Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

[Woodonglass]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

If you're really wanting to protect your tank LONG TERM I'd Highly recommend you take a look at this stuff. My son informed me about it when he was restoring his 65 VW Bus. I've since done a lot of research on it and it's some "BAD" stuff.

POR-15

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

If you're really wanting to protect your tank LONG TERM I'd Highly recommend you take a look at this stuff. My son informed me about it when he was restoring his 65 VW Bus. I've since done a lot of research on it and it's some "BAD" stuff.

POR-15

Yup, I used POR-15 on my 454 Mercruiser rebuild a couple of years ago. It is a fairly substantial paint. I'll have to check it out for use on aluminum.

I am thinking that once I have the tank out, I should test the paint adhesion on a couple of types of paint, using a small area of the tank, then apply a small amount of foam. Once all has cured, etc I would 'rip' the foam off and see if the paint and foam stick to the tank, causing the foam to break off short of the tank.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Im going to recommend POR15 as well. I know it is hammer proof on steel and aluminum. (you have to grind it off)

the folks at POR15 recommended 3 light coats for my outdrive and top coat with anything. I am topcoating with their hardnosed paint to make it sand proof, and hopefully oyster shoal resistant

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Im going to recommend POR15 as well. I know it is hammer proof on steel and aluminum. (you have to grind it off)

the folks at POR15 recommended 3 light coats for my outdrive and top coat with anything. I am topcoating with their hardnosed paint to make it sand proof, and hopefully oyster shoal resistant

Tell me more about using POR15 on the outdrive . . . I got to paint those too. Did you use POR as the primer/base over bare aluminum and then an enamel or anti-fouling top coat? Was it a particular variety of the POR15 paints?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I will be painting mine shortly. below is what the folks from the tech line at POR15 when I asked


Ticket status: Completed

Department: General

Subject: Marine Outdrive coating recommendation

Scott, you have a perfect application for our tough and durable POR15 paint. It works exceptionally well in a submerged environment and is extremely resistant to salts, and abrassions. You also have the right idea of stripping off the existing paint, and starting from scratch. You will definately want to use our 2 prep products after stripping off the paint - Marine Clean degreaser to remove any impurities, contaminants or residues left from stripper, then our Metal Prep etching solution to help promote adhesion and bonding of the paint to the substrate. I'd suggest a minimum of 3 thin covering coats of the POR15 rust preventive paint, followed by a top coat of your choice. You will need to add a top coat for UV stability. The rust preventive paint is sensitive to UV light, and must be top coated.

Sincerely,
Absolute Coatings, inc.

then I asked about their hardnose paint

Ticket status: Completed

Department: General

Subject: Marine Outdrive coating recommendation

Scott, Our Hardnose Paint is the perfect top coat for your application. Scuff the POR-15 when the 3rd coat becomes dry to the touch or apply the Hardnose when the 3rd coat is just about dry, slightly tacky. Thanks, Mike

Sincerely,
Absolute Coatings, inc.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I noticed that 'zool' used the POR15 (in silver) on his fuel tank refurbishment for his Imperial 280 restoration. I re-visited the pages (4-5) on his active thread just to review what he did for prep work, etc.

I am hoping that I do not find too many pits in the aluminum when I pull the tank, as that will tend to make me nervous about fixing them versus getting a new tank. I went down this 'road' when I fixed the stringers on my 242 and found some fairly deep pits in the tank. I opted to get a new tank. I am wondering what the 'sage advice' is on aluminum tank refurbishment in terms of using JB Weld and other methods versus just getting a new tank. :noidea:

 

[zool]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I used the jb-weld for the pits...faired out nice like seamless welds....the por15 is bullet proof so far..even when walked on.....for xtra protection, you can seal the inside too with US Standard tank sealer....can get pricey on a big tank, but not compared to the price of a new big tank..

The Por15 is moisture cured...so its ideal for below deck metal...

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I think it comes down to a trade off: How bad are the pits, how much time & effort will it take, how much it costs to pressure test (possibly more then once) versus how much is a replacement tank and is the difference enough to overcome your concerns about:
:flame:

Even if you swore to me that your tank had worse pits then mine (remotely via limited pix @the internet), yours turned out perfectly fine, passed the pressure test after some JB Weld and looked brand new when you were done, when it comes down to fuel, below decks, I'd really rely on my eyes & gray matter to form an opinion my gut could live with and that I'd be confident in proceeding to put the tank below decks.

Know what I mean?

You've already been down the fixed vs new tank. Really, how bad was the old tank you replaced?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I used the jb-weld for the pits...faired out nice like seamless welds....the por15 is bullet proof so far..even when walked on.....for xtra protection, you can seal the inside too with US Standard tank sealer....can get pricey on a big tank, but not compared to the price of a new big tank..

The Por15 is moisture cured...so its ideal for below deck metal...

Hey, thanks zool.. :thumb:

I gues I won't know for sure until I get a look at the tank. My last tank cost about $1K to replace (90 gallons) This tank is 160 gallons. I'm just wondering when a 'pit' in the aluminum is too deep or too big to trust to JB Weld? On my last tank/boat, I estimated that some of the pits were about half-way through the 1/8" aluminum and about 1/4" in diameter. I thought at the time that those might have been too much to rely on an epoxy patch.

 

[zool]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Hey, thanks zool.. :thumb:

I gues I won't know for sure until I get a look at the tank. My last tank cost about $1K to replace (90 gallons) This tank is 160 gallons. I'm just wondering when a 'pit' in the aluminum is too deep or too big to trust to JB Weld? On my last tank/boat, I estimated that some of the pits were about half-way through the 1/8" aluminum and about 1/4" in diameter. I thought at the time that those might have been too much to rely on an epoxy patch.

Mine wasnt too bad after i cleaned all the gunk off, but a few were maybe 1/2 thru.....but the tank had 70+ gallons in it and wasnt leaking, and ive seen jb weld used on engine blocks, so i gave it the benefit that if it can handle that ...it should handle this...if you seal the inside, you get a few more mils overall too...probably around $150 for enough sealer for your tank....after seeing how clean and new the inside of mine looked after the xylene bath.....I opted to not bother sealing it....but thats just me

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Just checking around the Internet for various articles and forum posts about aluminum fuel tanks; it seems very subjective regarding tank refurbishment. The recommendations and opinions run the gambit from JB Weld patching to complete tank replacement. So, I'll just have to see what the tank looks like once I get it out of the boat.

The boat was made at the beginning of January 1996, so it and the tank are now 18 years old. Some recommendations are to replace an aluminum tank after about 20 years. The tanks that I have seen in tough shape overall have been 30+ years old. Isolated corrosion could certainly cause a tank to be replaced sooner, as was the case with my F-242.

If need be, there is a tank fabricator about 5 miles away from me . . . I used him to make me a new tank on my previous boat a couple of years ago.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

POR15 also makes a rust repair putty EPOXY PUTTY

I have only used it on things like battery trays, etc during automotive restorations.

 

[alldodge]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

I know water will eat right through aluminum over time, had to replace my water tank a couple years ago. Found a place in Texas which made one for me out of plastic. If the damage in the tank turn out to be in a localized area(s), maybe your tank guy would just add some extra material to the outside of the tank. But that would be welding of some sort and there are a whole lot of folks which will not do that.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

My 'local' tank guy does not fix tanks ( I asked), only makes new ones. It would be cool to find someone who would fix a tank, but as you said many welders won't fix a tank. . . Probably from a danger and liability perspective.

 

[zool]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

My 'local' tank guy does not fix tanks ( I asked), only makes new ones. It would be cool to find someone who would fix a tank, but as you said many welders won't fix a tank. . . Probably from a danger and liability perspective.

You might want to check with the auto radiator shops.....usually some "unique" characters with welders in hand....

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

.....usually some "unique" characters with welders in hand....

Very charitable description :laugh:

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Find a welder with gas pipeline experience. They weld natural gas lines that have gas running thru them.

I know a few welders that will repair fuel tanks. However they are in Wisconsin

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Of course, I probably should not get all excited about fixing/replacing the tank until it get a complete look at it. That may be next weekend, weather permitting.

speaking of the weather . . . I am currently driving to Florida and it has been well below freezing down into North Carolina. Probably about 20-30 degrees colder than normal.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

PLEASE bring the Florida warm & sunny back up the coast when you head back to Cape Cod. Appreciate it!

Safe travels

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Formula 330SS Bulkhead Replacement

Now that we are driving through SC, it has warmed up into the low 40's . . . .

I'll see if I can get some warm weather stuffed into my carry-on bag as the Admiral and I are flying back north on Tuesday.