it.
And you know me I would try just about anything to see if it could work.

I know the tanks are welded together originally at the manufactures gut do you really have the confidence the you can do the job as well as the OEM. And stake you families life on it.

[Atik]

No worse than having my alloy one punctured I think. Thats only 3-4mm alloy. In any impact there is plenty of material around to deform or puncture it.
In fact I reckon the 10mm plastic tank with any weld will fare a lot better in any type of impact.