Dent in Fuel tank Help

hi,

Im new to all this and have just got a 1982 xj550 which i love by the way. There is one slight promblem that i need help fixing. There is a dent in the fuel tank just to the right of the cap. Its not over large about fist size. Is there any hints or suggestions of the easiest way to fix such a problem. Is the tank easy to remove and replace if i needed to?
Pics would be great.

Thank

Darren

 

Welcome to XJBikes , Darren !

The tank comes of in 30 seconds. Theres a trick that uses a "plumbers' friend" and some grease to pull it. Another trick uses dry ice, or spraying freon, to shrink the metal, making it pop back in place. Find that on YOUTUBE. You can epoxy some metal studs to the dent, and pull with a slide hammer, but that ruins the paint. You can fill it with water and freeze the tank to push out a large, shallow dent.

- - edit- - I no longer suggest freezing gas tanks. - -

 

Let me say a few words about "Filling the tank and freezing it"

Actually ... one word!
Don't.

You are more likely to burst the seams than push-out a dent.
I know that technique works on Plastic Fuel Cells that are crushed.

I wouldn't want a Member to think that "Filling and freezing" doesn't always work on a metal tank ... and, would be potentially very harmful.

Not to bust your chops Time ... but, I just want to be sure that the Member with the dented tank knows that its NOT recommended by our site.

Frozen water can crack a cast iron block.
It would have no problem breaking the seams on the fuel tank.

 

I'll have to admit I don't have practical experience with freezing a tank.
I'll agree, it could burst a seam too. Anybody tried this???

- - edit- - don't try this

 

my tank was dented on the right hand side by the fuel cap and i took it down to one of my buddys that runs a car reapir shop what he did was welded 3 copper studds to it and pulled it out with a metel slide and it fixed it if you look at my gallery you cant even tell that there was a dent

 

My son-in-law had a Honda Shadow with a dented tank. Someone told him to use the frozen water trick. DON'T TRY THIS!!!!! Frozen Water = Busted Seams...

skillet

 

I think the Stud Welder is a Tool you can rent.
You pay for the Tool rental and buy your own supply of Rivets.

 

I have used the Ding King dent removal system (hot-melt glue a post to the dent low point; place bridge assembly over post; thread knob onto post end; twist knob until post "pops" off) with great success if the dents are shallow and no creases were formed. Has even done a fairly decent job when creases were formed (just not a perfect job). Typically no re-painting necessary for shallow dents.

 

I am also in the need of advice off getting rid of a similar dent on my gas tank, but am concerned about the lining inside the tank cracking when the dent is pulled. Since I am going to be repainting anyway is bondo a better route?

 

An old dent removal video I thought was interesting. Turn the sound down.
MotorCycle Tank Dent Removal

 

Neat video. Chiropractor/Dent Puller! Hmmmmmmm.

 

Using a curved tool to apply pressure to the back of a Ding is probably not an option for most of us with XJ-Bikes.

The Filer Neck had a liner and is situated above the Hump in the Tank where the Tank is saddled onto the Frame.

 

I had several dents in my tank when i first got my xj. I stripped all the paint off used some bondo,sanded, primed, sanded,sanded, made a clean place to spray the paint put on three layers. wet sanded and for a first time bondo tech it looks great exept for the one fisheye in the paint. But without a paint booth you can only do so much