Fuel Tank, Deck Plate & Moisture

[igblack87]

Hey All,

Starting to get my 2001 180 ready for the spring season. I am wondering if I should be replacing deck plates...or the pry out lid at least. As far as I know, they are originally to my 2001 180. Recently opened the one that is directly over the fuel tank and noticed some moister in there (underside of my deck & a little on top of the fuel tank) is this normal? I believe the tank is plastic, there is no smell of fuel when I open the deck plate. How long do tanks generally last? I also noticed...which I didnt know before, that they fuel tank compartment drains directly into the bilge. The fuel tank has some "gunk/crap" on it and a bit of greasy stuff as well, should I be concerned with this or consider this normal? I can share pictures later today as I am sure that will help. Deck plates (pry out) I am assuming that this is probably good preventative measure to replace?

Thanks for your info in advance,
Ian

 

[Sdfish]

Hi, I have a 1999 Adventure 208 and replaced all my pry up hatches with spin offs.
You don't have to replace the complete hatch though - you can just replace the gasket in the ones you have and put some Vaseline or super lube on them. I also have the polyethylene gas tank in my boat, just keep running it!
You should also check the transom cap on your boat, several threads on the board on that topic. I replaced mine with a stainless steel transom cap. Make sure all your bilge pumps and electronics are still working and in good shape.

 

[igblack87]

Here are several pictures.

 

[igblack87]

Hi, I have a 1999 Adventure 208 and replaced all my pry up hatches with spin offs.
You don't have to replace the complete hatch though - you can just replace the gasket in the ones you have and put some Vaseline or super lube on them. I also have the polyethylene gas tank in my boat, just keep running it!
You should also check the transom cap on your boat, several threads on the board on that topic. I replaced mine with a stainless steel transom cap. Make sure all your bilge pumps and electronics are still working and in good shape.

I actually just had the Bang plate (transom cap) redone by my marina in fall of '19. No water damage!

 

[seasick]

Moisture as you described is common and might be due to leakage but is probably condensation. Don't worry about the tank, the poly ones don't corrode.
With respect to the deck plates, it helps a lot to clean the rim, gasket and the base plate every now and then to get the dirt out.

 

[dainlaroche]

Just replaced all mine with Beckson spin offs. The cost of the o-rings weren't much less than buying the whole plate (shop around the price differs drastically). They were an exact fit and the holes even lined up.

 

[Fishtales]

Beckson Marine in CT. Sell different types (pry off, spin off, different patterns and colors). Sell the O rings too if you just replace those. Don't forget to bed the part that is screwed down with a good sealant.

 

[drbatts]

Your deck plates and associated caulking are almost 20 years old. Replacements are inexpensive, but at the very least remove them and rebed. If the boat is covered for the winter, it is a good idea to remove the lids to allow air flow through the bilge, as well as to clean out and inspect the o ring.

 

[igblack87]

Thanks everyone. Appreciate the feedback. The moister was just condensate and did not collect after further inspection. I was able to clean up a lot of the crap with degreaser on the deck plate lids. Will be having my marina do a bunch of work this winter so will add replacing the deck plates to that as well.

Ian

 

[Sparkdog118]

Gotta watch the plastic tanks. They have a habit of caving in on the top and creating a puddle of condensation around the guage sensor. The gasket dries out n tank ingests lots of water. I usually reseal the sending unit with a new gasket and 847 3m adhesive sealer. Sealed over 100 tanks with great success. I use Clorox water after sealing the tank to cut the grime since it is a mold and algae base grime.

 

[seasick]

How easy or hard is it to remove and prep a sender flange that has been previously sealed with the 847?
I typically don't recommenced a gasket sealant unless the tank flange has moderate to severe corrosion or pitting.

 

[igblack87]

I replaced the sender one time...about 3-4 years ago. it snapped off in the tank, I was lucky to be able to fish it out. Pretty easy replacement as well. Unscrew the old one, stick the new one in, reconnect the wires and done!

 

[Sdfish]

Spark - great tip! I just replaced my sender a year ago. How often do you see this occurring on the same boat? Have you noticed any other issues with tanks?

 

[Sparkdog118]

This happens to almost all the plastic tanks down here in south Florida. When they cave in on the top, the pickup is sometimes pushed against the bottom of the tank and restricts the fuel flow to the motor. The 847 has been an amazing sealer to fix this problem. It also works well when screwing in a new pickup tube. Just hoop up the threads and screw it in. Fuel proof in about 12 hours.

 

[Sdfish]

Thanks Spark!

 

[Sparkdog118]

Very welcome.

 

[Sparkdog118]

How easy or hard is it to remove and prep a sender flange that has been previously sealed with the 847?
I typically don't recommenced a gasket sealant unless the tank flange has moderate to severe corrosion or pitting.

It is removed quite easily when you need to remove it. It is not like 5200. Lol. I always use it for insurance on my senders especially on the plastic tanks. It also helps if there are any damaged screw holes.

 

[Fishtales]

I removed the decks and clean everything with Zep mold mildew and a Degreaser - including the tanks. Let the mold stuff only sit a short time (3 min or so) washed it all down when it was on the stands so it ran out the plug.
I've done the mold and mildew cleaning in the bilge every year (very little grows if you do it every year) the bilge always looks like new. If I have to do anything down there, no smell, clean and not bad at all to work in.

 

[Sparkdog118]

Nice. It is always nice to work in a clean area. We use a lot of damp rid hanging packs for our cabins when we close them up. Keeps them nice and mildew free.

 

[igblack87]

Ok, hate to beat the dead horse but I cleaned the o-rings last week and went back out to check the tank today...there is a bit of condensation on the top around the sending unit...im ok right?