Can I get a safety consult?

[RivennHewn]

I'd like to remove this steel plate from the bed of my truck.

The plate is very close to the fuel cap.

Not really a place for a lot of sparks or hot shavings. It's welded on solid across the back of the plate.

I'd like to just cover it with a welding blanket, but maybe I should pull the filler tube off and seal the tank?

Any good ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I'd really like to live through this one.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I'd have cut it off already

 

[mfrantz90]

I wouldn't worry about heat... plasma cutter and it's done


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[theoldwizard1]

Cardboard shield with duct tape.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Cardboard shield with duct tape.

Until you light the cardboard on fire

 

[no704]

Wrap the filler neck with a wet towel from a hotel and go at it!

 

[e3pres]

I'd have cut it off already

I'm with you.

 

[txvwnut]

With the filler cap on you should be fine, that and it looks to be welded from behind on the bottom. If you can get a grinder at the bottom welds the plate will shield the fuel cap from the sparks.

 

[RivennHewn]

So I guess I'm overthinking it?

Must be that I'm a product of a safety conscious work environment.

There is a safe way to do everything.

I find that what ever you're doing, it's more fun when everybody goes home with all their fingers and toes.

I'll fill out a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and get it done!

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: i wanted to just say JUST DO IT, but there is that unknown that was surely justified. what tool are you going to use and are you going to cut it off from the back side?

i also like the idea of the wet towel maybe not in the tank, but around the gas cap.

you might also PM a few of the car fabricators and see what they say.

good luck and yes fingers toes, eyes, ears and all body parts are nice to have after you finish a job.

 

[RivennHewn]

Thanks Drives,

One thing that I didn't mention is the gas cap is old and ill fitting.

It may not seal as good as it should.

I'm thinking It needs to be replaced anyway.

 

[bullnerd]

Hmmm...just the right amount of fumes coming out of the cap...It is the fumes that's the problem isn't it?

 

[RivennHewn]

Hmmm...just the right amount of fumes coming out of the cap...It is the fumes that's the problem isn't it?

Bingo!

 

[cwh]

Could always pull the cap end of the filler tube, kink it, wire it shut, and then toss a welding blanket over the works.

Best case, 5 minutes, and nobody dies.

The way it would go for me is I'd break the filler neck trying to get an ancient hose off. Add that to the list of things to repair. Then I'd kink the hose and it would crack, so I'd have to make a trip to the store to get that. Then something else completely unrelated would break, I'd start throwing things, and safety in general would be out the window.

Good luck.

 

[TK-421]

Go at it with a grinder, what's life without a little excitement?

 

[ovrrdrive]

Most gas caps are vented anyway. There will be fumes around the filler neck no matter what you wrap it with. I don't think you're over-reacting at all with your concern. I'd drop the neck and seal the tank. But then again, you already knew that.

Even then I'd still have a big fan blowing my way. There's enough kinetic energy in that tank to send you to Alaska.

Unless it's diesel. Then I'm with the already done it crowd.

 

[Griff93]

Err on the safe side. Pull the neck and seal the tank. This is how people get killed when things like this go a bit wrong and they were being lazy/careless. We had a local county maintenance guy do something very similar that managed to light the fumes and rupture the tank. It killed him.

 

[koditten]

Is that truck fuel injected? If yes, and you have no check engine light on, then the cap is sealing the tank. No gas vapors will be present.

Just cut it off. No matter the job, you should have a fire extinguisher present.

 

[Fcvapor05]

I'd just make sure the tank was completely full. Liquid gasoline does not explode.

 

[nes999]

Just cut it.

 

[pi_guy]

Get a watcher-- somebody who has a phone that is not charged.
Sit him in a chair next to fire bottle and go do your thing.

 

[ishiboo]

Most gas caps are vented anyway. There will be fumes around the filler neck no matter what you wrap it with. I don't think you're over-reacting at all with your concern. I'd drop the neck and seal the tank. But then again, you already knew that.

Even then I'd still have a big fan blowing my way. There's enough kinetic energy in that tank to send you to Alaska.

Unless it's diesel. Then I'm with the already done it crowd.

Most gas caps on any fuel-injected emissions vehicle are sealed. The tank creates a vacuum and the vapors are burned. That's why if you leave a gas cap off, you get a service engine soon light for a while afterwards.

Since there is little to no air inside the tank, and a lot of vapor... the chances of an explosion or actual issue propagating into the filler neck and tank are almost zero.

I'm **** about stuff so I would probably put a blanket on it and a fan, but it's not a big deal.

 

[Richard Cranium]

You are over thinking it. Take the cap off, put plastic wrap over the hole, then wrap it in a wet towel and go for it.
Your health, fire and life insurance is paid up isn't it?

 

[T_Roze]

Wrap the neck in a wet towel. Have a box fan or something similar running and blowing around the general area, and have at it.

Safety first, absolutely. But you also don't have to be scared stiff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pstnbly]

Wrap the filler neck with a wet towel from a hotel and go at it!

^^^^^ This + 1

 

[bullnerd]

What does the wet towel do?
The sealed cap is probably better than an open neck and wet towel?
Does a wet towel stop fumes?
The only reason I originally said fumes was because the cap looks questionable.

 

[pcmeiners]

"the chances of an explosion or actual issue propagating into the filler neck and tank are almost zero."

The chance of an explosion is zero, not almost zero, the gas vapor concentration in a gas tank are too high to explode..... except in the movies, where they use some high explosives as a causative agent.

 

[rockinacummins]

If it were me, I would do as stated and leave the cap on, cover it with a wet towel, and cut the plate off.

 

[BD1]

Cut the exposed weld on the top first.
Is the plate welded on the backside of the bed ? If so just cut that weld and pull plate down to brake at weld.
If it is on outside, you still could do all the cutting on the inside until you reach the weld. No need to cut all of the weld . Keep cutting weld until you can wiggle plate to break off. you may only have to cut weld half way and it will break.

 

[dadsEH]

Hold my beer while I cut this off!!!

 

[bad_idea]

Sell the truck and thank God you survived.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Safe is to drop the tank.

 

[ratdoggy]

Use a hacksaw blade

 

[drivesitfar]

RD: certainly easier than pulling a gas tank that is for certain.

 

[lakeroadster]

A lot of overthinking going on here.

As previously stated, wrap a plastic bag over the gas cap, wrap a wet towel around the gas cap and cut the plate off. I'd use a grinder with a cut off wheel.

And have a fire extinguisher close by.

 

[jimgood]

Is the goddamn plate cut off yet? Jeezless criste!

 

[RivennHewn]

Is the goddamn plate cut off yet? Jeezless criste!

NO! But not because I've been shaking in my boots or wringing my hands in anxiety.

It's still there because it's a low priority item, and descending further down the list.

 

[jd_1138]

Wait until it's almost out of gas, then do it.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Wait until it's almost out of gas, then do it.

You want a full tank rather than empty

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: i kinda like the sawsall with a good blade to cut it off like Ratdoggy mentioned.

Happy thanksgiving