FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

IN A 23CC, ONCE YOU'VE GOT THE CONSOLE AND FLOOR SECTION OUT, IT CAN BE DONE IN A HALF AN HOUR!! STARTED MINE AT 11 A.M. SUNDAY AND HAD IT STANDING UPRIGHT WAY BEFORE LUNCH. DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO CRACK A MICH LIGHT! TILL I WAS DONE THAT IS [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . IF ANYONE NEED'S TO KNOW HOW I'LL BE GLAD TO POST. LT DAN

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

LtDan.

What did you use to cut out the foam, Sawsall? Was it fastened? Is yours about 28" wide x almost 8' long? How deep is the tank?

Whad ya find down in there?

Otto

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

HEY OTTO, GET THIS- A CHAINSAW! I USED AN ELECTRIC CHAINSAW,IT'S EASYER TO CONTROLL THE ELECTRIC THAN GAS. ONCE THE TANK IS EXPOSED,YOU RUN THE SAW CAREFULLY BETWEEN THE STRINGER AND TANK. IT GO'S THROUGH THE FOAM LIKE A HOT KNIFE THROUGH BUTTER. PUT A CROW BAR ON ONE END, AND POP , OUT SHE COME'S. I SWEAR IT ONLY TOOK 15 MINUTE'S AND THE TANK WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. 99"L X 28"W X 12"HIGH. LT

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

BOY I WISH I THOUGHT OF THAT WHEN I DID MINE. I USED A ROUND NARROW STEAL SHAFTS AND A OLD THICK FIBERGLASS FISHING POLE TO BREAD OFF SMALL PIECES ABOUT 1-2” THICK IT TOOK 4 + HRS OF HARD WORK AND 3 BUD’S TO DO IT.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

Otto-

Just be careful that they aren't any fuel of fuel vapors that have soaked into the foam, especially if the tank was leaking. A friend of mine was removing a fuel tank from a boat and a spark from a saw ignited the vapors in the foam and it flashed over. He suffered some burns on his arms and hands and spent about 10 days in the hospital.

It was a freak accident, not extremely common.Just be sure to sniff around and be extra careful when working around a fuel tank.

-Ed-

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

Otto-

Just be careful that they aren't any fuel of fuel vapors that have soaked into the foam, especially if the tank was leaking. A friend of mine was removing a fuel tank from a boat and a spark from a saw ignited the vapors in the foam and it flashed over. He suffered some burns on his arms and hands and spent about 10 days in the hospital.

It was a freak accident, not extremely common.Just be sure to sniff around and be extra careful when working around a fuel tank.

-Ed-

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

Holy CRAP! A chain saw? I would rather do it slowly and be around to talk about it. If you just had a little fuel on the foam and there just happened to be an exposed screw head. KAAABBAMMMMMMM! A guy here in Bradenton just blew himself and his assistant to Kingdom Come.

Did you also check if the fuel tank was empty by looking in the little hole and holding a bic up for light? Just kidding, be careful.

I removed a tank from my 20 robalo about 8 years ago. Did it the old fationed way. Slow and easy.

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

I did the chainsaw thing on a deck once and went through the side of the boat [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] I will say this, it is fast [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

HOLY CRAP YOU GUY'S,, NEXT THING YOU KNOW IS, THEY'LL BE AN AMBULANCE CHASER AFTER ME THREATENING A LAWSUIT. KAAAAABLAAAM, 10 DAY'S IN THE HOSPITAL,THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE HULL [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] AND EVERYTHING ELSE [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] . SOMEWHERE IN MY POST I THINK I SAID "VERY CAREFULLY". WHAT I DIDN'T SAY WAS TO BE SURE TO CONNECT THE FILL TUBE ON YOUR TANK TO THE EXHAUST PIPE OF YOUR CAR(START IT). THE CARBON MONOXIDE WILL ELIMINATE OXOGEN. THEN TAKE ANY OLD HIGH SPEED FAN AND POINT IT AT THE AREA OF SURGURY. DOING THIS IN A WELL VENTALATED AREA'S A GOOD IDEA TOO! IT'S A WELL KNOWN FACT YOU NEED THEE PART'S TO CREATE FIRE/EXPLOSION,,,FUEL-OXOGEN-SPARK. ELIMINATE ONE,AND NOTHING CAN HAPPEN. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT VERY CAREFULLY????? THESE PRECAUTION'S SHOULD ALL BE USED REGUARDLESS OF WHICH METHEOD YOU USE,, OLD FASHION-4 TO 8 HOUR'S USING A HAND SAW,CHISEL,HAMMER, AND OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT CAN CAUSE A SPARK,,,, OR 15 MINUTE'S WITH AN ELECTRIC CHAINSAW. COME TO THINK OF IT???? DO YOUR PERCENTAGES OF A MISHAP GO UP OVER A 4 TO 8 HOUR PERIOD????? OR IS THE RISK HIGHER IN 15 MINUTE'S.THE PLAIN FACT IS,,,,, ONLY AN IDIOT COULD BLOW HIMSELF UP PULLING A FUEL TANK [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] BETTER OFF MAYBY TO PAY A PRO TO REMOVE THE TANK OTTO,, LABOR SHOULD RUN BETWEEN $300-$500. OH YEA,,,GUESS WHAT THEY USE TO CUT THE FOAM [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] WHERE DO YA THINK I GOT THE IDEA. BOOM! LT DAN

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

LtDan,

Thanks for the tips. I really wasn't worried about it, just procrastinating. Now I'm paranoid. We have EMT's in town.

Slow and easy, baby.

Otto

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

I installed some new tanks in one of my customers boat after he had started the job. He told me that he blew the foam out using a 2000# preasure cleaner. I didn`t see it done but it sounded lite something I might try in the future.

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

I have a 100 gal. tank and want to increase to a 120 to 130 gal. tank. Who would be a good vendor?

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

HEY REPETE,,, HOME DEPOT OF COARSE,,,, THEY'VE GOT EVERY KIND OF CHAINSAW KNOWN TO MAN [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] LT DAN

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

Lt. Dan-

Your method of hooking a tailpipe to a gas tank to add carbon monoxide so as to remove the oxygen is very interesting. I've never heard of that before....all I heard of was draining the tank of all the gas and filling it with water.

Any suggestions for when the foam surrounding the tank is soaked with fuel or fuel vapors? I'm being serious and not trying to be a wisea$$.

Ed

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

LIKE I SAID BEFORE ED,VERY CAREFULLY! DUE DILIGENCE IS THE RULE OF THUMB IF YOU'VE GOT A LEAKER WITH SATURATED FOAM. SOMETIME'S IT PAY'S TO USE THE PRO'S AND PART WITH THE BUCK'S. ED,I DON'T THINK YOUR TRYING TO BE A SMARTA$$, THE VERY FACT THAT WE TAKE THE THE TIME TO EXPLORE ALL THE ANGLE'S WILL BE A BENIFIT TO SOMEONE,,MAYBE PREVENT SOMEONE FROM MAKING A BIG MISTAKE [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] . THIS IS A SITE OF DO IT YOURSELFER'S THAT SEEM TO BE BOOTSTRAPPER'S BY NATURE, AND I THINK WE ALL SHOULD SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES. THE COMMENTARY THAT COME'S AFTER AN ORIGINAL POST, IS WHAT WE ALL RELY ON TO FINE TUNE OUR PROCEDURE'S, OR THOUGHT PROCESS PRIOR TO ATEMPTING A FIX OR REPAIR,,,,PURCHASE OR SALE,,,ETC. IF WE STOP DOING THAT,,,,THIS SITE LOSES IT'S MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY,,, INFORMATION. MOST SERIOUSLY LT DAN

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

I just started to take the tank out of my 73 23 Tsunami and it dose not apear to be fomed in. I just drained the fule out last night and this afternoon I am going to try and remove the tank. What do you do with the fill hose to get it out of the way? Also how do you put in a new fill hose? Thanks for any info. Chris

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

AFTER YOU DISCONNECT THE HOSE FROM YOUR TANK YOU CAN UNSCREW THE GAS FILL BRACKET THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE CAP OF YOUR BOAT PULL THE HOSE UP ABOUT A FOOT OR TWO DO THE SAME THING WITH THE AIR EXCAPE HOSE THEN THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANY TROUBLE REMOVING THE TANK EXCEPT FOR THE WIRES FROM THE GAS TANK TO YOUR GAS INDICATOR AND A GREEN GROUND THAT MIGHT GO FROM YOUR TANK AND YOUR GAS FILLER TO A BOAT GROUND. AS FOR INSTALLING A NEW HOSE FIRST OFF MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE GAS TYPE HOSE NOT THE WATER OR EXHAUST TYPE HOSES IF YOU REMOVE THE HOSE CLAMPS FROM THE GAS FILLER YOU COULD ATTACH THE NEW HOSE TO THE OLD ONE BY USING SOME LARGE PVC PIPE WITH HOSE CLAMS HOLDING THE OLD ONE TO THE NEW TOGETHER. THEN JUST PUSH IT THROUGH. MAKE SURE YOU USE 2 GOOD HOSE CLAMS ON BOTH THE TANK AND ALSO THE GAS FILL JUST INCASE ONE BREAKS. THERE IS ONE LAST THIN TO DO WHEN YOU RUN THE NEW AIR EXCAPE LINE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LOOP IN THE LINE LIKE A U JUST BEFORE YOUR OUT BOARD VENT BY DOING THAT IF ANY WATER DOES GET INTO THE LINE FROM THE VENT TAKING IN WATER IT WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR GAS TANK IT WILL GET CAUGHT IN THE LOOP. WHEN YOU FILL YOU TANK WITH GAS IT WILL GET BLOWN OUT THE VENT.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

FYI,

Shop around for that fuel hose. I found prices between $9 to $6 a foot.

Same hose, different thief ...

- Nick

Re: FUEL TANK REMOVAL
 

Check out these guys:

Surplus Unlimited

Awsome prices on 2" fuel fill hose $5 a foot and amazing prices on marine wire. All Marine quality, they have been very realiable for my needs.