Gas Tank Issues?

Irish Jig · #1 01-12-2009, 04:31 PM

I have an 1990 18 sport. I want to upgrade the fuel lines so that they can now handle ethanol. Are there any concerns with the gas tank as well? What material is it made out of? If anyone has had to replace one, how difficult or expensive of a job was it? Thanks for the help.

garagenc · #2 01-12-2009, 04:38 PM

I don't know what material yours is made out of but ethanol is bad on everything including poly tanks which yours may be also (mine is) but I dont have the same boat but my newer cuddy (1990) is made of poly. It hasn't bothered mine yet that I can tell. A product called Store and Start (gas treatment) does leave a yellow coating on everything and seems to protect the items it comes in contact with and ethonol doesn't wash it off. It's sold at Wal-mart and marina's.

Mulv80 · #3 01-12-2009, 04:52 PM

I replaced (2) tanks in (2) different V-20's. I think by 1990 they were using Poly tanks but I can't say for sure. There was a post here a while back where some guys had aluminum tanks and others had poly tanks in the same year boats. Shop around for the best price on the Fuel hoses, the Fuel Fill hose is really expensive.

Irish Jig · #4 01-12-2009, 05:04 PM

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure my tank is a poly tank. I can smell some gas which has me a bit worried. I'm hoping its just the fuel lines or a leaky conection. Is there a way to pressure test the tank to find out if it has a leak?

IDBooch · #5 01-15-2009, 06:57 PM

On my 19' wellcraft 1986 the tank is poly I was also concerned that the e-10 gas maybe a problem. I called wellcraft and they said that there is no problem with the tank and todays gas, but that the gas fill and vent line must be replaced as they would be a problem. As I have the floor ripped out now I would have changed the tank. Now I'll just change the gas lines along with the stringers and deck. All I need is some nice warm weather to start this work. I just picked up a 1989 Mako 220 with a evinrude 225 E-tec (2007) yes I'm also a member of the classicmako site.

macojoe · #6 01-15-2009, 07:23 PM

Poly should be just fine!! But all the old hoses have to be replaced, and double clamped.
And as said the hoses are $$$ so shop around!

csvencer · #7 01-15-2009, 07:37 PM

Poly wasn't so much an issue as the fiberglass tanks in some older boats. The ethanol was breaking down the resin and clogging everything up.

-Svence

spareparts · #8 01-15-2009, 09:51 PM

the thing I can't figure is they have been putting ethanol in fuel since the 80's. Thats what caused a lot of OMC's oil injection issues( not all of them though) and promted OMC and all the other manufactures to use ethanol resistant fuel lines adn engine components. Its only recently that they have been putting the E10 sticker on the tanks, theres no telling how much they had been using, leagally they could have been using 9% and not posting it. Some areas of the country have been using ethanol enhaced fuel for years. Now that the pumps get the little stickers, we have to buy all these chemicals that we've not needed before. I've seen ethanol blamed for every type of neglect and missuse casued failure you could think of. As far as the fuel hose goes, anything in an I/O or Inboard has to use USCG type A1, while outboards can get away with B1 fuel lines which both are required to be ethanol resistant adn have been for a niumber of years. AS far as your tank goes, if it was made in teh 80's or newer, you should be fine

bcmarinamanager · #9 01-17-2009, 08:17 PM

I don't think very many places have been using ethanol at any level. And it doesn't take a big increase for ethanol to do some real damage to a fuel system. The marinas here don't sell the E10 stuff, but so many people buy gas on the way to their boats it is starting to have an affect on boats with glass tanks. I've had several people at the marina with older Whalers that are having some engine trouble now b/c of the old fiberglass tanks they have. Most are just replaceing the old tanks with the new poly's that fit right under their seats just like the stock ones.

spareparts · #10 01-17-2009, 10:14 PM

believe me, there has been ethanol in your gas for a long time, especially in large urban areas. They don't have to post it for percentages under 10%. Back when they first started using it, (in the 80's) we would take carbs apart and the gaskets would be so swolen they would close off passages. The inside of fuel lines would turn to tar. I lived in Raleigh for most of my life, back in the mid 80's I worked at a Gulf station on Six Forks, we would get all kinds of notices about ethanol content in the fuel from the suppliers