Hello I'm hoping for assistance in sealing a leak at the top of the tank on a 96. The tank insert that the vaporizing tube threads into must have been over tightened by a prior owner because it now spins during assembly and leaks under pressure. Is this a solder job and if so, any tips? Thanks much!
Hi Pergl, If you had post some pictures identifying problem could have been easier. Did you check lead washer first? If you are sure problem is at the junction between tank and riser tube follow the instruction mentioned by Fyldefox, below: Link Please let us know about progress. Best regards, Sefa
How did you go with your 96 Sefa? Fix the jet yet?? Think you could be right there about the washer. I thought the first couple of times I read it or so that the whole female thread was spinning. Now I get it.!!
Hey Barrabruce, My 96 is already sitting down. I could have no time to apply things to the jet that friends mentioned. As you see now I am just talking and giving advices to others. Best regards, Sefa
Hi Jeff The repair is not too difficult if you are used to soldering with a blowlamp. Remove the tank lid and pump rod from the tank.Remove the vaporising ttube if this is still attached. This may mean gripping the circular connection with pliers or some other gripping device Clean the bottom of the connection with some sort of mild abrasive such as steel wool. Apply a paste flux to the bottom of the connection and the tank around the connection. Heat the connection with a gas blowlamp until the flux melts and then withdraw the heat. This causes the flux to be drawn into the defective joint. The flux will clean the metal in the joint so try and be patient and leave it for about half an hour. Make sure that there is still flux outside the joint adding more if necessary and heat the connection and tank with a blowlamp. Once it is hot apply solder. You need to see a continuous ring of bright silver solder around the joint. Remove the heat once the ring forms. There is no need for the messy solder fillet that you often see. Let it cool and clean all exposed flux from the tank and connection. Check the joint for any gaps or black stuff in the silver ring. If there are any clean the joint, flux it and resolder to get the continuous silver ring. You will need to renew the lead seal in the connection because it will melt with the heat of the blowllamp Good luck. The repair is a lot more frightening the first time that you do it. At present you have a useless tank so if you do not suceed you are no worse off than you are now. Regards Bryan
Bryan and Sefa Thank you for the advice. Bryan, The vapor tube just spins the insert when trying to remove it. Should I pull the insert out of the tank on the end of the tube to get to it for removal from the tube and flux aplication to the insert? Thanks
Hi Jeff If you can get the insert out of the tank to clean and remove it from the vapourising tube it would be much better. The cleaning of the joint surfaces will be much better and you can make sure that the flux touches all of the surfaces of the joint. I am not certain whether the 96 tank connection inserts are retained in the tank by something underneath as many are but it is certainly worth a try. When you use the blowlamp you just need to heat the metal enough to melt the solder. Excessive heat will loosen other fittings on the tank. If you have a fine flamed blowlamp you can remove excess solder from the joint after the solder has hardened. Play the flame near the excess solder avoiding directing it at the joint. As soon as the solder melts wipe it off with a dry cloth. It will tend to stick to the cloth. You wiill be left with a very lightly tinned tank where the solder has been removed. This tinning can be removed with a fine abrasive such as fine wet and dry, fine steel wool or the nylon type pan srubs. Polishing after that should leave you a tank with clean brass exposed. This type of solder removal can be used on any messy solder repair so you can make that cheaply bought messily repaired stove look much better. If you are carefull and the tank is not scratched the solder repair will not show at all Regards Bryan
Bryan Thanks for the detailed instructions. I should have no problem with this fix if it can be fixed. It will be a week or two before this project gets to the top of the list. Best wishes
