Fish-n-Ski Barge Fuel Tank Cleaning

[SmithLakeHonda]

I am trying to to empty/clean the fuel tank on my 1993 19' Fish-n-Ski Barge and I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this type of boat. The gas is at least three years old and I am having trouble trying to find a way to siphon the old gas out of the tank.The gas smells bad and is yellow and I cant seem to get a siphon going to remove it. There may not be enough gas to get the siphon going. Should I add fresh gas and then siphon that out?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[ahicks]

I'm faced with a similar problem on a boat I'm redoing with an underfloor tank that would be a real pain to access. In my case the tank has an unkown quantity of straight gasoline, and I'm hanging an engine on it that's set up for pre-mix.

I've tried to siphon fuel using the line that would normally lead to the motor with no luck, likely due to a valve that's designed to keep that from happening in the case of an accident.

My plan, as yet untried, is to try pressurizing the tank with just a couple of pounds of pressure to force the gas out the outlet line. Keeping that pressure to an absolute minimum is REALLY important as I'm sure you can imagine. -Al

 

[Scott Danforth]

you can pressurize the vent line with about 2 psi and force the fuel out, however you still need to clean the tank. do not exceed 2psi or you will turn a square tank round.

pull the sender and clean out the tank.

I use simple green and hot water usually. fill the tank half-way, go for a ride down a really bumpy road, drain, repeat.

 

[SmithLakeHonda]

Thanks for the suggestion Al.

I may try that. I think I may add little fresh gas to the tank and slosh it around by rocking the boat on the trailer to help clean things up beforehand.

 

[Scott Danforth]

and how do you intend to dispose of all this bad gas?

 

[SmithLakeHonda]

Thanks Scott.

Since the boat appears to be built around the tank, my problem is gaining access to it and anything associated with it. There is an access plate, but all I can see is the "poly" tank and some wires (attached pictures). I would really like to do a deep clean like you are talking about, but I think I would have to cut the floor out to gain access to the tank.

 

[Scott Danforth]

there is supposed to be an access hatch over the sender/anti-siphon valve by law. it may be under the seat

 

[SmithLakeHonda]

Apparently the hatch shown in the picture is the access hatch for the sender/anti-siphon valve required by law. The connections are slightly to the stern of the boat and not visible in the first picture. I am attaching a better picture that I took with an endoscope. While it is accessible I guess, it would be very difficult to do so. The hatch should have been placed further to the stern when the boat was constructed I guess.

Thanks for the suggestions and the knowledge. I appreciate it.

 

[ahicks]

Add a hatch?

 

[Captain Caveman]

Adding some gas could help with the siphon. You can also jack up the front of the trailer or just park on a steep hill to get all of the gas to pool towards the back of the tank.