302 Fuel Tank

[Mackaroni]

I am curious for those of you who own a 302: Does your fuel tank just sit in the lazarette without any mounts to hold it in, or is there a mounting system? When I was replacing my exhaust hose today, I noticed that my tank was up agains the hose making it difficult to pull the hose through. The only thing I see securing my tank is the plywood board that screws down over top of it (not shown) and the fuel hoses.

Is this normal? Should there be a shim between the tank and the middle area where the hoses pass through (in the bottom of the first photo?)

(The plywood under the right side was just to shim the tank so I could pull my exhaust hose through.)

 

[the_alpine]

Mack - mine is identical except I have wooden "crossbars" at either end of the tank to pin it down. I have the same setup on my water tank as well. Not sure if its original to Oday or from the previous owner. Ill try to get a couple pics.

 

[Mackaroni]

Thanks Alpine. I'd love to see a photo

 

[the_alpine]

Pics attached

 

[Mackaroni]

Alpine.....do you happen to have photos of your sanitation system lines in the same lazarette?

 

[the_alpine]

Plumbing pic attached. Not the best photo as some of the hoses overlap. Let me know if you'd like an explanation.

 

[the_alpine]

Labeled version:

 

[Mackaroni]

Thanks so much for the photos and the labeling. My installation is almost the same, but just doesn't look as neat as yours because my Y-valve is located differently. I think it was placed there by the PO so he could reach through the hole in the head and move the Y-Valve. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a better way to do it before I start replacing all the hoses.

My photos are also not as good as yours.

 

[Mackaroni]

I am also curious....where is your primary fuel strainer located? Mine is in this same lazarette.

 

[the_alpine]

I'm not so sure neat is the word! Those hoses aren't actually attached in that photo. I was in the process of tracking down a clog and had all the wiring and hoses draped about. Its normally quite a bit more tidy. I found the clog - a piece of the flap valve came off and lodged in an elbow. What hole is in your head to reach the y valve?

My fuel filter is in roughly the same place as yours. You can just make it out in the fuel tank pic above the yellow ropes.

I see you've got what looks to be a storage shelf/bin in your lazarette. I've been thinking about adding one of those for various gear - most likely masks and snorkels.

 

[Mackaroni]

My storage shelf has the refrigeration stuff on it. I tried to take a photo of it today, but it didn't come out decent. I will try the next time I am at the boat.

However, I did get a picture of the hole. This is taken from inside the head. I currently have the head removed because it was the only way I could remove the old, old sanitation hose. I thought this was standard on the boat, but perhaps if you are asking, maybe a previous owner cut this so that he could rotate the Y-valve when using the head.

 

[the_alpine]

I do not have that hole on my boat.
Interesting to hear you have a refrig unit in your lazarette. I do not have refrigeration and was wondering how/where I could add it.

 

[David Walsh]

Does anyone know how deep the tank is? I'm trying to decide on a new guage for the tanks.

David - '89 O'Day 302

 

[jssailem]

Do not take other opinions, no telling who changed their tanks, your Previous owner or their previous owner.

It is a simple DIY task to open the top of the tank and stick something into the tanks then measure it's depth. I removed my old sensor from the top of the tank. Stuck a wooden dowel down. Measured the tank depth by the length of the dowel from the bottom of the tank to the opening. Also got to know how much fuel was in the tank at the same time, Fuel left a wet mark on the dowel. Then I selected a gage sensor that was an inch shorter than the depth of the tank. I figured that inch was my emergency reserve, or the inch of fuel that has "crud" suspended in it.

When my gage reads empty and I am still not at the fuel dock I have a wee bit of fuel to get me there, but I had better not dawdle.

Good luck. Easy task and one that will make you happy you did the work.

 

[Evan656]

On my 302, the original diesel tank is moulded to the shape of the hull where it is located. The tank is deepest at around 10” where the gauge and fuel pick up are located (forward and inboard). The tank tapers to follow the hull as it runs aft and outboard.