I Need Help With a Fuel Tank

dfish6263

Recruit
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
3
Hi Guys and Gals,
I have a 1997 Seaswirl Striper with a plastic (poly, or whatever they make them out of) 65 gallon tank mounted under the floor. The fuel gauge sender unit looked very corroded, so I was going to change it out, looked like it migh have started leaking a little bit, and there was a light fuel odor near it. Anyway, once I pulled out the six screw holding in the sender, the nut that anchored them turned to dust. Why oh why didn't they splurge on six stainless steel nuts? So now I don't knoe if I can dig out the holes, and epoxy new nuts in and be good, or if I need to replace the tank. Here are two pictures, one is a broad view and one is a close up of the mounting hole for the sender. Anyone who knows the do's and dont's of working with these plastic tanks, I would appreciate some advice. I need to get the fuel out of it now, of course it was topped off at 60 Gallons, thanks for the help.
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,588
Re: I Need Help With a Fuel Tank

OK, How about some further bad news. Check to see if your fuel pickup fitting is made of steel. I have a similar age SeaSwirl, and ended up making a new fuel pickup fitting out of a garboard drain fitting, since the original was rotting out.

Before I would replace the tank, I would consider turning the sender unit a bit in the hole and marking and drilling all new mounting holes. Now put the bolts in from the inside(thread them into the plastic), so they stick up like studs and install the sender with nuts and lockwashers.

BTW - If you get on the SeaSwirl Owners Club (SOC) website, they have contact info for the manufacturer of the fuel tank. You can probably get a new fuel pickup fitting. Maybe one made out of bronze.
 
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