help fuel leak

[jcassjr]

Well, I pulled my boat out of storage and I smelled gas. I looked at the drain plug and put my hand into a puddle and smelled gas. To go back a bit, we had 10'' of wet snow and it bent my pole and the cover dropped then it got warm rained and got cold. I stopped to look at the boat to make sure it was ok and pulled some ice off the cover and brought a new pole and found ice under the engine just over the oil pan. Well, the fuel tank is in the belly of my 1989 maxum 20' and the ice must have gotten around the fuel tank which is alumunium and it must have caused a leak. Now here's my question, how do you fix this? It looked to be a seam around this tank. Do I score around this? How is this fastened - nail /screw - and then pull this section up? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[jspano]

Re: help fuel leak

any pics? some boats have an acess to get to the tank. i worked on one that had a big tank that rubbed a hole we had it welded. you might have to cut an acess to get it.

 

[oops!]

Re: help fuel leak

your fuel tank is literally screwed to the hull of the boat....
then it is closed in with either a wood deck....or a fiberglass liner that is part of the cap.

to remove the tank...(yes you must)
you either (liner) remove the cap...(not recomended) or cut out the deck on top of the tank.
remove tank and repair or replace. then replace deck and fiberglass in. this can be done allmost invisably.

if you want to try to repair the tank.....it will be around $150 for a "kit". the kit basically cleans the tank than adds a protective surface to the interior by rolling the tank around when the wet "resin like" material is inside the tank.

the deck repairs can be done by "feathering back" the area around the cut lines. then glassing in the new deck and gellcoating it.

cheers
oops

 

[jonesg]

Re: help fuel leak

Get another tank off craigslist.
I paid $100 for almost new 60 gal alum.

 

[jcassjr]

Re: help fuel leak

thanks for the info i will get some picks to show everyone the boat has carpet in it and the spot that look like a separate piece from the rest of the boat you can see saw cut lines .

 

[Juniinc]

Re: help fuel leak

Would need to pull the carpet,,,
Pretty simple, if there is a seperate piece like mine.
Usually mounted with a few brackets.

thanks for the info i will get some picks to show everyone the boat has carpet in it and the spot that look like a separate piece from the rest of the boat you can see saw cut lines .

 

[jcassjr]

Re: help fuel leak

Ok got the carpet up found a soft spot in floor its not bad very small do I need to replace this with marine grade plywood or something else? Now my first post ok got the fuel tank empty out. Put a presser gauge and put 8 LB air to it and let it sit for 30 min. and no loss of air ok this doesn?t make sense when I pick up the boat I smelled fuel but it holds air? Am I testing this right any input?

 

[jspano]

Re: help fuel leak

check fuel lines and mtr, don't forget that there is also a vent to allow fumes to escape

 

[jcassjr]

Re: help fuel leak

The filler line, supply line and the vent are visible from the the eng compartment and when I pump it up with air I check for leaks there also. Would this be the way to test the gas tank for a leak before cutting up the floor?