Fuel tank

lookout · #1 01-14-2005, 08:01 AM

When I refurbished my '23, I did not replace the fuel tank. I'm not having any problems with it but I'm kicking myself for not taking care of it when the boat was apart. The boat is a 1986. Does anyone have any idea how long these tanks are lasting? I'm debating doing the work next month, but really don't want to.

FELLOW-SHIP · #2 01-14-2005, 09:26 AM

There is really no magic formula at least that I know off. When I did my 77 I replaced the tank it wasn’t leaking buy had pitting in it. Maybe you will get 10 years out of the one you have maybe it will start leaking next week. It has to do with salt water being trapped on the tank that will do it. Some guys have removed the tank tested it and put a coating over the tank and re installed.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

lookout · #3 01-14-2005, 01:21 PM

Thanks for your comments.

ocuyler · #4 01-14-2005, 09:10 PM

I replaced the tank in my '89 23. The hoses were cracked and leaking and the the tank was pitted due to the foam locking salt water next to the tank. The ply under the tank was replaced as well.

thedink9 · #5 01-14-2005, 11:22 PM

When I refurbed the decks last year on my 85 I had the same wet foam around the tank some minor pitting on the tank itself and a wet tank deck. I replaced everything to get some piece of mind. If this is bothering you , go for it. Dink

Runco · #6 01-16-2005, 02:27 PM

Am in the process of replacing tank in 1985 Sceptre 144 gal.Took the old one because of a bunch of junk in the tank that kept fouling the filters and knew that it was 19 years old. I owned a Grady White 1984 I lost the tank in that one at the dock, bilge full of gas, don't want to do that again! When I got the tank out the foam in one corner was all gas saturated so the tank was leaking slightly. I would say if you have a tank thats foamed in pushing 20 years is about the time to replace it. Don't wait for it to fail during the season nobody wants a bilge full of gas.

strick · #7 01-16-2005, 10:28 PM

Amen to that brother! I once accidently drove a nail into a fuel line on our commercial gill netter in Alaska. We drove around for a while before we started to smell the gas in the bilge. Thats when I found out what I had done. Boy did I get in trouble for that!

My tank was pushing 30 years old and although it did not leak I decided to replace it anyway. The old Seacrafts do not have foamed in tanks so maybe thats why it lasted so long. However when I removed the tank there was some rubber adhesive that was attached to the bottom of the tank and when I removed it there was severe pitting under it. ONLY were the rubber came in contact with the aluminun. Rubber has carbon in it which reacts with the aluminun causing pitting.

strick

Tampa2 · #8 01-21-2005, 04:27 PM

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.

jedgar · #9 01-22-2005, 08:38 PM

Jack in Weymouth: I need to replace the tank in my 1985 Scepter. How did you get yours out ? On mine, the deck flanges that the removable deck plates sit on and screws into, overlap over the top of the tank on both sides.

Looks like I'll have to trim atleast part of the flanges off on each side to have any chance of getting the tank out. And even after trimming part of the flanges off, I still will have a heck of a time getting to the foam between stringers and the sides of the tank.

Hope you can give some guidance. I need to get this tank out and replace real soon as our cobia season starts up pretty soon here in central Florida.

I'll probably have a new 100 gallon tank built as the 144 was way too much. My twin 115 Suzukis never burn more than 35 gallons on an offshore trip.

thedink9 · #10 01-23-2005, 04:05 PM

Jedjar
I had to cut the lip on both sides (about 1 inch in total }to remove my tank. No big deal as this has no effect on mounting the deck hatch. Measure the tank ( it's probably 28" give or take a bit, then the lip. Cut the lip opening about 1/8" wider than the tank to allow a small cushion of clearance when you lift the tank out. If you tank has small mounting tabs, cut them off as well. Get ready to replace the deck that the tank sit on as most get wet and soft over time. Dink