• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

Damaged threads in the gas tank

Share this page

B

bob hughes

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
Well my saga continues in the rear of the car. I have just put a new gas tank in the boot and have stripped one or two of the threads in the top of the tank where the sender fits. I first installed the sender with a rubber gasket but found that it passed fuel. I changed it for a cork seal and blow me down if I did not strip least one of the threads whilst tightening it down, I had not used much force but the screw just turns. I am in the process of reproducing the fix that I developed on the old tank that was hand made by someone. They had used self tappers and a rubber seal and I converted that to set screws and cork gasket - worked a treat.

I am trying something different with this one, the first one incorporated RivNuts but I intend tapping the threads into 6mm ali. I will post details on this thread when my piece of ali arives.

:cheers:

Bob
 
Bob,

I'm not completely grasping what your fix is, but why not install Helicoils or tap the original threads oversize?
 
We are talking about a sheet thickness of 2 mm which the tank is made of, I could go to m4 thread but in 2mm sheet I would not expect any better result. I will take images of the fix.

:cheers:

Bob
 
So the tank manufacturer didn't add any extra material for the sending unit mounting flange? The flange of an original tank is about 5 mm (0.2") thick (steel). I take it that your tank (and the flange) is aluminum. Ouch.
 
Bob_Spidell said:
Consider rivnuts:

www.harborfreight.com

Threaded Insert Riveter Kit

Amazing deals on this Threaded Insert Riveter Kit at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com
Click to expand...
Yeah that is great BOB:
They have a selection of these tools economically priced to handle specially working a given metal .
 
:mad::mad: Oh dear, I must find a darkened room, talk about egg on face. I removed the sender to check on all the dimensions and found that I had used some longer screws and they had not been fully driven home, the threads were fine and there was a reinforcing ring fitted around the opening. I refitted everything and tightened up all the screws properly this time and every thing appears to be fine.
Note to self, put your glasses on next time. I guess my experience with the old tank had made me paranoid about it.

:cheers:
Click to expand...

Bob
 
Back
Top