Experience cleaning plastic cockpit fuel tank - there must be an easier way?

V

Vega1447

.
Oct 19, 2019
921
Albin Vega 27 Limerick
Hi.
I have a plastic 40l (?Vetus) fuel tank in port cockpit cocker - it uses
gravity to feed fuel to engine so no need for electric fuel pump.
The changeover from keel tank was done by a previous owner.

I decided to clean out the tank as boat is on hard for winter.

First I pumped out the tank as much as I could with a drill-powered pump
- very fast...

I unscrewed the large circular stainless steel cover on to which the
fuel input, breather and fuel return pipes are fitted.

*CLANG* as the heavy brass (?) ring that sits inside the top of the tank
(the bolts that hold the large circular stainless steel cover screw into
the ring from above) fell to the bottom of the tank...

Ooops...

So I went ahead and used isopropyl alcohol (very poisonous I know) to
flush out the bottom of the tank then pumped the alcohol out with a hand
operated vacuum pump (for draining engine sump).
Then wiped out the last of the alcohol, water and dirt with cheapo baby
nappies (diapers).

Now how to get the brass ring back in position..

*Then* I noted that one of the six small stainless steel bolts was
longer than the rest.

An *Aha* moment..

I reached down and lifted it the brass ring up into place then held it
in place with one hand while I secured it temporarily by selecting two
of the drilled bolt holes in the top of the plastic tank then passing
thin wires through each and down through the corresponding hole in the
brass ring, then back out and twisted to secure.

Then I used a very thin "jewelers screwdriver" to locate one of the
remaining 4 holes in the the top of the plastic tank (and the rubber
gasket) and the corresponding hole in the brass ring below.

Once they were lined up I screwed the long bolt into place *Angels
sang, trumpets played, beer was thought about*..

Now that the brass ring was securely held by the long bolt through one
set of holes in the plastic tank (and the rubber gasket) and the
corresponding hole in the brass ring I removed the pieces of wire.

Finally I used the jewelers screwdriver again to align the 5 remaining
sets of holes in tank, gasket & ring and bolted each through in turn..

Done..

But surely there was an easier way?

Suggestions welcome.

John V1447 Breakaway
 
N

n4lbl

.
Oct 7, 2008
307
I wonder if I'd have caught on. BTW, was the longer screw (and hole?)
marked differently from the others??

Alan
 
T

tiempo2010

.
Sep 24, 2008
346
I don't think there is an easier way really. It needs doing periodically
unless you have a dedicated polishing system.

Isopropyl alcohol isn't real poisonous unless you drink it, breathe it or
wash in it long term. It's what they wipe your arm with before you get a
shot. It does create an explosive mixture that is heavier than air.
 
V

Vega1447

.
Oct 19, 2019
921
Albin Vega 27 Limerick
You'd probably have caught on quicker than I did.. :)

I think the idea is that the long bolt allows the brass ring to be secured from above and fingers can still be inserted to remove (in my case at least) the pieces of wire once the long bolt was in place.

At least I'll know how to do it next time.

John V1447 Breakaway

John Kinsella
Mathematics and Statistics Dept
University of Limerick

Phone 0035361202148
Web jkcray.maths.ul.ie
 
P

pjacobs55

.
Oct 30, 2019
1,459
I know there are fuel tank cleaning services that will visit your boat
hauled out. They sort of power flush the tank in situ. I don't know the cost
- maybe not too bad if several owners got together.



Nicholas H. Walsh P.A.

120 Exchange Street

P.O. Box 7206

Portland ME 04112

207/772-2191

Fax 207/774-3940



This email is from a law firm and may contain material that is confidential
or privileged. If you suspect you were not the intended recipient, please
delete the email and give us a call.
 
T

tiempo2010

.
Sep 24, 2008
346
Fuel polishing services will clean the fuel but they will not remove the
gunge that is stuck to the tank walls.
 
B

bobnlesafloat

.
Oct 31, 2019
163
Spring Fever has a Vetus tank (translucent plastic) mounted in the lazarette, admittedly it was reasonably clean to start with, but my technique, done every spring: -
Take out the breather/vent pipe, thread a small bore clear plastic pipe through the hole (we had a ridgid plastic one, no idea where I found it) and peer past it into the tank; if you choose a bright sunny day, there was more than enough light penetrated to see easily/clearly. Line up the lower end of the pipe with any apparent patches/pools of water/sludge/dubious crappy bits, suck it into the pipe and maintain vacuum whilst you transfer to an old jam-jar, repeat 5 - 10 times and all the nasties and perhaps 1/4 - 1/2 pint of fuel are now in the jar, whilst the tank's clean; reinstall breather and leave until next year. the job used to take about 15 - 20 minutes, just don't try to suck-up too much at once.

Bob________________________________
From: John Kinsella John.Kinsella@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, 18 December 2011, 21:18
Subject: [AlbinVega] Experience cleaning plastic cockpit fuel tank - there must be an easier way?
Hi.
I have a plastic 40l (?Vetus) fuel tank in port cockpit cocker - it uses
gravity to feed fuel to engine so no need for electric fuel pump.
The changeover from keel tank was done by a previous owner.

I decided to clean out the tank as boat is on hard for winter.

First I pumped out the tank as much as I could with a drill-powered pump
- very fast...

I unscrewed the large circular stainless steel cover on to which the
fuel input, breather and fuel return pipes are fitted.

*CLANG* as the heavy brass (?) ring that sits inside the top of the tank
(the bolts that hold the large circular stainless steel cover screw into
the ring from above) fell to the bottom of the tank...

Ooops...

So I went ahead and used isopropyl alcohol (very poisonous I know) to
flush out the bottom of the tank then pumped the alcohol out with a hand
operated vacuum pump (for draining engine sump).
Then wiped out the last of the alcohol, water and dirt with cheapo baby
nappies (diapers).

Now how to get the brass ring back in position..

*Then* I noted that one of the six small stainless steel bolts was
longer than the rest.

An *Aha* moment..

I reached down and lifted it the brass ring up into place then held it
in place with one hand while I secured it temporarily by selecting two
of the drilled bolt holes in the top of the plastic tank then passing
thin wires through each and down through the corresponding hole in the
brass ring, then back out and twisted to secure.

Then I used a very thin "jewelers screwdriver" to locate one of the
remaining 4 holes in the the top of the plastic tank (and the rubber
gasket) and the corresponding hole in the brass ring below.

Once they were lined up I screwed the long bolt into place *Angels
sang, trumpets played, beer was thought about*..

Now that the brass ring was securely held by the long bolt through one
set of holes in the plastic tank (and the rubber gasket) and the
corresponding hole in the brass ring I removed the pieces of wire.

Finally I used the jewelers screwdriver again to align the 5 remaining
sets of holes in tank, gasket & ring and bolted each through in turn..

Done..

But surely there was an easier way?

Suggestions welcome.

John V1447 Breakaway
 
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