LS3 Swap Progress

wesinls

wesinls

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The car has been at Alumi Craft for about 2 months - they are working on the car in between race builds.  New seats, move shifter so I can reach (Don was a lot taller than me), install new LS3, add rear cage, custom stainless exhaust, and a few other misc things.  I bit nerve racking to watch the car go through this, but I'm looking forward to no race gas and reliability.  Question - the gas take has a small crack along the bottom seem and leaking a bit - Alumi doesnt want to weld it (someone had a bad accident with one this year apparently) -anyone know of a shop in San Diego that would weld it?  I'll try to post pics as things progress.

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AG down the road on Denny?

244 Denny Way, El Cajon, CA 92020

They just did some work for me on my PSD.

 
@wesinls You'll need to wash it very thoroughly.  When I went to weld my RV's tank (studs for the fuel pump broke), I dumped 2 gallons of purple power (I'd use Totally Awesome on your tank since Purple Power eats aluminum) in there, swished it around a bunch of times, then ran the hose to fill/drain it about 10 times with it running out of the top for a bit between filling and draining.  Then put a fan on it for a couple of days to remove any residual vapor.  

AG would probably weld it.  @Sausage450r might, but I'll let him chime in.

 
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I did the same with a gallon of simple green and let the garden hose fill and run for about 20 minutes. Rinsed and repeated a couple of times and my fab guy was able to weld on it and fix the crack.

 
We used to put the large opening on the tail pipe of a running car or truck, then weld them. The carbon fumes displace the oxygen and without that they can be welded safely. No oxygen=no fire.

Actually, learned this in Glamis in the 70's when I needed a tank repaired over a Thanksgiving weekend.

 
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Kraut_n_Rice said:
If you purge it while welding there won't be an issue.  
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Socaldmax brought me a tank once on his way to glamis with fuel still in it. Welded with a purge. No boom. Im about 1000 tank repairs over 22 years. No boom yet.

i’d rather the customer do nothing;  as many of these chemical cleaners leave residues in the weld zone that aren't easily removed and once exposed to heat create gasses that eff up welds or are toxic

 
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I wash them out with simple green, with one gallon, then add another gallon and fill it up with water all the way, I let it sit for a couple of days, then weld it,  safest like mentioned above is to also purge the tank with CO2, 

Sounds like Alumi just does not want to mess with the time to weld it, 

 
So far I've drained the fuel - filled it up with water - let it completely dry out - water again, repeat.  @Sausage450r - I'll let you know once I'm closer.  Alumi Craft originally said they'd weld it and asked me to do the water process noted, but apparently had someone get hurt welding a tank and as a company will no longer do it.  Not the best picture, but I tried to use a tank repair kit to hold me over during a trip...it worked for a few days.  I've since scrapped, sanded, etc. the area...it looks to be a small invisible crack on the seam weld in this location.  Somewhat easy access in the car, but I should be able to remove the tank pretty easily. 

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Updates look good! If it's within the budget... I'd just go with a new fuel cell while you're into the remodel. 

 
Was at Alumicraft picking up my car and took a look at yours. Gonna be so nice!!! Great duner for sure

 
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