Anyone tried to clean tank without removing by going through fuel sending
unit hole? Using digital camera discovered little bit of crud on bottom of my
tank.
Clyde
its done quite often... but you must have patience so that you move slow and careful to avoid any fuel spillage, as it will smell up the boat for awhile.
it can be done with the fuel still in the tank as long as its not a
full tank of fuel that will splash out the hole while the boat rocks around... or it can be done with the fuel level low...
personally, I would first use
seafoam or a product similar to it to dissolve any gum or varnish build up within the tank.... a few hours in advance is all that is needed for the seafoam to dissolve any gum/varnish left by fuels.
then, use an
oil change vacuum pump to suck everything out of the low spot of the tank.... the system will then be clean and without the debris. (there are several brands of vacuum pumps on the market to choose from)
the vacuum pump will allow you suck up the dirt and debris (and some fuel) from the bottom of the tank in the same manner that a vacuum cleaner sucks dirt off the floor....
OR, to help see whats actually in the bottom of the tank, you can pump out all the fuel, leaving a couple of inches in the tank, then use the vacuum pump to evacuate all the debris and remaining fuel.....
I have always found the most difficult part of the task is getting the fuel sender hole sealed up 100% on the first try....even with a new gasket this can sometimes be challenging on a boat fuel tank.
to insure a good seal on the first try is best accomplished by using a product called
hylomar on the gasket... this products works as a gasket dressing and thread sealant for gas or diesel....
another sealant for gasket dressing or thread sealant is
block... it is harder to find but is far above and superior to any other sealant of its type, as none of the common dressings and thread sealers are meant to be used with fuels and will usually degrade away..