i am curious to know if the plan was to install a new fuel tank, how/why would you "cut" the old fuel tank apart. this seems like a dangerous plan being that you had a new fuel tank to install regardless of your findings. quite honestly your story sounds a bit fishy. if you used even something a tough as an angle grinder with a sanding wheel, it would still be very hard to "sand" through an aluminum tank.
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smell of gas
- Thread starter cobrapowersys
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jk
Member
Alexa Ry said:I just replaced the main tank in my '86 Offshore last month. It was in my driveway this winter an during a heavy rain I smelt gas coming out of the drain plug. I pulled the 93 gal main tank and found a screwdriver hole in the bottom of the tank that ended up sealing itself. This hole was punctured with the slightest pressure. I had a new tank built and installed it myself. It was a fairly easy project thanks to the removable deck. Replace all hoses while it is open.
I am also about to replace the tank & hoses on my '88 Offshore this weekend. Any words of advise or tips you can pass along? I had my tank made at Best Fab Inc in Florida. Best price and good people that I found.
gxsess
Active Member
i agree with the fill hoses. My tank did turn out to be leaking, but intially, the problem was caused by a rotten fill hose
richie rich
Well-Known Member
Cobra, if he was sanding the tank for painting or epoxying and hit the edge with a grinder you can cut through the weld bead if the tank were corroded.....I took a tank out last year with just "some" surface corosion and thought I could save it. I power washed the tank and let dry...Lo and behold I had pin holes all over the place that I could not previously see...that was the end of that. It is deceptive until its cleaned up properly.
NEM, try SP Sheetmetal ( SPtanks.com ) in New Jersey for a comparitive bid...they did a great job on a previous tank I had made. You can give them dimensions on-line and get a quote in a day or two.
NEM, try SP Sheetmetal ( SPtanks.com ) in New Jersey for a comparitive bid...they did a great job on a previous tank I had made. You can give them dimensions on-line and get a quote in a day or two.
VeroWing
GreatGrady Captain
cobrapowersys said:being that the hull didnt fill up with fuel, it is unlikely that the tank/s are shot. I think i will check the fill hoses, as all this started when we filled the tanks up.
Actually, fuel compartment should be fully separated from other areas of bilge with bulkheads, and drain plugs in place. If fuel tank is leaking, all fuel should, if integrity of hull bulkheads, etc. are intact, remain only in the enclosed fuel tank compartment.
I'm not saying that it isn't the hoses or something else, but I would definitly pop one or both of the fuel cover hatches and look and smell in the fuel cell compartment.
BobP
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What Richie said.
Also, no such thing as sealed fuel compartment on Grady.
Likely hole in top of tank, likely pin hole, likely involving neoprene.
Aluminum would not corrode to leak if it wasn't for galvanic corrosion incl that caused by neoprene use.
Also, no such thing as sealed fuel compartment on Grady.
Likely hole in top of tank, likely pin hole, likely involving neoprene.
Aluminum would not corrode to leak if it wasn't for galvanic corrosion incl that caused by neoprene use.
jk
Member
BobP said:Aluminum would not corrode to leak if it wasn't for galvanic corrosion incl that caused by neoprene use.
BobP - Could you explain. It's my understanding from cust service at Grady, tank manufacturer, and others that proper install is to adhere the neoprene directly to the tank at any spot if comes in contact with boat, braces, etc.
BobP
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Grady didn't adhere anything, just dropped it in place where it is found laying today.
Neoprene has carbon in it.
Nonetheless you can use neoprene, full face seal to keep moisture out. No moisture (electrolyte) = no galvanic damage.
Aluminum forms self protectivce coating over itself, called aluminum oxide. But can't protect against galvanic damage, even stainless is useless to fight it.
If your tank was made of carbon steel same thickness, 1/8 inch, how long do you think it will hold?
Try a carbon steel cotter in the prop shaft as an experiment. Local porp supply guy will have line out the door in 2 weeks.
People don't realize their outboard lower unit casing,the one with the paint worn off at the skeg from going in the shallows season start, that doesn't get repainted so fast or not at all, guess what ?
Also aluminum. How many lower units reported rusted thru, other than due to galvanic damage? 0
So saying aluminum doesn't rust has some validity to it, relative to carbon steel, IMHO
Neoprene has carbon in it.
Nonetheless you can use neoprene, full face seal to keep moisture out. No moisture (electrolyte) = no galvanic damage.
Aluminum forms self protectivce coating over itself, called aluminum oxide. But can't protect against galvanic damage, even stainless is useless to fight it.
If your tank was made of carbon steel same thickness, 1/8 inch, how long do you think it will hold?
Try a carbon steel cotter in the prop shaft as an experiment. Local porp supply guy will have line out the door in 2 weeks.
People don't realize their outboard lower unit casing,the one with the paint worn off at the skeg from going in the shallows season start, that doesn't get repainted so fast or not at all, guess what ?
Also aluminum. How many lower units reported rusted thru, other than due to galvanic damage? 0
So saying aluminum doesn't rust has some validity to it, relative to carbon steel, IMHO
richie rich
Well-Known Member
JK, the typical way boat builders used neoprene was to lay it in between the tank and the support for cushioning. But sisnce they just layed it there, moisture gets trapped between the two and festers....that starts the corrosion process.....then add the rubbing between the rubber and the tank, and now it wears through. Thats why when most guys install new tanks, they glue the neoprene or vinyl or whatever, directly to the tank and leave no gaps exposed whatsoever as Bob pointed out. The glue (5200 or similar) keeps the aluminum and neoprene seperate....so thats good....This also keeps water out of area and it forces the rubber to chaif aganst the support deck not the aluminum tank itself.
Do a search on the forum...a few guys did a nice job on their tanks and posted pictures.
Do a search on the forum...a few guys did a nice job on their tanks and posted pictures.
VeroWing
GreatGrady Captain
Also, no such thing as sealed fuel compartment on Grady.
Not sure if this statement is in response to my statement that fuel compartment is separated from other bilge areas, but if it is, then you are not entirely correct. Several Gradys I have owned have the fuel cell in its own separated compartment, with bulkheads both in front and behind fuel cell, with the aftmost bulkhead having a drainplug in it that has a plaque stating plug should be in place when operating. I also confirmed this by contacting Grady White directly, and they stated that they did indeed separate fuel cell compartment from other bilge areas in many model Gradys.
I will say this though, they also stated that they no longer do this. I'm not sure when they stopped, but I know that in my boat, fuel cell compartment was isolated from the factory.
Not sure if this statement is in response to my statement that fuel compartment is separated from other bilge areas, but if it is, then you are not entirely correct. Several Gradys I have owned have the fuel cell in its own separated compartment, with bulkheads both in front and behind fuel cell, with the aftmost bulkhead having a drainplug in it that has a plaque stating plug should be in place when operating. I also confirmed this by contacting Grady White directly, and they stated that they did indeed separate fuel cell compartment from other bilge areas in many model Gradys.
I will say this though, they also stated that they no longer do this. I'm not sure when they stopped, but I know that in my boat, fuel cell compartment was isolated from the factory.
JeffN
Well-Known Member
My 83 had separate fuel compartment with a drain and plug from the factory as VeroWing describes. When the yard repowered a few years ago they cut out the drain and left the area open. So yes at one point there were separarte fuel compartments on at least some Gradys
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Aux tank shot
So after much time and effort turns out the smell of gas was a result of a completely pitted out aux tank. we removed it, and everything is ok now. Thanks to all your ideas and theories, we were able to figure out that there was a bad tank. Thanks to all!!!
So after much time and effort turns out the smell of gas was a result of a completely pitted out aux tank. we removed it, and everything is ok now. Thanks to all your ideas and theories, we were able to figure out that there was a bad tank. Thanks to all!!!
VeroWing
GreatGrady Captain
Re: Aux tank shot
Glad you got it worked out. There's no worse feeling than smelling raw fuel while out on your boat.
cobrapowersys said:So after much time and effort turns out the smell of gas was a result of a completely pitted out aux tank. we removed it, and everything is ok now. Thanks to all your ideas and theories, we were able to figure out that there was a bad tank. Thanks to all!!!
Glad you got it worked out. There's no worse feeling than smelling raw fuel while out on your boat.
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I guess I can think of a couple of worse feelings while out on the water, but this is definitly not a pleasant one.
Offshore24
Well-Known Member
Did you check the primary tank? Mine was pitted on the bottom only. I'm sure you can imagine that both tanks were in the same environment. Pulling them is the only way to check.