Old repair job on gas tank outlet? Replace?

[kessler250]

Hi guys,

Apologies if this has been discussed. I am still learning the search functions.

I just pulled my gas tank on 1967 Beetle. It’s clean inside and not too much rust. After some wire wheeling I discovered the bottom outlet to have been repaired or possibly soldered at some point? There’s no leaks - but doesn’t look amazing.

Would you suggest replacing the tank at this point? Or rock it till it fails? Any recommendations for replacements? Plastic? Bigger?

Thanks so much.

[Geier]

Fair question. To me "Rock it till it fails" kinda sounds like rock it till it catches on fire or even worse rock it till it causes some other damage. At the very least rock it till I'm stranded is more like it. Funding and knowledge will be part of the decision. But for me a new Wolfsburg tank is peace of mind and added safety. You can always get it repaired again to be sure but that would most certainly cost wat a new tank would. Give it some good thought.

[Busstom]

The only thing I would mention before you buy a Wolfsburg West replacement tank is, take notice that the shape of their tank on the right-rear corner isn't an accurate replacement; it has a hump where the filler pipe connector would go on a later Beetle. They made the die to suit all those years, and then mod the tank openings as needed for the range of years.

So yours would have a "hump" in front of the glove box.

Look: https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111201075C

And the later one has the filler in the other location, with a molded form where the earlier filler would go: https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113201075L

With that said, I have a new WW tank for my '65.

[kessler250]

[kessler250]

[Q-Dog]

I have welded and soldered a few gas tanks so a good repair wouldn't scare me. If it aint leaking I would run it. BUT, I would have to see it up close and inside too before I could make a judgement on the quality of the repair. I guess the overall condition of the rest of tank would matter too.

That is a common failure point. (If you run ethanol fuel the water is dissolved in the fuel instead of sitting there in the bottom at the pickup rottinng away the metal.)

A lot of buggies run tanks that have been modded, welded or patched up.
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[kessler250]

[kessler250]

If I do keep this gas tank. Anyone know of any plug inserts to use to replace the gas heater outlets?

[Rome]

I would consider reusing the tank. But- carefully remove and replace the outlet hose at the bottom with new hose that is ethanol-resistant. Loosen that clamp, then slit the hose with a razor to spread and peel it off instead of twisting it. When installing the new hose, give the tank outlet a quick spray with WD-40 wiped around the outlet with your fingers- to lube it so that the hose slides on easily. The WD-40 will evap; then put on the hose clamp again but don't gorilla it tight.

As to the connector for the aux heater... remove the upper section with the 2 flats, keeping the large hex nut on the tank. Take the fitting with you to a HW store and try to find a METAL press-in plug where the prongs or insertion tangs are the same diameter or slightly larger than the plug's thread diameter. Apply a thin bead of solvent-resistant RTV silicone, or even better, make a thin ribbon of knead-type gas tank epoxy to lay fully into the plug's outer edge. Press it down firmly into the fitting so that the epoxy spreads out from under the plug when you press the plug in. Wipe off the excess so that it looks neat. Once cured, you should end up with a permanent seal.

It's unlikely that you;ll find a brass plug with the same thread size, since the gas heater was probably a factory installation (Eberspaecher brand) and would use metric-size threads. If it;s a dealer-installed SouthWind heater which was US-made, you might get lucky and find a plug with SAE threads.

Also strongly consider using a gas tank sealer for the inside surfaces. I've had 2 original German tanks boiled out at a local radiator shop in the 00's and they used "Redkote" brand coating. It has held up very well. Another possibility is MasterSeries coating, though might not be available in Canada.