I hear pros and cons with regard to Polyethylene fuel tanks leaching gas fumes. I would like to put one in my Pearson 30 but can any one set the plain truth on this subject? Do I have to be concerned with fumes due to ethanol?
Poly Fuel Tanks
- Thread starter KenzieToo
- Start date
The ones manufactured within the last few years do NOT leach fumes...
This doesnt mean that you wont get a gas smell if you have a loose fitting and leaking gas, but if everything is installed right and proper, it will not smell of gas.
The new EPA approved caps let air in to the tank as the fuel is used, if the cap valve is open, but the tank will look like a beach ball before any fumes/air escapes from it.... as with any gas tank, its highly recommended that it is kept as cool as practically possible andout of direct sunlight.
Yup, I think the law took effect in 2008. Most old HDPE (high density polyethylene) meet the standard, but anything you buy today will definitely meet the EPA standards. Good tight fittings and low permeability hose are necessary as well to keep the smell away. If diesel, make sure you change the return hose from the injectors as well as all the hose from the tank.. For either fuel, it is a good idea to change the vent hose and the internal fill hose as well.
Plastic water and waste tanks are made of LINEAR polyethylene...poly fuel tanks must be made of CROSS LINKED polyethylene, which is a different type of poly than linear. Petroleum can permeate linear, but not cross linked. Poly tanks must also meet USCG standards for fittings, fitting locations...no surface on which liquid can pool etc.
So you can't just buy any poly tank and install fuel fittings in it. It has to be a tank that's made to hold fuel.
So you can't just buy any poly tank and install fuel fittings in it. It has to be a tank that's made to hold fuel.
I put a poly tank in two years ago for diesel and so far no smell at all, I did replace all hoses as recommended above. They are inexpensive and I made it easy to replace if ever needed in the future. The tank has a clean out port making maintenance a snap.