Fuel Tank Repair

[STGRule]

When we cleaned up the fuel tank from the project boat we discovered why we found gas-soaked rotten wood in the stringers around the engine well and why the tank didn't smell at all of gas.....

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/947tank1.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/947tank2.jpg
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/947tank3.jpg

Anybody know an aluminum welder that could patch this up? It hasn't had gas in it in years. In fact when we pulled it out in February it had water condensed in it and it has been drying out in the garage since then. No smell of gas that my tired old nose can detect.

:help:

[Jester]

I'd have to take a closer look at it......Looks pretty bad around the holes. Might have to "plate" it. Let me know.

[suckerfish]

I would take the safe coarse and buy a new fuel cell, or find a good used one. That tank has had it. The bottom my rupture with the extra weight of the fuel sloshing around in rough seas.

suckerfish

[Flush Release]

Replace it.
By the time you find someone willing (or foolish enough)to repair it and what it will cost you can spend a bit more and get a new one.

[spinifera]

Make some careful measurements before you decide to replace it. I replaced an old cell in my boat with a new plastic tank. If I had it to do over again I would probably repair the old one. I couldn’t find a new tank that had similar dimensions and fill hole locations as the old. I decided to go with a similar shape and size and attempt to modify the fill hose. The tank was in a tight spot and I couldn’t bend the hose enough to make it work so I ended up welding a pipe with a zag in it and I used hose on each end to attach it. It fills slowly but works.

Long story short… I spent more time and $ making something new work than I would have repairing the old.

I won’t even tell you about the holes I put in the bottom of my boat while installing the new mounting hardware. :sick:

Good luck and be careful. Cheers- spine

[rojo]

Worked in a radiator shop once. We hot tanked the tanks, welded and then added a coating to the inside like in a fuel cell. This was mostly for antique autos but they never leaked again and should work on boats....Roger

[STGRule]

I looked into the plastic replacment tanks and there isn't anything even close to the same size. I'm stuck with repairing the old one or having a custom aluminum tank made and I'm betting I can't afford that.

[Jester]

As I said.....Let me know if you want me to look at it. I have some various sized pieces of plate aluminum laying around from previous "government" jobs, depending on the size I could possibly replace the whole bottom (also depending on how the rest of the tank looks). I'd also pressure test it to be sure it would'nt leak. The cost :cheers: you will be surprized.

[STGRule]

That sounds great Jester. I'll PM you my number and maybe we can get it to you to look at.