Damaged tank!!

Hi everyone, I think i have figured this whole internet thing out and am popping my forum cherry.anyway, Does anyone have any tips on removing small dents from the petrol tank as I've got two really small penny sized dents on the side of the tank and they're really pee-ing me off.failing that does anyone know where i can get a new/recon one? cheers

There are a couple ways to get those out.

1. There are these pop-a-dent tools, suction cups essentiall, that you can use to pop those out.
2. The manual labor methods, tapping them out with a tool from the inside (not easy) or tack welding a tab on the tank and slide hammering it out (be familiar with welding, grinding, painting). This would be the most professional method.
3. You could try the heat/cold method. Get the dent dang hot then ice cold H2O on a rag can cause contraction and sometimes pop that out. Drain your fuel first please.
4. Grind off your paint, bondo the dent, sand, paint.

You can find tanks on ebay occasionally, new tanks are spendy.

thanks for the advice,might give it a try.I have been told that you can over pressure the tank and the dents should pop out,i have access to a hi power airline so might be worth a look for an easy fix? does this sound a bit dodgy? cheers.

Hmm, I hadn't considered that, but the idea is sound provided you can seal things pretty well.

Second hand fuel tanks in good nick are like hen's teeth. New ones are expensive. hence why I have been riding around with a dent in mine for a year. My mate was able to pop one out with a stick from the inside, but I haven't tried it on mine. If you have any luck, let me know!

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by freddy_sv

thanks for the advice,might give it a try.I have been told that you can over pressure the tank and the dents should pop out,i have access to a hi power airline so might be worth a look for an easy fix? does this sound a bit dodgy? cheers.

DON'T use air - it's lethal if the tank explodes.
Use water. Hydraulic pressure is invariably used for pressure testing.
Best of luck!

[yorkie_chris]

If the tank was to fail because of air pressure then you've got a pretty big bomb there. Bad idea.

Hydrostatic testing is the safe way, fill the tank with water, then attepmt to pressurise it.

However, I think you'll have trouble getting it to seal.

Hair dryer and freeze spray.

Heat it then freeze it, watch it pop out.

I've just bought a tank on ebay to replace mine (massive scratch) and I'll be trying the heat gun and compressed air can method (hold it upside down and it's cold enough to form ice) on the tiny dent it has. Apparently very good condition apart from this dent (and the paint hasn't broken). Cost me £20+ £12 P&P! Nobody else even bidded!