Fuel Tank Replacement

[BobM]

Well...I am all packed up and off to the boat to replace the fuel tank. Of course what was supposed to be a nice day is now marred by a weather alert and small craft warnings for the harbor. If I ever had any luck but bad...hopefully everything else goes okay. If there is a boat fire in Boston Harbor please send condolences to my Wife LOL.

Plan is first to check the lift pump to make sure I can use the manual lever properly to prime the pump. I am most nervous about air in the system. I debated waiting to do this task on the hard, but hear it can take ten to fifteen minutes for an air problem to appear so I feel safer doing this on the mooring where I can run the motor for that amount of time with needing to feed water to it somehow.

Then I am going to pump the old tank as dry as I can, put a tray and some absorbers down and drill a hold at the base to drain it further, then cut it in half with a sawzall. To me it is the easiest way to get the tank out as I don't need to disassemble the boat to do so and the thin sheet metal tanks should be easy to cut. The tank will be vented and the sawzall won't generate much in the way of sparks or heat. I may rinse the tank with some soapy water as a precaution and then drain it to a waste container.

Then it is in with the new Moeller 12 gallon tank. It should fit well in the space allotted, but I haven't worked out how to strap it in place yet. I will have to figure it out on the fly. Worst case I am sure I can get one strap on it at least for now.

I will take some photos for posterity.

Bob

 

[woodster]

if you have an oil change pump finish off the tank draining with that ....

regards

woody

 

[BobM]

I had to abort the mission due to weather. Big front passing through. A dinghy ride across the harbor and working in a boat hobby horsing and sailing on its mooring seemed a dumb idea.

Woody, i have a china freight 12v transfer pump that i plan to use. I have done do before.

Bob

 

[BobM]

Just saw the forecast...gusts of 50-60mph.

 

[Mark Maulden]

I'm going to do this sometime this winter. Need to figure out what to do with ~30 gal of diesel though. It just didn't get used like I intended.....

 

[Maine Sail]

Just saw the forecast...gusts of 50-60mph.

I went out for a sail today and it sucked, but was still a rush.. Started out at 20 knots and peanut butter thick fog, then started pouring rain. By the time I got to almost where I was going it was gusting to 30 and raining sideways.. With just a reefed headsail had an SOG, against the current, of 6.6 to 6.8..... Nothing like Maine in the fall..

 

[BobM]

Mark, i put mine in my heating oil tank. If you don't gave oil run an ad in craigslist to give it away fir free. I bet you get a taker who burns waste oil for heat.

 

[BobM]

Progress report - So far so good. Bilge had lots of diesel in it unfortunately. TG i put that bilge filter in years ago. I had the tank unstrapped previously. I dipped the tank and found plenty if fuel in it. I hooked up the12v pump to the fuel feed valve, after i disconnected the line to the engine. I pumped a full 5 gallons out of the tank with it just sucking air at the end. I then removed the dip tube so i could use my oil vacuum to get the remainder (great idea Woodster). Then i cut the fuel fill hose with my sawzall and pulled off the vent. I tilted the tank so i could get as much out as possible, which was less than a liter. I also tried starting a cut in the tank with an old blade. Seems feasible, so after a break i will lay down a bunch of absorbers and go for it.

 

[BobM]

I lined a met tray with aborbant mats and inverted the disconnected tank over it. Nothing came out. It took less than five minutes to cut the tank in half. The tank fit fine in the original mounts. I just shortened up the straps. The flexible filler hose worked fine. Sorry no final pictures yet, but my phone died.

 

[BobM]

It is key to cut the tank almost exactly in half so it will fit out the 11 inch lazarette.

 

[bugbitten]

Very nice work, Bob. Now you can clamber aft and check the rudder bearing!

I was thinking that we should have a forum camera we ship around to help folks document these projects. Or better yet, a forum photog who could hand you tools and offer words of encouragement. I'd suggest Woody, but I'm holding out for someone with better legs.

Seriously, though, can't wait to see the finished product and to hear you've gotten out for a victory sail.

John

 

[BobM]

I know that i really should have checked the rudder bearing as i believe that it needs work, but i just didnt have ut in me. The shorter tank does seem to have improved access. And it is actually going to be easy ti remove.

 

[woodster]

man thats a shame you couldn't get that tank out in one peace it looks like a welding shop could have repair the leaks and you could have reused it for 30 more years...

regards

woody

 

[BobM]

Your not wrong Woody

man thats a shame you couldn't get that tank out in one peace it looks like a welding shop could have repair the leaks and you could have reused it for 30 more years...

regards

woody

Given that it was leaking...it is a pretty heavy duty tank and it really is a personal decision to cut the tank or pull the bulkhead. In my case, given the choice of removing the bulkhead for the quarter berth...which is tabbed in and has my battery charger and a number of wires attached to it, I decided to change the tank as it was more expedient to do so and I have money but no time (I only sailed ONCE this year). Tank was about $120. I had to buy 10' of fuel filler for $100, but I have8' left (for sale!). Some 1/4 fuel line for about another $10, some absorbant mats to keep the job clean and some sawzall blades. Net cost for what I actually used was under $200, even if you include the $25 for the China Freight 12V pump and the total time will be about 5 hours. My bulkhead is tabbed all along the base. It just didn't seem easy to get to cut it and then I would have to put it back.

I think the problem is the absorbent wrapping they put around the tank and dissimilar metals...stainless straps around an aluminum tank. The leaks were right under the forward band. So, a little water on the inside from condensation...more on the outside from condensation...and viola...pinholes. If your tank is good, I'd shy away from re-installing it with that absorbent material and uses something like rubber instead. Or replace the bands with plastic ones.

I am still trying to figure out a few things about the install. I want the straps tight, but can't have them too tight because you have to allow for 3% expansion per the manufacturer. So I did end up putting some of that absorbant material under the straps on the top of the tank to allow for compression/expansion. I still need to work out the grounds (probably unnecessary for safety, but required for the fuel tank sensor...which isn't working yet. The ground is attached to the bolts for the skeg, which I found under the fuel tank. They looked fine.

All in all I am pretty happy with the fix. It looks great.

Bob

 

[woodster]

get you some medium size pad eyes and fasten them to the tank support stringers ...then get you a couple of ratchet straps a tie the tank down that way ....just have to be aware of corrosion on the retches over a period of time ...darn things are very low cost so having to replace them from time to time is no big woop.... just some thoughts ....oh and i put vinyl band material i had from a cabinet job back when there was an economy that was productive...

regards

woody

 

[BobM]

Funny thing is that the simplest thing a sailor could use is some line.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

get you some medium size pad eyes and fasten them to the tank support stringers

Funny thing is that the simplest thing a sailor could use is some line.

Hitching a ride on both ideas here if you did install the pad eyes, you could double purchase a 1/4 line and the elongation in it would take care of the 3% you need. Or you could go to Home Depot and look at the cordstrapping they are using in the lumber department. It does have 5% elongation after tensioning. If lucky they'll let you have a few feet and a couple of buckles. You don't really need the tool they use as a strong stick can do for leverage to get the tension. No corrosion and no rot as it is made of polyester.

 

[BobM]

Wow...life is just got me down...which amazes me given we just sold our company . My sister-in-laws Mom died suddenly. Then we both were sick all weekend after we baby sat our nephew overnight to pitch in as the wonderful lady who passed had volunteered to do so for the whole week her Daughter and her Husband were in Ireland for their first real vacation in nigh 20 years. This unavoidable set of circumstances left me still in the middle of my fuel tank replacement with snow due to fly any time now. I think my record is Nov 9th, but i also have a couple of business trips the next two weeks. Suffice to say i was miserable fretting about it with my nerves already raw from all the anxiety associated with work

I was going to ditch out of work Monday, but i was not well enough yet anyway. I was going to do it yesterday, but there was a crisis i had to deal with that blew that. I snapped at my wife last night and she still wasnt talking to me this morning when i left to hit the boat this am. Two hours to do a 45 min drive.

After some miss steps i got the hose from the tank to the Raycor in place. I chickened out and decided to change the filters next year. I seem to have managed to get the air out, knock on wood, as after a few attempts, the engine has been running for 20 minutes without a hitch. Given my 2QM15 only burns about a cup of fuel every 30 minutes i plan to run it a solid hour to be sure it is okay and wont suddenly die stranding me in the rocks when i bring it into the marina soon. It is s pain, especially if there are others in the crane out slips and it is low tide.

Anyway, here is the long awaited finished product.

Bob

 

[BobM]

Bonus...the fuel gage is working and seems fairly accurate.

 

[bugbitten]

Congratulations, Bob. A beautiful job you've done, despite all the hurdles placed in your way. I just wish you had a bit longer season, so you'd have more of a chance to enjoy it right away.

How about a parts and providers list? I'd love to be able to duplicate your efforts, once my tank gives up the ghost.

John