Ka-a-arunch!

[MoRo]

Hi, and All the Season's best to everybody.
Went "shopping" at a local junkyard, last week, in search of a project. Found a 6/5 hp Clinton Red Horse engine. From getting tossed around, the fuel tank got beat up somewhat. It's not punctured, from what I can tell, but got some pretty good dents.
I'm thinking of "inflating" it with compressed air and "dinging" the creases to see if some of the dents will come out. I'm not expecting a factory finish, just want to get the tank in some sort of shape.
Does anybody think this'll work? or are there some suggestions better than mine?
Thanks

~M~

[Len Koehler]

A tank full of compressed air is a BOMB. If you want to use compressed air, at least fill the tank COMPLETELY full with water and then slowly build pressure from the air hose. It would be safer yet if you filled the tank completely full of water and used a grease gun to build pressure with grease and not air.

[MoRo]

Thanks for the advice. Might give the water a try. I wasn't planning on running full pressure. Turn the regulator up until I saw the caved-in side move jussssst a tad and go from there. I like the water idea though, does sound a little less dangerous.
~M~

[Partsman]

Hi I found that if the top of the tank is dented especially where the filler neck is you can take a rear wheel bearing puller and slide hammer and pull it out. The puller I am refering to is the type that has a pivot and you insert it behind the bearing then open it to pull the bearing. I had to grind the ones I used to get them through the neck but they worked great. Jim

[MoRo]

Thanks, Partsman, but it's not the top of the tank. The sides are just pushed in a little, as are the ends. It's the "corners", meaning were the sides and ends meet that are the worst. The metal is creased there in such a way, that if I can get those creases to release themselves, most of the dents will come out by themselves. Those creases are what're holding most of that metal outta shape, from what I see. I'm recalling highschool auto body class here.
I might even investigate making some sort of dolly to reach through the filler and get to the inside of those creases, depending on how badly I want to fix it.
Thanks and Merry Christmas
~M~

[Brickman]

i tryed that one time with air and no water , on a new motorcycle gas tank
it fell over in shed one night when kickstans sank in the ground it put a nice dent right in the side of tank ,so i put to much air in it and the 5 gallon tank became a 6 gallon tank would not eaven fit back on the motorcycle , dont know what kept the seams from blowing out but theye didnt, had to throw the tank away and get a new one , a $150.00 dollar mistake , live and learn as you go through live i guess
ron brown in central il

[MoRo]

I played with my tank a bit. Using air only, I got fair pressure in it, but the bad creases won't come out. I'm gonna leave the tank as is, for now, maybe look around for another, if one is available.
Thanks all for your replies and words of caution, they were not ignored or taken lightly