Gas Tank Questions

[Curious]

I opened up the gas tank cover today and just as I suspected, the foam is saturated.  So I have a few questions:

1.  What the hell am I getting myself into?

2.  I removed the top layer of wet foam and a few inches down the sides.  The tank actually looks good.  Has anyone used the same tank or should I just have a new one made?

3.  What is the easiest method of removing the wet foam down along the sides of the tank?  (See pic)

4.  How is the tank mounted to the boat, is the foam the only thing holding it in place?

5.  How do I remove the tank?  It looks like there are two straps with lifting points on top.

 



Thanks for any tips from those who have gone down this road before.  I was pretty amazed at how wet the foam is.

Oh, and its a 75 22' Family Fisherman.

Dan

[Capt. Bob]

Dan,
You're certainly not alone in this endeavor.
Try looking through the posts in this (rebuild) forum. There are several replacement "how to" threads here. The straps will need to be taken apart and the tank drained. Some that were foamed in needed a fair amount of force to free but it's all pretty standard stuff. Elbow grease and money are the two key ingredients.

Good luck and post up your progress.

PS... it's time for a new tank.

 Edit: Check the rebuild threads too not just the tank replacement ones. Members have been replacing tanks left and right so there is plenty to work with.

viewtopic.php?p=32353#p32353

[gran398]

Dan,

Cap'n Bob makes good points, and is correct in that there are a lot of current threads regarding tank replacement.

Skoot's 19'6 is the most recent to mind.

First, would give the sniff test to the foam BEHIND the tank. As she pops up on plane, any fuel leakage will manifest to the rear of the tank, regardless of where the leak, if any, actually is. And sounds simple, but a slightly loose hose clamp on the tank top could duplicate leakage...give a close inspection.

 The observance of wet foam is common...but, that water held in the foam after all those years will certainly interact with the aluminum in terms of corrosion, and cause failure.

If there is no gas odor to the foam at the rear of the tank....dig it out, dry out the space, inspect, keep what you have....but if there is a gas odor (saturated gas odor), then as Bob advises, she's leaking, time for a new tank. Thank goodness we look out for one another here, think you'll be well-pleased with the recommendations which may follow, and where to purchase, if necessary.

Please post regarding what you've found.

Best,
gran

[Curious]

Thanks guys.  I think I'll just replace the tank regardless. I only second guess it because it looks pretty decent beside the fact that it's been encased in wet foam for X amount of years.  But then I start to wonder about the ethanol/old fuel issues....Either way I plan on emptying it because it is half full of old gas.

Regarding the straps-  what purpose do they serve?  Are they for mounting and securing the tank or just for install/removal?

Is the tank secured in any fashion besides the foam?  IE screwed or bolted?

Is there an easy (relatively speaking) tool or method to remove the foam from around the tank and pull it out of there?

Thanks again!  I know I have to go through the archives but I appreciate the quick and dirty.
Dan

[gran398]

Here's the quick and the dirty,
 (I like that)
The straps are just that, final straps. Pull them, and take a machete to the whole mess, cut around.  Idea is to break the foam bond.

You'll see in the archives that our cousins have used a come-a-long mounted on a cross-member to extract the tank, when she was sealed/bound nasty. In some instances took a couple of days of an inch here, an inch there without tearing it up completely.

Was the rear foam soaked with gas...what did you find?

[Curious]

I can't get all the way back until I get some help removing the old motor.  If you look at the one picture, there is what appears to be an optional splashwell (anyone seen one of those before?).  You'll see where I unscrewed it and have it blocked it up with wood blocks.  Anyways, motor has to come off and steering cable freed up so I can get all the way back.  The foam back there has standing water on top of it.  I can smell fumes but that might just be from the vent hose being cracked and removed the fill hose from the tank.  I'll let you know once I can get back there.  There was a jelly-like substance on top of the tank around the vent fitting that I found interesting.

Inch by inch-  I had a feeling that's where I was headed.

I had thought about the come along technique but I wasn't sure if the tank was secure some other was so I was scared to start yanking on it too hard.  

Thanks again, Dan