How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank?

[TENACITY CS36T]

Re: How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank

Original is 35 years old now, no leaks as of yet knock on wood! (Aluminum tank)

 

[Dalliance]

Given the age of our boats, you are wise to be wary. My '82 H30 has the original army green painted aluminum tank with the SS tie down straps. No problems yet. Being a fresh water boat that dries out on the hard half the year may be of some help, or so I tell myself. However, the fuel tank does sit directly on the same plywood platform as the water heater and is not raised on any kind of tabs or rails, which I don't like.

 

[rardiH36]

Again thanks everybody for continuing to chip in.

Visiting my boat yesterday and today, all is ok with it after the heavy north wind California experienced on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Some of the slips in my marina had damage -- mostly due the floatation foam getting dislodged in the +3ft swells and chop.

But to stay on topic, I today looked again at all possible sources of the oily feel I found in my bilge water last week. At that time, I drained the bilge and then sponged completely dry. Today, still liquid free -- dry as a bone. So if a fuel leak, would have to be barely detectable. Also it occurred that modern ultra low sulfur clean diesel fuel is quite thin and to the hand really doesn't feel oily -- almost like a kerosene. I did check the fuel pump area and the various fuel line fittings. No indication of any leakage.

So still a mystery. I am leaning towards maybe a slow drip from my transmission seal that might be missing the drip pan. Or I misdirected some motor oil during my last change a couple of month ago. Which only showed up when water also began to collect into the bilge water after the big California rain storms in early mid/December. One rain gauge only about 7 miles from my boat recorded 22 inches of precip between December 4 and December 20.

 

[emilbec]

My fuel tank died this past summer!

The original fuel tank on my 1981 H37c leaked this past summer. My guy came to fix it and took one look and said, "winter project!!!." He provided me with a nine gallon plastic tank in port aft locker which I used for the remainder of the season. Now that the New Year has past, it is time for winter projects, and I suppose things are starting to move forward. Keep you posted.

 

[Dalliance]

Re: How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank

Did you check the full length of your fuel fill hose, especially at any bends? If it's leaking, it would probably do so only when you add fuel and possibly only a few drops. Enough to be visible in when it gets into the bilge water, but maybe not enough to smell from under the cockpit or where ever the hose runs. I'm not familiar with the H36, but my H30 has a significant offset from fill cap to tank inlet necessitating two tight bends in the hose. It wasn't leaking yet, but I replaced mine a few years ago when I noticed cracks on the outside at the bends.

This may be a wild idea, but have you sprayed any insect or spider killer into your lockers or bilge area? Don't ask how I know, but some of those products create what looks like an oil slick if they get into the water.

 

[RTB]

A couple of thoughts-

If you had diesel in the bilge, I think you would notice the diesel smell. It was very noticeable when my pump was leaking.

Also, if you are using marine diesel (dyed red), it would show pink on one of those oil-absorbent pads. That's what I used to get the diesel out of my bilge water.

Ralph

 

[rardiH36]

Hello Dalliance and RTB:

I did update my original post a couple of days ago with #23 on this thread.

My fuel filler hose is relatively new .... at least in respect to the 35 year age of my boat. I know because I replaced the OEM hose myself in 2008. And with only 1/2 tank level and last fill to only 3/4 level about three months ago, leak from this area is unlikely. But I will take a critical look.

For RTB: Yes I agree with your comment about diesel fuel = odor. Which I do not have. Also as per #23, it occurred to me that modern diesel fuels probably won't "feel" oily. For the West Coast, spider and bug infestations on boats isn't a normal "feature" of boat ownership. I haven't recently (or ever) sprayed around for this reason.

The couple of reports on this thread about the original fuel tank failing is factoring into my considerations. So far however, the symptoms don't quite match.

Let's suspend this thread until I return with a report that the symptoms haven't returned. Or that I found the source. Final discovery might be several months however!

 

[Blaise]

Re: How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank

Midnight Sun still has the qriginal tank. I did cut two inspection ports in the top of it. I also removed the fuel gauge about 20 years ago because it started leaking.

 

[MLampner]

My 1977 still has the original tank and so far so good. Had an issue with diesel in the bilge two years ago and it turned out to be from a five gallon plastic jerry can with a no drip spout. Stuff had shifted in the lazerrette where it was stored compressed the tank and the no drip dripped.

Given my repeated displeasure with no drip spouts I wonder how much more fuel they lose than the older less complex closures. Almost all diesel spoil,age we have had has been from this type of can.

 

[rardiH36]

.... Given my repeated displeasure with no drip spouts I wonder how much more fuel they lose than the older less complex closures. Almost all diesel spoil,age we have had has been from this type of can.

Yes, I agree and I have made changes to my fill-up procedure as a consequence.

I refuel by using a 5 gallon yellow "can" I fill with ultra low sulfur diesel at my local Chevron dealer. I have modified the no drip spout and the cap to work as the old ones. The complicated poorly functioning no drip spout is gone. Now replaced with a length of standard black fuel hose. It is is long enough that the yellow can itself stays well inside the cockpit when filling. I put the hose end six or so inches beyond the filler cap level. I use some line (the bitter end of my jib sheet actually) to cinch the yellow can's hose up tight against my split backstay which is right next to the filler cap. This way, my can's fill hose cannot possibly come out while I am filling which would spill fuel into the bay. (That is a bad thing.) I crack loose the little air vent cap a bit. Then slowly invert the yellow can upside down to refill my diesel tank. The fuel transfers smoothly and quickly and without concern.

Over seven years, never a drop spilled in my cockpit that I can remember. Certainly no spillage into the bay. I am more worried actually about causing some spillage by maybe dropping then cracking the yellow plastic can on my dock while I am transporting it to the boat. But I try to be very careful in this respect.

 

[MLampner]

I may need to try that next long haul trip which will be in the spring.

 

[njlarry]

just askn

For those very short or long term tanks, is your tank grounded to 12 volt circuit, bonded to lightning protection ground or kept isolated.?

 

[rardiH36]

For those very short or long term tanks, is your tank grounded to 12 volt circuit, bonded to lightning protection ground or kept isolated.?

njlarry:

Interesting question. I will have to take a good hard look. But during my years of futzing around most areas of my boat, I don't recall seeing any grounding/bonding from the tank. The filler hose has metal coils in it, but the filler fitting is marlon mounted onto outside of the boat's FRP cockpit coaming. So no possibility of a ground connection there. The fuel gauge (I would say OEM) is integral to the tank. A mechanical type rather than dependent on 12V. The fuel line to the engine via the external fuel filter is synthetic/rubber. A PO did install an electric fuel pump to facilitate bleeding the line. But that also is isolated from the tank and engine by the rubber fuel hose.

Switching topics but along the same lines: -- In the late 1970's/early 1980's Hunter installed modified raw water converted to anti-freeze coolant Yanmar QM engines on many of the 36 and 37's. The heat exchanger is mounted on many external to the engine on a bulkhead as is mine. The only HX connection to anything is via the rubber water hoses. Both the raw water and the anti-freeze circuits. So no electrical bonding. The heat exchanger is fitted with a sacrificial zinc which I need to replace every six months or so. I still haven't figured out why the zinc sacrifices if the exchanger has no electrical bonding. Can only be the differences in electrical potential between the copper tubes and the salt water.

 

[ISABELLA5]

Re: How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank

1980 H27 Original steel tank

 

[David in Sandusky]

Re: How Many of Your Still Have the Original Metal Fuel Tank

Still have ours, on our '77 h27. I think the fact it has spent its life on fresh water has something to do with its good condition.