9,2a fuel tank replacement

[Swampyankee]

Prepping the boat for the season and discovered fuel dripping from the bottom of my fuel tank. Aww crap!
Crawling around the engine bay to change filters, etc. I noticed some moisture, seemingly coming out from under the fuel tank. I cleaned if up and for sure, it was diesel fuel. I got a good pic of the bottom of the tank using my iphone and I could see a row of droplets forming. Looks like it's time to replace the tank. What the hey, it's 35 years old!
Problem is, the fuel fill is in the cockpit sole, just inches away from the fill opening in the top of the tank. I'm not sure where I'll get another tank that will come close to having the fuel fill opening in that location, short of having one custom made. I'm thinking of pulling the tank and seeing if it's worth using Caswell's epoxy tank liner on it. I've used it on motorcycle gas tanks in the same shape with good results.
Otherwise, I'll have to pull the tank and get some good measurements on the fill opening location, and shopping around for a stock plastic tank.

Anyone else replace their fuel tank, and if so, what tank did you use, etc.?

 

[woodster]

i pulled my tank out ...after removing the yanmar......i cleaned it out and checked it for bad spots using a snorkel camera....the tank is good as new inside so i am going to use it....you can get a plastic tank and have them put the fill spout in the same location as the aluminum one....or you can have a new bottom welded on the one you have now ....

regards

woody

 

[Bron]

Prepping the boat for the season and discovered fuel dripping from the bottom of my fuel tank. Aww crap!
Crawling around the engine bay to change filters, etc. I noticed some moisture, seemingly coming out from under the fuel tank. I cleaned if up and for sure, it was diesel fuel. I got a good pic of the bottom of the tank using my iphone and I could see a row of droplets forming. Looks like it's time to replace the tank. What the hey, it's 35 years old!
Problem is, the fuel fill is in the cockpit sole, just inches away from the fill opening in the top of the tank. I'm not sure where I'll get another tank that will come close to having the fuel fill opening in that location, short of having one custom made. I'm thinking of pulling the tank and seeing if it's worth using Caswell's epoxy tank liner on it. I've used it on motorcycle gas tanks in the same shape with good results.
Otherwise, I'll have to pull the tank and get some good measurements on the fill opening location, and shopping around for a stock plastic tank.

Anyone else replace their fuel tank, and if so, what tank did you use, etc.?

I had the same problem on my S2 8.5. I took the tank out, and had a weld shop repair it. Cost about $20 (a few years ago) plus a lot of aggravation.
I used a plastic garbage can in the cockpit to hold the fuel; removed the bulkhead between the engine room and the quarter berth; disconnected all the lines, hoses and hold down clamps; and then came right out. The screws are easily accessible from the engine side. I should have put in a cleanout port at that time, but didn't. Reverse the procedure to put it back in. Pretty straightforward, just a lot of dismantling.

Good luck.

 

[Swampyankee]

i pulled my tank out ...after removing the yanmar......i cleaned it out and checked it for bad spots using a snorkel camera....the tank is good as new inside so i am going to use it....you can get a plastic tank and have them put the fill spout in the same location as the aluminum one....or you can have a new bottom welded on the one you have now ....

In hindsight, I probably should've pulled the tank - and that nasty looking electric hot water tank - when I was replacing the motor last year. But as Bron said, I can access the space by cutting out the quarter berth bulkhead.
It looks to be a custom tank for the space/fuel fill, or the fuel fill is positioned in the cockpit floor specifically for that tank, so it'll probably be tough to find a drop-kick-fit replacement. If just the bottom is bad I may see if it can be welded.
Personally, I have a hard time burning through 18 gallons so I would think a 15 gallon tank would be just as good if not better for turnover of fresh fuel. I'll be taking the tank out tonight so I'll see what my options are as soon as I get it out.

 

[Mark Maulden]

chances are the tank (if original) will have a placard with a mfgr and p/n. If it's the same company as who built mine, they are out of business but another company picked them up. A little i'net work will produce the new company which is in Florida. I ordered a new water tank by p/n last winter. I'm going to do the fuel tank this coming winter.

 

[Swampyankee]

chances are the tank (if original) will have a placard with a mfgr and p/n. If it's the same company as who built mine, they are out of business but another company picked them up. A little i'net work will produce the new company which is in Florida. I ordered a new water tank by p/n last winter. I'm going to do the fuel tank this coming winter.

Good to know. The tank did have its placard on it, but after evaulating the pinholes and determining that it couldn't be welded up, I ordered a new 15 gallon Moeller tank from Jamestown Distributors. Should arrive today and I'll install it this weekend.

 

[BobM]

Moeller Tank

Good to know. The tank did have its placard on it, but after evaulating the pinholes and determining that it couldn't be welded up, I ordered a new 15 gallon Moeller tank from Jamestown Distributors. Should arrive today and I'll install it this weekend.

I was looking at those too. Can you let me know how the install goes and provide the part number? BTW I ordered my bottom paint from them and paid three dollars for a rush (ship same day). I also found a coupon online for $5 flat rate shipping. Got it the next day!

 

[Swampyankee]

I was looking at those too. Can you let me know how the install goes and provide the part number? BTW I ordered my bottom paint from them and paid three dollars for a rush (ship same day). I also found a coupon online for $5 flat rate shipping. Got it the next day!

Bob,
I ordered this one: http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/FT1599-1_(2).pdf

The original was 18 gallons, the replacement is only 15, but if I'd rather have to refill the tank more often and keep the fuel fresher. Install went well. I used my multicutter tool and cut the quarter berth bulkhead out, which gave me plenty of access to the tank. Pulling the old one was a messy, aggravating job since I couldn't get all the fuel out and the pinholes really started leaking as soon as I unshipped the tank from it mountings. While I had the space open, I pulled out the old 110 volt water heater situated behind the fuel tank. The plan is to install an engine-heat exchanger water heater eventually. I used a drill-powered pump to pump the nastiest water-fuel mix out of the bilge - about a gallon - and used a good citrus based bilge cleaner to freshen everything up.
The original tank was strapped to a couple cross-boards which were screwed down to stringers glassed onto the hull. I bought the mounting kit from Moeller, which consists of 4 aluminum clamps (note - verify the P/N in the Jamestown website*). I screwed a sheet of 3/4" PVC board over the stringers and clamped the tank down on it. The inlet for the tank is slightly offset from the OE tank, but since the new tank is a few inches shorter I managed to bend a new piece of fill hose to fit. The Moeller tank has only 3 spouts - the fill, a vent and a pickup line. My engine has an overflow, so I had to tee off of the vent line to provide a 4th spout for that to drain back to the tank.
The tank comes with a fuel gage sender. My boat never had a gage, but I figure I can add one somewhere on an inside bulkhead - or not. The plastic tank is translucent, so you can easily see your fuel level at a glance.

*Jamestown did me wrong on a couple of things. They have an illustration of the clamp kit for the tank but the P/N shown was wrong. What I got was a hold-down kit for a portable tank - 2 bungees cords and 4 strap eyes. I had a bit of an argument with the guy ("well, that's what you ordered!") until I directed him to his website and showed him the P/N in the illustration. I went down there to pick it up and bought 90' of line for a new topping lift. When I reeved it up the mast I discovered they had shorted me about 30' (!@#$%). I always had alot of respect for JD, but maybe they're just having growing pains in the their new Bristol, RI location.

 

[BobM]

Thanks for the info!

I feel the same way. I drained my tank last fall as the last time I tanked up was the north end of the Cape Cod canal...in 2008.

My tank was noted as leaking in my survey. The PO pulled it and epoxied the pinholes. The problem is the pinholes form on the surface of the tank under the mounting strap as well as on the lower front end, which is sort of pinched over and welded as I recall.

How much of a pain was it to remove the partition? I have one of those vibrating dremel saws. Is it tabbed into place with glass and you just cut the tabs?

I am loathe to tackle it until I get my water tank out which is still a work in progress.

 

[Rapport]

11a bulkhead removal

I feel the same way. I drained my tank last fall as the last time I tanked up was the north end of the Cape Cod canal...in 2008.

My tank was noted as leaking in my survey. The PO pulled it and epoxied the pinholes. The problem is the pinholes form on the surface of the tank under the mounting strap as well as on the lower front end, which is sort of pinched over and welded as I recall.
The bulkhead can be removed by removing the side next to the hull about 3 screws than remove the table holder about 10 screws and last the screws on the bottom of the bulkhead. With a power screwdriver about 10 minutes. Also use the correct screw hit. I would posted sooner but in the middle of a tiller to wheel conversion.


How much of a pain was it to remove the partition? I have one of those vibrating dremel saws. Is it tabbed into place with glass and you just cut the tabs?

I am loathe to tackle it until I get my water tank out which is still a work in progress.

The bulkhead is removable with a power screw driver a 10 min. Job First remove the side by the hull 3 screws, second remove the table holder about 10 screws, third remove the bottom bulkhead screws, and last pull the bulkhead at the top next to the hull ,pivoting the bulkhead away from the hull. I should have posted before cutting started. Bulkhead was covered under under water heater removal. I am in the process of a tiller to wheel conversion.

 

[Rapport]

Re: 11a bulkhead removal

Error should be 9.2a bulkhead
removal it might work on the 11a

 

[BobM]

Thanks for the info!

If it is just screws, perhaps I will tackle it. It might help me get at my rudder stuffing box too.

 

[Swampyankee]

If it is just screws, perhaps I will tackle it. It might help me get at my rudder stuffing box too.

Nope. I removed the bulkhead that separated the quarter berth from the under-cockpit floor bilge area. It's tabbed into the hull at the bottom and to the quarter berth deck. There was a u shaped teak trim piece at the top that was just held on by silicone which I carefully pried off by hand. I used my multi-cutter tool to cut thru the bulkhead flush with the quarter berth deck, and then vertically at the aft end of that small access panel near the motor. The top edge wasn't attached to anything and after I took the screws out that attached the quarter berth aft bulkhead whole panel just came right out. In hindsight I probably should have cut the bottom of the panel all the way from front to back and unscrewed it from the bulkhead under the companionway. But overall, it was a 5 minute job. I used 3/4" x 1-1/2" strips of PVC trim board to create an overlapping edge to screw the panel back in. That way I can remove it again if I get around to adding a hot water tank, or need to access the trans, etc.