Fuel Tank Replacement

Ekea

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for those of you that have had your fuel tank replaced by a shop, what was your cost and where did you get it done?

in my research, i keep reading that the tank should cost about $10 per gallon (so a 200 gallon tank would be $2000), and then about $3000 labor for a total of about $5k. i just called my local dealer and they said $5k for the tank and another $5k in labor which seems quite excessive.
 

seasick

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I use to figure that a decent price for potato chips was about 25 cents an ounce. So on 'sale' an 8 ounce bag was a decent purchase at 2 bucks. This week the 'sale' potato chips were $3.50 for a 7 1/2 ox bag.. That works out to almost 47 cents an ounce. The increase over the last few years in this case was a factor of 1.86. If gas tanks use the same price inflation , the $5000 job would now be $9,333:) Funny how that is.
 

Ekea

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as unrelated as your potato chip adjustment factor is, it seemingly is surprisingly accurate. my only challenge to that is that labor hasnt gone up that much. id still expect $125 +- an hour. which is not far off from where it was 5-10 years ago
 
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kirk a

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Contact Sunshine marine tanks in FL with your tank dimensions and see what they can come up with. When I replaced a fuel tank in my previous boat, they were less expensive than any local option I could find in New England, including shipping. I did the work myself, so can't help with the labor costs. I'd guess the cost is now north of 10 per gal, but no idea how much more.
 

Hookup1

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Patriot Marine or SP Tanks both in NJ. They will give you a quote and build tanks. Not sure they will install.

Young's Fiberglass will install the tanks but I don't have a quote. Sometimes they have to do some fiberglass removal to get the hoses run or tanks out.


 

SirGrady226

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I too replaced my tank myself in my 226 Seafarer. I took the old tank to a local welding shop that does boat tanks, they made it from a heavier gauge aluminum, included premium sending unit for 960.00. I ran new fuel lines, fill hose, and did two coats of epoxy primer on the tank. The bearing points where the tank meets the hull pads had rubber originally, this is where the bad corrosion occurred. On the new tank, I installed fiberglass 1/4" pads at the bearing points ,attaching them to the tank with 5200. Between those and the hull, I used expanded PVC for some cushion. This should keep any movement and rubbing away from the tank itself and keeping the epoxy primer in place, preventing corrosion. Hopefully it will be the last tank this boat will ever need.
 
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Bayou Boy

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I replaced my Fuel cells, both, with custom 3/16 aluminum. They fit perfect and you can't tell anything has happened.
We did make the run from Freeport, Texas to Grand Isle, LA. We then ran on over to a cut through the marsh to Empire, LA, on through the locks of the Mississippi and down to Ostrica. There we cut back into the marsh and ran across to Biloxi bihind the Chandeleur Islands. From there on over to the Flora Bama. 11day trip for my wife and I! Great trip and experiences on our 1998 300 Marlin.
 

Dougiewestcoast

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for those of you that have had your fuel tank replaced by a shop, what was your cost and where did you get it done?

in my research, i keep reading that the tank should cost about $10 per gallon (so a 200 gallon tank would be $2000), and then about $3000 labor for a total of about $5k. i just called my local dealer and they said $5k for the tank and another $5k in labor which seems quite excessive.
Did the Tanks in my 228 Seafarer 2 years ago, $2700 for the two tanks, I installed them myself.. dropped the capacity by 220 L. 440L is plenty.
 

Hookup1

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SP Tanks in Clermont, NJ 72 gallon and 134 gallon tanks $1,000 and 1,400 last Summer. Certified tank builders, epoxy painted. Self installed documented here on GG.
 

JeffN

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Speaking only to the labor cost. I replaced the tank in my old Grady myself on my '83. The tank was accessed through a removable panel in the cockpit deck slightly larger than the tank the tank, easy job. A few years later I was speking to another Grady owner and he was talking costs of replacing his tank. His numbers were what t I thought were high, we went down the dock and looked at his later model boat, a center console and was very surprised at the amount of things that needed to be removed to change out his tank. So depending on the model that might explain some of the labot cost. Perhaps later models are all that labor intensive now, I have no idea.