Help with drilling gas tank - w/o blowing myself up!

[JWScarab]

Guys I'm about to do the vent tube removal job on my tank. I drained it completely, and then sat the tank in the driveway for maybe 30 minutes while pumping air into it from my compressor. I also left the peacock open and had a loose rag around the filler cap hole where I was pumping air in. I definitely have the tank empty and dry.

Anyway, after all that venting, and letting it sit for 2 weeks - it still smells fumy and gassy. How can I drill this tube out without blowing myself up?

Thanks for any advise!

 

[MN K9]

Rinse it out with soapy water then blow it dry. Should be good to go.

 

[BadDawg Bill]

Rinse it out with soapy water then blow it dry. Should be good to go.

2X. :up:

 

[FrankBDPS]

How does your liner look?

 

[liferider]

1st take a Bic lighter an............

 

[liferider]

1st take a Bic lighter an............ Oops, wrong chapter! Fill tank with soapy water!

 

[JWScarab]

Thanks for the soapy water tip - worked great!!!! BUT WTF - this is NOT an EZ job, and I normally am not toooo scared!! I've been at it for 6 hours!! Dead serious! This job fucking sucks!

I've drilled the tube all the way up to the drill size that would damage the threads if I went any bigger! I've made a custom file to make sort of a ball bit to try to wear away the material. I've drilled 3 holes thru the tube so far at angles (cant go too much of an angle or you hit the threads), I've broken off 2 bits, one in the tank - had to remove the fuel valve to get it with a magnet, I've even managed to put 3 deep nicks in the paint when the drill bit broke and the drill skipped off the tank. Luckily they are small and on the bottom corner and should touch up ok. I've spent over an hour or maybe 2 bending the tube left right and up down. I've hammered on the tube weld with a small screw driver / chissel and NOTHING. Its rock solid.

There is more weld material where the tube welds to the bung to make a good frame weld!

My liner - it does look good from what I can see, except during the rinse process, I did get a few square inches of liner material come out the filler neck.

Great - just fucking great. I quit for the night. I'll be damn glad when that tube comes out! I'm not giving up till its out.

If you are considering this job due to your vent tube breaking and rattling - do everything you can to just put a fucking screw in it and ride on.

 

[FrankBDPS]

Do you know any one who has a bore scope? Take a look inside the tank at the liner. If you think dealing with that vent is a bitch wait till you need to get the liner out with out destroying the paint job. Ask me how I know times two tanks on my bike.

 

[mittens]

I drained and flipped and drilled mine, all in a 20 min time frame. Nothing blew up. ha

the bit would not break it off clean, but some wallering it out would cut ti off on some sides. then I wiggled the tube around till it broke off, then you have to carefully bend/ roll it ups as you slowly work it out of the filler neck.

When you reinstall the plug in the bottom, use thread sealer, and make sure its tight.

then put it all back together. so much quiter.

 

[woodbutcher]

I drained and flippe dnad drilled all in a 20 min time frame. Nothing blew up. ha

the bit woul dnto break it off clean, but some walleying it out would cut ti off on some sides. then I wiggled the tube around till it broke off, then you have to carefully bend/ roll it ups as you slowly work it out of the filler neck.

When you reinstall the plug in the bottom, use thread sealer, and make sure its tight.

then put it all back together. so much quiter.

what the hell were you drinking for the first half of your post???? :roll::roll::roll:

 

[mittens]

My name is mittens for a reason... haha

I edited to help fix.

 

[JWScarab]

Done! Here is my tip. Once u drill the largest hole possible about an inch deep. STOP. Put the drill away. Dont even think about more holes etc to get it loose.

At this time I took the drill bit and ground flats on it where it goes in the drill chuck. Then i pounded a 6 sided socket over the flats. Next I hammered the drill bit into the tube. I hammered it in hard so it got a good bite and the tip of the bit dug into the tube material. Then I took a ratchet, put it in the socket, and cranked. Bam, tube broke free.

So lesson I learned is to "break" the tube free, don't try to drill it free. Job still sucks and I have 3 chips to fix which still pisses me off to no end.

 

[woodbutcher]

My name is mittens for a reason... haha

I edited to help fix.

i'm sorry, i forgot about you saying you had BIG fingers. :roll::roll::roll: usually i can figure out what people are trying to say, but that just about had me stumped. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[mittens]

Job still sucks and I have 3 chips to fix which still pisses me off to no end.

Just make sure you get that plug to seal off, I got away with no scratches... but had a fuel leak.. and did not catch it till next day, the gas ate some of the paint under the tank around the bung.....

 

[francoblay1]

i'm sorry, i forgot about you saying you had BIG fingers. :roll::roll::roll: usually i can figure out what people are trying to say, but that just about had me stumped. :lol::lol::lol:

You r getting old Tom!!!!!

 

[Brew]

Just make sure you get that plug to seal off, I got away with no scratches... but had a fuel leak.. and did not catch it till next day, the gas ate some of the paint under the tank around the bung.....

That's why you use the YELLOW teflon tape for those fuel fittings. It's made for petroleum products...

 

[JWScarab]

I used a permatex brand thread sealant - its white and in a small tube. Said it was good for oil and fuel. Guess it will be ok - wont be adding fuel till spring!