Getting ready to install my new fuel tank

[ekalb]

Scratch that.

Rear supports are out and the tank is free. It looks like the sides are what may need to be trimmed. It's so close to fitting out, but its a few mm off it seems

 

[ekalb]

Well, it's out.

I had to do some grinding on all 4 sides, but it was pretty minimal.

Proud to say I took it out with zero help....much easier once my daughter stopped dancing on it.


I'm going to tackle the fuel lines tomorrow.

 

[Pez Vela]

I'm going to tackle the fuel lines tomorrow.

:goodjob Now it's time for some first aid and a relaxing beverage. Tomorrow, the hard part starts.

 

[ekalb]

I'm going to tackle the fuel lines tomorrow.

:goodjob Now it's time for some first aid and a relaxing beverage. Tomorrow, the hard part starts.

Thanks!

It sure looks like tomorrow is going to be no fun. Is there an "easier" direction to try and feed the lines?

Should I even bother trying to pull the lines through as the old ones are getting pulled out? They seem to be in pretty good condition so for now I don't think they will dissenegrate in my hands like they have for others.

 

[Pez Vela]

I can't say what will work and what won't work for you. My lines were snaked through the bulkheads into an inverted double "S" maze with foam and zip ties added just for fun. If the lines pull right out without cutting into the longitudinal bulkheads, you're way ahead of the game. How's access to your fuel fill cap and vent where the lines are hose clamped?

 

[ekalb]

I can't say what will work and what won't work for you. My lines were snaked through the bulkheads into an inverted double "S" maze with foam and zip ties added just for fun. If the lines pull right out without cutting into the longitudinal bulkheads, you're way ahead of the game. How's access to your fuel fill cap and vent where the lines are hose clamped?

ok

the picture with my daughter in it shows a door to the side of the helm where I have fairly decent access. I can get contort myself enough to get my shoulders in there, but it will not be comfortable for any stretch of time.

I assume I will pull the lines from the fuel tank compartment since there is way more room for leverage at that point.

thanks again for your help!

 

[ROBERTH]

What I did was to cut a piece of PVC pipe, inserted in both old and new hose to connect them. Put in screws to secure to PVC and then pulled old out and new followed in it's place. Worked like a charm and was easy to replace. Now, connecting to fuel fills was a knightmare with one arm stretched as far as one can reach, then to put a loop in the vent hose and zip tie it was fun also!

 

[ekalb]

I had the same issue with the vent loop


Well, those two lines are in. I never even realized I had another entire access panel that was easily removable. It made the job fairly easy and I was able to take the old stuff out and put the new stuff in in about 2 hours.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to clean it all up and drop the tank in.

 

[Tim67580]

I have got to ask, how did you get the line in? I could not see any feasible way of doing it without cutting out the floor under the helm. My fill line appears to go through the stringer near the helm then snake through no less than 2 additional bulkheads making sharp turns at each one. I briefly pulled as hard as I could and had no movement in the hose whatsoever. Advice would be appreciated, based on this I may attempt this project again in the Fall.

-Tim

 

[ekalb]

Tim,

Luckily for me, there is a 6 inch access port in the floor of the compartment under the helm. I was able to lay on my stomach (feet toward bow, head towards stern) with my left arm in that hole, while my right arm was pushing the hose 1/4 inch at a time, my left arm would pull 1/4 at a time. It was slow, but it was the only way I could figure out how to do it. Without that second access panel removed in the picture, I don't see any way I could have done this without cutting in deck plates. As was said before, that fill line is "clamped" in a two spots in there and there was almost no play in the line whatsoever.

A second set of hands would have really sped this project up for me.

 

[Grog]

While the tank is out, put a coat of coal tar epoxy on it before you install. It may last 15-20 years without the epoxy coating but it is insurance against corosion. If you're in the business to sell gas tanks would you recommend anything to lessen your future sales?

The fuel lines are a ___ shoot. Some give in after a long fight but others require cuting access holes. I was able to screw a 1 1/2" dowel into the old and new hose and with someone pushing while I pulled get it through.

 

[ROBERTH]

Yeah, what Grog said as he gave me the idea on the dowel. I couldn't find a wooden dowel that big, so just used some PVC pipe laying around and it worked like a charm! My hose went through stringer, under deck forward a long way and then up to the fill. Once I got the old/new connected and taped up, then it was a push/pull/tug war and sea/saw back and forth and eventually, with second helper, it came through.

 

[ekalb]

While the tank is out, put a coat of coal tar epoxy on it before you install. It may last 15-20 years without the epoxy coating but it is insurance against corosion. If you're in the business to sell gas tanks would you recommend anything to lessen your future sales?

The fuel lines are a ___ shoot. Some give in after a long fight but others require cuting access holes. I was able to screw a 1 1/2" dowel into the old and new hose and with someone pushing while I pulled get it through.

I appreciate the advice on the epoxy, but I have decided to skip this step. The tank I pulled out was labelled 1984 and was original to the boat. The holding area was surprisingly dry and there was very little corrosion on the tank in general. I have used marine tex on all the old screw holes and plan to redrill everything and re-caulk everything. I'm also replacing all the deck plates. It should be even more water tight than it was when I opened it up.

The only reason I pulled the original tank is because when I bought the boat it had very little usage on it over many seasons and there was some "sludge" in the tank from gas breaking down over the years. I also noticed the fuel fill line I pulled out was a 2007. I imagine the old line slowly broke down and garbage worked its way into the tank. The previous owner definitely had someone replace that fill line for a reason (vent line was original) and it couldn't have been because it was working flawlessly.

Since the first tank lasted 29 years, I see no reason this one shouldnt as well. The chances of me owning this boat 29 years from now is slim

 

[ekalb]

All set!

I finally finished it up last night and made sure to put the batteries in and test the signal before I closed the deck back up. It is definitely registering as being completely empty

Next up is redoing the non skid.


thank you all for the help!!!!

 

[Pez Vela]

You're a friggin' marine installer ... that's what you are. What's next?

 

[ekalb]

Thanks!! You've been super helpful with this!

The list is:
Redo the deck/non skid etc. repaint semi gloss white (Pettit epoxy)
Work on the teak to try and put some life back in it.
New carpeting under the helm area (its nasty)
New cushions for all the seating
Install new stereo (fusion ip700, four 7 inch JL speakers, and bazooka sub)
Remove lettering and pinstriping and bring the gelcoat back to life
Re install all decals


Hoping to get this all done by the first week in May.

 

[wilson]

I installed a new tank in my 89 sailfish, the plywood bulkhead between the two tanks was glassed in the sides and bottom but the top didn't even have paint on it. So it was rotted all the way down with no strength to it at all. Saved alot of work by cutting that out and having one big 200 gallon tank made. Had 3 pick up's welded to the back as well as the gas fill line, then I can drain all the gas out easy at the end of the season. Deleated one oil fill to a gas fill so routing the hose was easy. Kept the vent in orginal location, the tank was fab'd to my specs and I put it in and a few of the website engineers and resident know-it all's said it wouldn't perform right. The last tanks leaked and this one doesn't, the engines run fine and I've been to the hotdog and beyond with no problems. Just thankful those nay-say'ers work on boats and their not doctors and work on people.

 

[captain swag]

I did this same project on an 82 240 Offshore. Paint the DRY wood with resin. Cushion all wood to tank contact areas with rubber cushion. A dense rubber mat like you have at your back door (think cheap welcome mat from Lowes) cut into strips works well. Be careful how you route fuel lines that they are not punctured by hatch lid screws. (I did this and the result could have been tragic) Above all else, make sure the tank cannot move fore, aft or sideways. Block it well and in many places. There is alot of inertia and energy when that tank is full of fuel. 90 gallons times about 8lbs/gal. yeilds very close to a thousand pounds. Throw in a pitching sea and you have alot of force. Use long stainless screws to anchor the braces/blocking. Not hard just takes time.