Fuel tank

[bjfg144]

I had no problem taking out my fuel tank on my 20 CC. I took it to T-N-T Custom Marine Fabrications in Ft Pierce and made a new aluminum one for $550, by copying the old aluminum tank.

[ocuyler]

jedgar,

This project is easiest if "attacked". Remove the hatch, disconnect and/or remove the hoses, use a 12" sawlsall blade to cut the foam away from the tank. You may have to trim the hatch lip as described above. If you are replacing the tank, you can remove the sending gauge and use that hole to put a small bar inside to attach a strap to, to pull that end up and out first. Once you get it started, a helper may come in handy.

Additional comments: You may consider installing 2 tanks vs. one. Be sure to evaluate the ply under the tank. As long as you’re in there, replace it, if needed. Pascoe's tank installation method is generally accepted here. It allows the tank to breath on the bottom. Be sure the fuel tank cavity drains, too.

Finally, take a good look at the stringers while you're in there. There should (must) be a weep hole in the aft most end at the bottom to drain and water that has worked its way into the foam. Any screw holes left from attaching the tank hatch, leaning post, etc. need to be drilled and filled with epoxy. Using 5200 as a bedding compound putting those screws back will prevent water integration in the future. This is the primary reason these tanks go bad in the first place.

Best of luck.

[Runco]

The flange on the deck did need to be trimmed back about 1/4" to 3/8" on both sides to make room to pull the tank out. There were two side brackets with long screws that went into the stringers. I cut those brackets the same time I was trimming the flange, they came right off with a good sabre saw. The flange still has about 1/4" to the hold down holes so there is still plenty of support. I then took a saw I bought at Lowes, looks kind of like a pruning saw and really sharp and cut between the foam and the tank all the way back and forth the length of the tank. I then took a piece of 3/8" nylon line and fed it thru the sending unit hole and out the fill tube and tied it off. We have a fork lift truck which I used to pull the tank stright up and out of the boat with a couple of friends guiding it out. Of course the tank was empty and clean of all fuel. The tank was 99" long by 28" wide and 10" deep for a total gal of around 144. I am putting a new tank in that is 96"x28"x10" for a total of around 110 gal. The area that the tank sits in was in perfect shape, fully fiberglassed and no rot. The toughest part was cutting away the foam from the sides of the tank but it took only about two hours from start to finish. Any other questions to help let me know. I would have responded earlier but have been away for a week.

[Tampa2]

Good luck. I replaced my fuel tank on my 1984 23 classic last year to the tune of $3500. It was leaking bad. Not an easy job because it's foamed in, and you might have to cut the deck some to extract it.

[sailcat]

Not sure if this has been mentioned. Make sure you have your new tank coated prior to installing. This will stop or at least slow down the effects of saltwater.

[jedgar]

Thanks for the advice / guidance guys.

Deck hatches are out. Yeah, the tank is about 27-7/8" wide.

Even if I cut part of the flanges off both sides, I'm still gonna have a heck of a time cutting out the foam down in the crevice between the stringers and the sides of the tank. The deck proper and fish boxes (part of the deck mold)lap over past the stringers both sides, and I sure don't want to cut out any of the deck or the boxes. Maybe with a flexible blade "keyhole" saw I'll be able to bend the blade around the deck edge and back down into the crevice and cut out the foam. If not, I'll be into a really tough job of cutting up the tank in place and removing it in pieces.

[RS]

There is a lot of stuff that eats through foam, depending on it's composition. You might want to try, acetone, MEK, laquer thinner, oven cleaner, paint remover (fiberglass safe of course), etc. I'm not sure what will work, but something might, and that would make the job of tank removal pretty easy.

[Capt Chuck]

Hey LT Dan, Where are you

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. 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

LT Dan's Chainsaw thread

[strick]

More testicular fortitude then I got!!

Strick

[ocuyler]

That post should be inducted in to the CSC Hall of Fame.