I own a 2005 225 Tournament. No fuel issues but I keep hearing folks say they have replaced their tanks. Is there any sign or warning this needs to be done?
Barry Vaught
Barry Vaught
Fuel tanks
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Sardinia306Canyon
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Smell of gasoline or worst, gasoline in the bilge.
It start mostly with gasoline smell in the bilge area when pinholes slowly develop and start to leak a tiny amount of gasoline.
It can be also a due age or bad clamped leaking vent or fill hose, that would be a less expenive fix.
However, fuel smell after refueling should ring the alarm bell really hard and that has to be investigated immediately as gasoline fumes are very explosive.
Chris
It start mostly with gasoline smell in the bilge area when pinholes slowly develop and start to leak a tiny amount of gasoline.
It can be also a due age or bad clamped leaking vent or fill hose, that would be a less expenive fix.
However, fuel smell after refueling should ring the alarm bell really hard and that has to be investigated immediately as gasoline fumes are very explosive.
Chris
The life span can be greatly affected by the moisture content of the gas tank coffin. Some are normally very dry while others can be wet. A fresh water boat would typically have longer lasting tanks than one operated in a salt water environment.
Some model years of Gradys have plastic tanks and they can last a very long time. I don't know what model have plastic, that would be interesting to know. I know my 208 has a plastic tank as did other models in that year (2001). My tank is 80 or so gallons. I am not aware of larger plastic tanks being used by GW
Some model years of Gradys have plastic tanks and they can last a very long time. I don't know what model have plastic, that would be interesting to know. I know my 208 has a plastic tank as did other models in that year (2001). My tank is 80 or so gallons. I am not aware of larger plastic tanks being used by GW
My 2000 has a plastic tank and I believe yours does also. I would look into that. You can call Grady(252) 752-2111
Sardinia306Canyon
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If you look inside the bilge area or open the fuel sender cover plate you will see what kind of tank you have.
Chris
Chris
What you're reading about is in regards to aluminum tanks. Since you (likely) have a plastic tank... while the advice of "fuel smells" obviously still applies... the likelihood of a plastic tank leaking is extremely low. If you do suspect a leak, the smell is much more likely to be coming from old hoses or simply a sender gasket.
As mentioned , your tank should be poly. I just picked up a ‘98 Tournament and it’s poly. I think 98 was the year they switched from aluminum.
Ekea
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you can have your fuel tank pressure tested to check for leaks (this is different from a fuel pressure test)
my 2000 has an aluminum tank.
question for the group - what is the advantage of an aluminum tank over a poly? it seems that the poly tanks hold up better, so why ever use aluminum?
my 2000 has an aluminum tank.
question for the group - what is the advantage of an aluminum tank over a poly? it seems that the poly tanks hold up better, so why ever use aluminum?
Sardinia306Canyon
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Because a correct installed and kept absolutely dry aluminum tank probably will outlast a poly one and second because US manufacturers are used to aluminum tanks. There is no real long-term 20 years+ experience with poly tanks, particularly if 20 years or more storing fuel inside may make the plastic brittle and suddenly the tank leaks badly. On my boat i would check the tank regularly after 10+ years to check for ageing, but the ones i had installed held up long time 10-15 years without problems other than oxidizing fuel pickup elbowas on Mueller Polytanks. Not a problem on boats where the fuel tak cover can be pulled easily but a PITA on boats where the tank is (partially) glassed in.
The smell story is partially true, but it regards older singe layer poly tanks as they can be a bit smelly.
Newer poly tanks are two layer plastics where the inner layer is absolutely gas and smell tight and the outer layer is for stabilty and abrasion control.
Chris
The smell story is partially true, but it regards older singe layer poly tanks as they can be a bit smelly.
Newer poly tanks are two layer plastics where the inner layer is absolutely gas and smell tight and the outer layer is for stabilty and abrasion control.
Chris
Surprised these later model boats have aluminum tanks? Pretty sure I recently saw where GW went poly around ‘98, and mine for sure is poly.
Maybe it’s just the smaller boats/tanks, like my 192 60gal?
Maybe it’s just the smaller boats/tanks, like my 192 60gal?
Poly tanks are actually quite durable and last a long, long time. Many, many smaller boats in the US have them - and have had them for decades (I can't speak for boats outside of the US). My guess as to why larger tanks aren't poly is probably the same as mentioned above - something about needing more reinforcement which may mean more build time ($$) and probably to the point where the aluminum becomes less expensive when factoring everything in.
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i sold my last boat in april, it was a 1993 welcraft with the original poly tank. no issues at all. there are tons of boats 10 years newer with failing aluminum tanks. i dont have official statistics, but from what i have seen, poly will reliably outlast aluminum.
its also very hard to keep anything in a boat completely dry. just sitting outside in the summer between day and night, the tank in my boat will get condensation on it. keep in mind, the boat has a well vented cover and has the drain plug pulled. there is no water "in" the boat, its just our humid conditions where i live.
i dont like the idea of having anything on a boat that has issues unless kept absolutely dry. just not the right application for a boat
My 2001 208 has an original 82G poly tank. Does it leak? I don't think so
I think Grady was pretty sure that the poly would outlive the hull and to prove it, they didn't put a removable deck lid over it! Yup, if I wanted to check or pull the tank, I have to cut the deck
I suppose there are advantages and disadvantages for one material over the other. The ease/difficulty of manufacturing larger poly tanks may be an issue. I really don't know.
I do know that poly tanks can flex and bow under the load of fuel. If you look up the recommendations for selecting WEMA style senders, the advice is to select a sender that is about a half inch less than the tank depth for metal tanks and a full inch shorter for poly tanks.
I would think that expansion and contraction of poly due to temp swings and gas load may be greater as the capacity gets larger and I guess that might lead to potential stress faults in plastic tanks.
I have seem one case of a poly tank developing a leak but that was on a pontoon with an exposed poly tank. I don't know i=f that leak was a result of a mechanical failure or perhaps degradation of the plastic due to UV exposure. The leak was on the top of the tank. Since the top of the tank was a bit concave, the tank didn't leak gas per se. Rather it allowed rain water to pool, seep into the tank, and displace the gas. It is more common to have issues with the sender flange screw holes. You have to be careful when removing the sender. Sometimes, the threads come out with the screw.
I think Grady was pretty sure that the poly would outlive the hull and to prove it, they didn't put a removable deck lid over it! Yup, if I wanted to check or pull the tank, I have to cut the deckI suppose there are advantages and disadvantages for one material over the other. The ease/difficulty of manufacturing larger poly tanks may be an issue. I really don't know.
I do know that poly tanks can flex and bow under the load of fuel. If you look up the recommendations for selecting WEMA style senders, the advice is to select a sender that is about a half inch less than the tank depth for metal tanks and a full inch shorter for poly tanks.
I would think that expansion and contraction of poly due to temp swings and gas load may be greater as the capacity gets larger and I guess that might lead to potential stress faults in plastic tanks.
I have seem one case of a poly tank developing a leak but that was on a pontoon with an exposed poly tank. I don't know i=f that leak was a result of a mechanical failure or perhaps degradation of the plastic due to UV exposure. The leak was on the top of the tank. Since the top of the tank was a bit concave, the tank didn't leak gas per se. Rather it allowed rain water to pool, seep into the tank, and displace the gas. It is more common to have issues with the sender flange screw holes. You have to be careful when removing the sender. Sometimes, the threads come out with the screw.