Safe to weld (near fuel tank)
Posted
#635939
(In Topic #76614)
Local Hero
Safe to weld (near fuel tank)
I have a couple of areas where I need to weld to sort out some issues:
This first area is near the fuel filler neck (its just behind it, I think). Its just below the right parcel shelf side, where the seat belt reel should be.
The second area is just above the fuel tank. Its the little loop which the rear seat hooks into, which has become detached. Is it safe to weld in these areas with the fuel tank in place, or would I have to go through the hassle of draining and removing it?
Posted
Settling In
I, unfortunatly I have exactly the same trouble as you, (also it seems we both have a black MK1).
Anyhow, I took it to a local garage, then said they would only do it without the tank on. If I took the tank off it mysel then it would cost ?65 for the welding.
My brother is a mechanic (we have no welder so cant do it ourselves), and his advice it to take the tank off.
Last time I took a tank off we had to drop the rear beam/axal thing.
And the bolts sanpped in, and that was a pain in the bum. we had to drill the bolt out.
Dont let this put you off, but if you tank the take off, be prepared you may have to drop the rear beam, hence have a large tin of WD40, and some new nut/bolts to spare.
Good luck and keep her going.
Posted
Old Timer
Be safe, take your time, it will take allot longer to recover from burns 8O
Golf GTI Cabriolet 1990 Helios Blue - gone
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Posted
Local Hero
I am feeling unlucky at the moment, I took the door off, snapped one of the bolts, and it took 2 days to drill it out (I went through 5 sets of drill bits, in the end!)
Posted
Old Timer
Don't put water in it, you'll have no end of problems later :wink:
Rob
Golf GTI Cabriolet 1990 Helios Blue - gone
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Posted
Old Timer
When undoing the bolts give then a small turn to tighten, then turn to undo SLOWLY. Tightening the bolt first by a smidgen will break the rusted together threads and is less likely to shear.
Good luck, but do not take a short cuts, your a long time dead 8O
Golf GTI Cabriolet 1990 Helios Blue - gone
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Posted
Local Hero
Posted
Old Timer
Good luck with it !
Mark
Posted
Local Hero
I assume you can simply disconnect the handbrake cables from the handbrake lever and leave them on the axle? I want to take the axle right away, becuase the paint on the underside of the floor is peeling and there is plenty of surface rust there. It sounds like the car will be off the road for a while, and receiving a lot of work.
Posted
Settled In
It'll take you a while and is still a "L" of a lot faster then drilling out broken studs and the associated repairs….and you may wear out your ratchet and have dinitrol peeing off your elbows but the nuts should come off without snapping the studs…don't use any extensions or big "T" bars..3/8 drive is plenty big enough (if you eat 3 shredded wheats).
I replaced my nuts with stainless steel and have actually put two nuts on each stud…not for strength but to help keep further rust and crud off the exposed ends of the studs.
It is actaually safer (relatively speaking) to weld with the tank full of petrol rather than full of petrol vapour. Unfortunately, if it does catch fire, it ain't gonna stop burning your tank..and your GTI..and your garage …and your house (but hopefully not YOU).
REMOVE THE TANK
don't even think of welding it with the tank in situ…and make sure the tank is at least 30-40 ft away from where you're welding.
Good luck
Mk1 GTI
B5 Passat Estate 5 SPeed
Riley 1071"S" Elf Mk2 (Bl**dy Hooligan machine!)
Bosch Lawnraker 32
B5 Passat Estate 5 SPeed
Riley 1071"S" Elf Mk2 (Bl**dy Hooligan machine!)
Bosch Lawnraker 32
Posted
Old Timer
A garage won't take a risk as there insurance will call it neglegence if they burn ther workshop down.
I have had sound deadening and carpets catch fire before and it not nice
Sorry it not an easy job…… Its your choice at the end of the day I can't recommend anything but to remove the tank for saftey reasons, what you actually do is up to you.
Rob
Golf GTI Cabriolet 1990 Helios Blue - gone
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Posted
Local Hero
Fuel tank removal is in Haynes, I'm not worried about being able to do it, I'm just worried about the car being so rusty that important bits turn into dust, during the job.
I'm just worried about the car being so rusty that important bits turn into dust, during the job .
Thats why we buy, drive , read , play and enjoy owning a MK1 Go for it Paul
Cheers………
Posted
Old Timer
chudd said
Thats why we buy, drive , read , play and enjoy owning a MK1 Go for it Paul
Cheers………
A car fanatic said to me " treat every problem as an adevnture and not a disaster" fixxing it then seems like a fun activity rather than a chore.
I simpathise with paul though because the bank never undertands the need for immediate funds
Golf GTI Cabriolet 1990 Helios Blue - gone
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Audi A4 1.9TDI - Gone
Golf GTTDI MK5 140…..oooh quick….but not a MK1
Posted
Old Timer
paul_c said
I just had a look at it, they're nuts (onto a captive stud on the body), not bolts
I was referring to the bits sticking out of the mounts Paul - captive studs if you like (although they do have heads as I found out when I had to cut a mount open to sort mine out). And a stud with a head is a ………
:wink:
Posted
Local Hero
m6m62 said
paul_c said
I just had a look at it, they're nuts (onto a captive stud on the body), not bolts
I was referring to the bits sticking out of the mounts Paul - captive studs if you like (although they do have heads as I found out when I had to cut a mount open to sort mine out). And a stud with a head is a ………
:wink:
Yep, I got muddled when I looked at diagrams and read the notes in my manual - because it talks about (if the thing snaps off) drilling a hole and fitting a bolt instead. Once I looked at it on the car, I now know how it all goes together. What I meant was, since its a nut which comes off (and not a bolt), I could conceivably grind the nut off, so I don't endanger the stud (which is fixed to the body).
Posted
Local Hero
Plus I know you're worried about things turning to dust if you remove everything but if that's going to happen better it does whilst car is stripped and you can fix rather than when you're hurtling down a B-road on two wheels! :wink:
Andy
LINCOLNSHIRE REGION - https://www.facebook.com/groups/467122313360002/
1983 MK1 Golf GTI Campaign Model - Under (looooong) resto!
1962 Rover P4 80
2002 BMW 745i
2008 BMW Z4 2.5Si
LINCOLNSHIRE REGION - https://www.facebook.com/groups/467122313360002/
1983 MK1 Golf GTI Campaign Model - Under (looooong) resto!
1962 Rover P4 80
2002 BMW 745i
2008 BMW Z4 2.5Si
Posted
Settled In
…..you can fix rather than when you're hurtling down a B-road on two wheels!
Don't forget the door handle Hairy !
….as my olde Pappy used to say "There's nowt as stable as a three-legged stool"
Cheers
Mk1 GTI
B5 Passat Estate 5 SPeed
Riley 1071"S" Elf Mk2 (Bl**dy Hooligan machine!)
Bosch Lawnraker 32
B5 Passat Estate 5 SPeed
Riley 1071"S" Elf Mk2 (Bl**dy Hooligan machine!)
Bosch Lawnraker 32
Posted
Local Hero
The axle is nuts are the hard bit depending on their condition. Fuel tank and rest of gubbins is easy. Have a look at my thread here. I had do identical repairs to mine.
1981 1600 GTI (coming to a road near you soon…)
1983 1100 C
1983 1100 C
Posted
Local Hero
markwon said
Just to join in the chorus - Tank off! Welding next to fuel tanks is for the mad and bad, particularly on an old car of which you don't know how vapour-tight the fuel system is. Read about a bloke who raced speedboats in the US in the 1930's. During an attempt at a speed record a fuel tank was damaged and in order to get the boat ready for another run he repaired it with blow torch in situ 8O - its all health and safety these days!
The axle is nuts are the hard bit depending on their condition. Fuel tank and rest of gubbins is easy. Have a look at my thread here. I had do identical repairs to mine.
Yikes - that's a fair amount of work. By the way, how do you plan to put the M10 thread for the seat belt mounting in? I thought you have to weld it in fron behind??? I will need to do a similar thing.
Posted
Local Hero
By the way, how do you plan to put the M10 thread for the seat belt mounting in
Ah yes - do that bit before you weld the repair panel into place - just like I didn't do . The original thread appears to be machined into a small panel which is welded into the inner wing - the panel helps spread the strain put on the fixing by the seatbelt. I'm going to make my own one up using metal and and a M10 nut, drill a hole in the inner wing for the bolt to pass thorugh then weld the panel into place. Tight space to weld in, but is possible.
1981 1600 GTI (coming to a road near you soon…)
1983 1100 C
1983 1100 C
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