Hunter 34 Fuel Tank Replacement.

[lnikl]

Have any of you H34 owners had to replace your fuel tank? Were you able to remove it through the lazarette opening or did you have to go through the aft cabin?
What did you use for a replacement tank? Custom fab aluminum or plastic?
Do you happen to know of auppliers in Canada? I have been trying to track down a small (but smellable) leak and ended up using a UV fluorescent dye and small UV flashlight. Looks like there is a band of diesel along the base of my tank. Photo of the band and positive reference photo of the fuel take off line for the diesel stove. Same fluorescence. Nothing leaking at the fittings so methinks my tank has lived its life

 

[Don Crowther]

What's your tank made of? I've still got the original plastic tank. I've opened the side wall since I can't get down the lazarette. I have my batteries down there so theres not much room to climb down. You should be able to have a custom one made in one of the plastic shops in VR

 

[lnikl]

My tank is aluminum. As far as I know it is original.

 

[kloudie1]

Wow.. I didn't know there any h-34's made with aluminum tanks.. Mine is an INCA cross-linked poly tank:
INCA Marine Products
INCA Molded Products, Inc.
6400 Louisiana Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209
Local: 615-350-7290
Toll-Free: 800-361-7313
Fax: 615-350-7293
Model FO 2500 Cap, 25 gallons’ MTL CL-100
Date 10-84 Wall 0.200”
SN, 1083399
I don't think the tank can come out of the cockpit locker, or the lazarette. I think it has to come out the aft cabin bulkhead, but measure carefully because there may be a problem there too.

 

[PGIJon]

Hi Claude..... Does the INCA model drop into where the original is installed??? Thanks.. Jon

 

[Michael G]

I replace my tank on my Hunter 40.5 last fall. Hunter used Ezell in Florida for most of there tanks. I would call them as they have the original drawings and made me an exact duplicate drop in tank. Web site http://www.ezellindustriesinc.com/
Good Luck.

 

[kloudie1]

Jon.. The model number I noted is on my original tank in place in "The Pit".. Inca doesn't list that tank, but they may have the drawings/molds still .. Probably worth a call to chat with someone there..They were acquired by SeaStar but left in their original location:
http://www.seastarsolutions.com/pro...nca-molded-products-marine-applications/#fuel

 

[lnikl]

Just realized I hadn’t replied with a follow up. I had to open up access through the aft cabin. Not a problem taking it out and not a problem putting the new one back in.
None of the plastic manufacturers would make up a tank out of plastic. I had an aluminum fabricator make up a tank out of aluminum. He did a really nice job and pressure tested it. He also made it out of thicker gauge aluminum. It has not been a few years and it is working great.

 

[RoyS]

+1 for Ezell in Florida.

 

[lnikl]

+1 for Ezell in Florida.

I did contact them but with lead time to supply and by the time it was shipped, I could get one fabricated for less money locally and it was a thicker grade of aluminum.

 

[splax]

check your fuel fill hose, that may be the leak. It was for me.

 

[lnikl]

check your fuel fill hose, that may be the leak. It was for me.

If only it were that. There was visible corrosion on the tank and the fluorescent dye I put into the tank showed it. Swapping out a hose would have been a whole lot less work. Later models of H34 have plastic tanks but I have an early model. The good news on the early model is that the mast sits on a big broad base and they don't have the compression post failures that are associated with the H34.