Cover for the main diesel tank

[Valen]

I´m right now installin a new Yanmar 54 hp engine. When removing the old MD21B I realised that the non-stainles cover where all the fuel hoses are fitted to the main diesel tank is somewhat corroded. Anyone that have replaced this, I believe that there are sucktion pipes to the bottom of the tank at least a meter down? Is it than possible to remove at all and where to find something to replace it with?

 

[Paul Goodhand]

Fuel Tank pipes

I have taken this cover off on my Nab 35, when we removed the top cover of the tank to clean it out.It was a couple of years ago, so I must remember. There is one pipe which goes through the cover to almost the bottom of the tank. This is the suction pipe which brings diesel to the engine through the filter and lift pump. Another pipe brings fuel back from the injector pump. and this finishes just inside the cover. There was also a large diameter pipe from the deck fill fitting, and an old dip-stick.I cleaned up the old cover and re-fitted it as it was not corroded badly. You could make up a new cover out of stainess sheet using the old one as a pattern, and fit pipe connectors into the right sized holes drilled in the top. If you use the old suction tube, make sure it is clean inside, as ours was partly blocked by dirt.All pipe connectors through the new cover must be well sealed, and the cover must be sealed down well, to stop bilge water dripping into the tank.Hope this helps, and good luck.Paul(Nab 35 GRALYN)

 

[Valen]

Fuel Tank pipes

Thank you Paul,At least you confirmed my thougths and gave me some hope. But I´m not shore that on my 352 it is possible to lift up the cover with the suction pipe since the cover is placed under the enterance step/kitchen work bench. And as you wrote the tank is quite deep. Anyone done this on a 352?Thanks in advanceMagnus

 

[Jan Huisman]

I did it 10 years ago!

Hello Valen, when we bought our HR352 #375 more than 10 years ago, my first winter job was to open the tank cover and inspect the tank interior. This was because we had a very dirty tank on our previous boat. The HR deep tank proved to be perfectly clean. When you take off the cover with the internal piping, the bottleneck is the aluminum pipe from the level instrument, that just (or just not) can pass the top of the front engine access opening. I managed to get it out and in without bending it, but it is tricky. My tank cover (cast iron) was rusty like hell, but I cleaned it and painted it with car primer (I used a toothbrush to get the paint in between all the attachments). It looks reasonable so far.

 

[Valen]

Thank you!

Thank you Jan,I have recently installed a new Yanmar which is lighter and smaller so the engine shouldn´t be the problem. I might give it a try next year./Valen