Replacing Fuel Tank

[Skoot]

Im armed with tools and BEER.  Am I forgetting anything?

My tank is 35 years old and even though the boat has not seen much use, Im planning on replacing the tank. Im hoping I can remove the console, while leaving all the steering, throttle, etc cables still attached. Heres what I plan on doing.  First remove the cooler seat, then the chase tray, then the console.  Im hoping once all of this is removed I can pick up the console with everything still attached and move it towards the stern.  This should leave me with plenty of room to remove the hatch and get to the tank.  Thats the plan anyway  Im going to start tomorrows and post pics along the way. If you guys have any suggestions Im all ears.

[seabob4]

Brandy or schnapps...supposed to be cold in our neck of the woods tomorrow...besides, makes it more fun!

If you can get the console out of the way without de-rigging/un-wiring, that's a big plus...any issues as you proceed into the job, post away!

[gran398]

Skoot, you own an old survivor, carefully kept. Is the tank leaking? Does the present tank leech rust (i.e., original tank replaced with a galvanized steel tank.) Have seen on occasion that the tank is fine, but the gas that is pumped in (especially off the docks) is questionable, thereby questioning the tank.

Had a 1979 Hydrasports 2100CC. Little sister to the famous Hydra 2400CC, the boat that put them on the map. Strong running, VERY soft entry, relatively dry, Kevlar hull. Smokin' 21, and smokin' 24. Even now.  Darn near ran Seacraft out of biz back then, and that's saying something. One helluva hull (the 24) IMO, best hull Hydrasports ever produced (except for freeboard).

My 2100 in her later years developed fuel probs.(clogged carbs., even thru the filters) Figured it was the tank, tore her down, all the way down. Pulled the tank, my word, it looked like brand new, no corrosion at all. Flushed her out anyway, ( cleaned with Varsol), dried out with forced air. Sucked about one quart of semi-solid mung from the tank bottom.

Re-installed tank.

Wasn't a tank problem; through the years, fueling at the docks, pumped their sludge into my tank. Pretty basic, but reality.
No good, but who knew?

Just a thought, before the tear-down.

[seabob4]

Just a thought, before the tear-down.

Good thought...

[GoneFission]

Here's my tank replacement - step by step - good luck!

http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=2597.0

[Skoot]

O man, you just had to have a thought, and I was all ready to tear that thing out today.

Okay heres some background info.  The boat sat in a garage (with fuel in the tank) for the first 25 years of its life. It has the original tank, fuel lines, fittings etc.  The second owner said he never had a problem with the tank.  Just the occasional clogged filter, but nothing major.  He also said that no water ever comes out the bilge drain. The 6 times I've taken the boat out the bilge has been dry.  So as far as I can tell its completely dry in there. Im not sure about a fuel leak, because there is no access below the deck. Their is a slight oder of gas, but nothing major. As you know, there is no way of knowing the condition of the tank without removal.

The only thing I do know is that Im burning through fuel filters. A brand new Racor Fuel Filter gets completely clogged after about 1-2 hours of running both idle and on plane.  There does not appear to be any water in the filter, but its getting clogged with gunk, and some reddish sandy/gritty stuff. I dont know what to do?

What if I Post a pic of the gunky fuel, will that help determine anything?  What about a partial(very partial) pic of the tank itself?

What do you guys think?

[seabob4]

Scott,
Pour some of the "stuff" in a jar and take a pic.  I'd like to see it...

[gran398]

Skoot,

Thats gonna be time and money, any way you slice it. May be necessary, but maybe not.

Remove the sender, drain the tank through the top (leaving it in the boat). Be very careful of electrical connections/sparks, do your best to keep all of that outside of the boat You may need to jack up the stern so the gas/sludge runs to the front of the tank, so you can get a good visual. Then suck out that goo. A cheap utility vac would be perfect, then throw it away.

Depending on how it looks, you could dump a gallon of Varsol in, suck it out, then dry with a leaf blower, outside thru the fuel fill. But most likely unneccesary.

The tank isn't leaking, if there is no gas in the bilge. A slight gas odor below-decks is normal.
After all those years, for sure you have the sludge/infestation of every gas station she's ever visited. And gas by nature breaks down over time.

I'd sure try this first, based on the above post. Good luck. Let us know.

[flkeysaqua]

Skoot had the same problem with mine when I first got it the boat had a half tank 25 gallons and like an idiot filled the boat to take it out for a test run. Once I got out relized it wasn't running right and would bog down and die after about 5 minutes of running. What I did to solve the problem I simply took a fuel pump from a car and hooked it up before the filter and drained the whole tank (with the boat jacked real high to get everything) Let it settle overnight in a 55 gallon plastic drum, then hooked a new filter to it and pumped it back into the boat sucking from the top and left the last 5 gallons or so. It looked the same as you described orange and sludge kinda reminds me of georgia clay mud. Then I replaced all of the fuel lines and the oil lines aswell.  but of course I inpected the tank with a fiberoptic camera.

[Skoot]

Fiber optic camera,  I just happen to have access to one, dam thats a good idea. thanks bro.

I will work on draining the tank and post pics tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advise.

[Capt. Bob]

I really love diagnosing from afar.

I give you my thoughts.
If you have put fuel in the tank since you brought it home (it appears you have) has it got ethanol in it?
Years of build up in the tank will be broken down over time with even 10% ethanol in the fuel. My CCP tank is very clean now, thanks to ethanol and I have gone through plenty of Racor filters.

Tank coffin dry? Well they do sweat and any water trapped in say, foam tape used to pad the anchor strap can and will lead to corrosion (from the outside).

Both of my tank failures occurred when I filled the tanks to capacity and banged them around a little. The added fuel helps the tank slide around easier and that "breaks loose" the corrosion.

You've got a beautiful boat but as well as it has been cared for, I would not hesitate to pull the tank. It's the only way you will know its condition on the outside, where these tanks fail.

Good luck.

[fitz73222]

Hey Skoot,
Just thought I would chime in on this. I wonder if the original owner was disciplined about running NO E10 fuel in the boat and now the you are using the solvent based wonder drug that is beginning to cleanse the inside of the tank and constipating the racor. I just dumped 50 gal out of the 22-2 ( Tank replaced 10 years ago) with stabil in it for over a year in anticpation of rebuilding 8 carbs on the two 115 Mercs. The fuel was "coppery" in color and began to smell like "Neumans own" vinaigrette. My brother in law wanted the fuel for bond fires and his Ranger pickup which I gladly donated. I just installed two Racors to get the system virgin again. I will pump the remaining fuel with a well grounded electric fuel pump through the sender opening. I`m seeing symtoms of this damn fuel in the other boats. I noticed a black ring in the filter sightglass on my Baycraft flats boat that tells me that the 3 year old main fuel line is beginning to degrade. My 66 Orlando Clipper also suffers; I coundnt get fuel through the gas line to the 9.9, so when I took of the motor end fuel fitting off and I pumped the urethane innards of the fuel line into a coffee can. It was a OEM Mercury fuel line that was destroyed by this fuel. I wont even go there about my yard equipment issues. The only vehicle that hasnt shown any signs of an issue is the 63 International Cub tractor that I believe will run on whiskey and urine if mixed in the right proprtions!!

[Capt. Bob]

Fitz,
You wouldn't happen to have a pic or two of your 66 OC that you might post?

Sorry for the thread steal,
Now back to the regularly scheduled programing.

[fitz73222]

Hey Capt Bob,
I`ll snap some pictures, this one is a lapstrake fiberglass 14`, rebuilt the boat 10 years ago, new transom, awlgrip seafoam sprayed exterior and replicated original gray interior gelcoat with black splatter, added smarttabs with a 9.9 Merc, 22.5 mph on GPS. The boat had no wood except for the transom. My teenage son ran it for a couple of years so she is ready for a new finish. Still has the original plastic 3D "Orlando Clipper" emblems in tact.

[RickK]

Definitely a poster child for what Ethanol will do  :x
Ditto on the suggestions of draining the tank - don't see any other options.