Re: Gas in the bilge
 

this will work i know i've got it in a street rod tank

http://www.stoprust.net/Fuel-System-p-1-c-8.html


http://www.stoprust.net/images/P/HDC...Kit_300300.gif

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Is that the TEFLON coating there SKOOLZ?

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

all i can say is it works and saves money in the long run

here's the home website

http://www.por15.com/

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Try spraying the foam with acetone,
same stuff used in nail polish remover.

I was using some of my wife's to clean some electronics
and made the mistake of putting it in a foam coffee cup,
what a mess.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Kevin,

Try the hand saw trick. Firmly, but gently push it in and follow the contour of the tank. Short up and down strokes until you get all the way around it. It may loosen up enough foam to get the tank out.


Carl

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

I have used all manners of saws......my electric knife......drywall saw, scrapers etc etc.....ugh

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

you can only get so much of the foam before you have to start prying it out!!

Some one here tryed lifting it out on a chain fall till the boat started to lift and then it poped right out.

Others had to pry from all sides till they got them out.

So I guess what I am trying to say its time to use the mucsle! and if its leaking then who cares its going to get ruined any way!

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

if you can dig a hole out to get a couple crowbars under each end and then 2 or you pry id out it will come trust me i've pulled 5 or 6 now one was a 250 gallon in an older Sea Ox.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

I just don't see how I can pry it out without tearing up the deck. I have 1/2 an inch on the sides to work with. There is no room for a pry bar to get down there.....

As a last resort I will cut the tank but I really would like to see what is underneath before destroying it.....

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

lay a 1 x 6 on the edge of the deck so you don't pry against the deck.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Why can't you use a wire and cut the tank out from the foam using the wire as a saw?

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

That looks like a real pain in the arse.I hope I don't run into that problem soon.
I did smell gas in the bilge area when I was pumping my primer bulb a million times to get the gas out of my tank a few weeks ago.It took like an hour to get 10 gallons out.
I haven't smelled any since,I hope it was a fluke or something.
The wire saw trick seems like it should work if you can get to the belly of the tank.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

DO NOT CUT THE TANK just know way to make it safe

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Just light a match, it will come out real quick. ;D

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Filling the tank with water would displace any and all gas fumes ensuring there is nothing to explode. Gasoline vapor would be forced from the tank....

The wire thing sounds good to me also but getting to the belly of the tank has proven difficult. It is not rectangular (see whatknots link to his spec diagram and the shape of the tank) so getting underneath it will be tough with a wire.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

After I THOROUGHLY flushed my old tank out with water I cut a couple holes on each side with a hole saw. I then strung a chain through the holes. I placed two 4x4 timbers across the gunnels side by side with a floor jack on top of the timbers. I then shackeled the chains together across the floor jack and popped the tank out by pumping the jack slowly. It's a SNUG fit coming out so take your time so you don't crack your deck like I did.

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Bradford has the plan down. ;)

Re: Gas in the bilge
 

Good luck Whale, sounds like a fun project you got on your hands :P

Gas in the bilge UPDATED
 

Well, the weather was pretty warm today so I decided to have a crack at the tank again. I got a hand saw and worked around the edges to seperate the foam from the tank as much as I could. Then, I took a 4X4 and layed it across the gunwales and attached a ratchet tie-down to it and the tank. I started ratcheting and after it it tightened up it took a few more clicks and she released. I cranked the tank up quite a ways but the fit is so tight I could not get the tank out. The opening is actually a bit smaller than the tank and it would not come out enough on one end to get it out. I enlisted the help of my neighbor, Carl, and after some deliberation we had another go and actually got to within about an inch of the bottom of the tank. At that point we found the culprit....a while on the stern end in the center about big enough to put my finger in. Carl took my crow bar and pounded it the whole and used a block of wood on the deck for leverage. Then I pounded on the end of the tank with a 3 pound hammer and slowly she came up until we were able to get the end out. After that, of course, it slid right out. Thanks for all the advice, and thanks to Carl for lending a hand. Now, the quest for a new tank begins.

Here come the pictures!!!!

Entrance to my V20 cave....
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4610.jpg

My setup
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4611.jpg

Here she goes
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4613.jpg

The culprit
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4615.jpg
MG]

The end of the tank after we beat up on it
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4617.jpg

The aftermath....
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/PICT4616.jpg

Wow that is a real tight fit.Was that hole at the bottom the culprit?,it seems kind of big.Looks like you and your buddy had a fun afternoon.
Thoose are really nice rod holders did the boat come like that or are they aftermarket?.Mine are starting to fall apart and yours look really nice.
Good luck on your quest for a tank.
Nice job.

Kevin gets the credit for being in there all afternoon. I was only there about a 1/2 hour. Glad we got it out.

Carl

I hope I never have to get mine out!! Its nall of 6 feet long and hold 115 gal!!

Good Job, now clean it out and set the new one in, its time to fish!!

The "new one" is out there somewhere waiting for me to find it. I found this one for $129 ($212 after shipping) but it would mean a drop to 40 gallons.

http://www.greatlakesskipper.com/pro...ProductID=5125

It is tough to find a tank to fit near these dimensions. (44.74L X 31W X 11.5D). All of the 50-60 gallon tanks are longer (50+ inches).

Kevin,

This may too tight a fit, - It is 50 gallons.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|311|302335|7364|939818|940755&id=940635


Carl

Too tall.....looks like an irregular shape. It is 22" tall though and the current is only 11.5

Here is a possible.....Ocean Link is in Portsmouth RI. $335 for 50 gallon

http://www.oceanlinkinc.com/tanks/fs...p?ID=FOLT5007M

That looks like it will fit nice.

There is also a guy in NJ that will make a custom tank to your unique dimensions. You just send him a drawing. He advertises in "The Fisherman" magazine. I can send you the details tonight.

Carl

Whale, If I were you I wouldn't drop down to 40 gallons. I spent about 500 bucks and had a custom tank built. It's three times as thick as the factory tank so hopefully it will be the last one my V20 needs. I also did a better install job than the can of expanding foam. I glued 12 2X4's to the hull with 5200 with a wide channel between them in the bottom of the bilge. I then covered the tops of the 2X4's with 5200 and set the tank on top. I hope I never have to remove it because it probably won't want to come out! The 2X4's are pressure treated and the tank has plenty of room around it to allow water to drain away and breathe. When washing down the boat I pop the deck plates off and can rinse any saltwater or other crud off the tank. Just my 2 cents !

glad you finally got her out

The first tank I removed I used a prybar to chip away the foam and then hoisted the tank out with a car jack and a chain. The tank sticks to the foam on the bottom and breaking that seal is really tough. I can remember trying to crank it out with a board across the gunnel and watching the sides of my liner flex. The second one I filled with water and cut with a battery operated reciprocating saw and yanked it out with a come along strapped to a tree branch. Both times it was a pain. I'm glad to see you got yours out safely.

My bilge stunk like an open sewer after I pulled the factory tank out. Must have been years worth of bilge crud and fish slime down there.

Here is the link to the custom tank mfg in New Jersey.

http://www.speedytanks.com/about/index.html

Carl

Holy Crap Kev:confused::confused:
Do you think it broke apart while getting jostled out or was it like that before. I cannot believe that hole did not let gas go all over the bildge

Willy....in the first picture of the hole, it shows it as it was before we stuck the crowbar in the hole and beat up on the tank. It was big enough for my pinky finger to fit in. The reason the tank did not just empty out was that there was foam covering the hole so that it would only seep out slowly into the foam. The foam at that end of the tank and below was gas soaked but at the forward end of the tank and along the sides it was dry. There were a couple of other spots that had some signs of corrosion (all on that end) but had not broken through yet.

Based on the the quotes I have so far for $700+ for a custom aluminum tank I am thinking a plastic tank that is a bit smaller doesn't sound so bad!

My old tank had two fist sized holes in it as well as a bunch of smaller ones. I couldn't believe it.

My coworker told me it is known as "poultice corrosion". Here is an excerpt from this site discussing it:

http://ammtiac.alionscience.com/pdf/...rialEASE31.pdf

Crevice Corrosion
Crevice corrosion occurs as a result of water or other liquids getting
trapped in localized stagnant areas creating an enclosed corrosive
environment. This commonly occurs under fasteners,
gaskets, washers and in joints or in other components with small
gaps. Crevice corrosion can also occur under debris built-up on
surfaces, sometimes referred to as “poultice corrosion.” Poultice
corrosion can be quite severe, due to a gradually increasing acidity
in the crevice area.
Several factors including crevice gap width, depth, and the
surface ratios of materials affect the severity or rate of crevice
corrosion. Tighter gaps, for example, have been known to
increase the rate of crevice corrosion of stainless steels in chloride
environments. The larger crevice depth and greater surface
area of metals will generally increase the rate of corrosion.
Materials typically susceptible to crevice corrosion include
aluminum alloys and stainless steels. Titanium alloys normally
have good resistance to crevice corrosion. However, they may
become susceptible in elevated temperature and acidic environments
containing chlorides. Copper alloys can also experience
crevice corrosion in seawater environments.
To protect against problems with crevice corrosion, systems
should be designed to minimize areas likely to trap moisture, other
liquids, or debris. For example, welded joints can be used instead
of fastened joints to eliminate a possible crevice. Where crevices
are unavoidable, metals with a greater resistance to crevice corrosion
in the intended environment should be selected. Avoid the use
of hydrophilic materials (strong affinity for water) in fastening
systems and gaskets. Crevice areas should be sealed to prevent the
ingress of water. Also, a regular cleaning schedule should be
implemented to remove any debris build up. Table 3 provides a
brief list of guidelines that can help minimize crevice corrosion.

Hi Whale,

I spent alot of time looking for a ready made plastic belly tank and didn't find any of them to be satisfactory. What I found was that the angle of the V20 deep V hull was about 22 degrees and all of the available ready made plastic belly tanks had a bottom angle of about 13 - 15 degrees. The ready made plastic belly tanks were Todd or Moeller. The angle of the tanks belly made it that the largest ready made tank that would fit below the floor was 29 gallons. All of the larger belly tanks would have the top of the tank above the floor. How I checked that was by getting the exact dimensions and angles of available replacement tanks and the exact dimensions and angles of the tank well in my V and did an installation simulation on my computer.

Schools suggestion about tank sealer is I think a good one. I called Por 15 about their sealer and found out that their sealer was ethanol proof. They guaranteed that if the tank was prepared properly internally (cleaning & etching) the sealer would permanently adhere to the inside of the tank and the tank would not be affected by ethanol. Por 15's website has full instructions as to how you clean, etch, and seal fuel tanks. The sealer is a tried and true process and has been used in antique car restoration for years. Where do you buy a new exact replacement gas tank for a 1910 Franklin?? Another company that puts out a similar product is KBS Coatings. The cost to fix holes in the aluminum tank and to clean, etch and seal it with sealer would be about $150.

Just my $.02

Geek

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/index.aspx?AFID=7
http://www.stoprust.net/Fuel-System-p-1-c-8.html

Whale, I had a plastic tank custom built in '04. Used the exact dimensions of the original tank as supplied by Florida Marine Tanks (who make or made aluminum tanks), which were 44" L x 31" W x 11" H (I left out the fractions). Sent them to Triple "M" Plastic Products in Maine, got a quote and had them build it. Here's a pic of it:
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...d=P9240525_001

The tank, including a fuel gauge sending unit, was just under $500 not including shipping. I still have the drawings, if you want I can fax them to you, or try to e-mail them if I can figure out how to use my boss' scanner. ;)

That is PLASTIC? Wow, looks good! Besides my transom I can't think of any other item that I worry about more besides the gas tank. Either one could ruin your day.

These guys have one that will fit perfectly, but they won't sell it to you.

They only sell to boat manufacturers.

http://www.incaproducts.com/site/fue...atvbottom.aspx