Hey Guys, Got a project I am working on for my Father's retirement, but it has been a major pain. Started off with his 99' 17'6" Palm Beach center console. After sitting for 2 years with 11 to 12 gallons of ethanol fuel in a 20 gallon plastic tank that is under the console in the hull. Boat sat on the side of his house with a super heavy BLACK canvas cover on it in Florida heat. So when I started this 3 weeks ago, the first thing I did of siphon as much fuel as I could out of the tank. Which was then fueled up with 15 gallons. I rebuilt the carbs, lower unit, water pump, and new primer solenoid. Motor started right up, and purred like a kitten, never sounded better in it's life.
Over the next week and a half, I rebuilt the trailer and rewired the boat getting it ready to touch water after it's 2 year sleep. During that week and a half, I started the motor several times to make sure all was good. 2 days before yesterday, when it started, it was not idling nearly as smooth, and seemed rough. When it got to the ramp yesterday, I wouldn't start and run on it's own, and then died.
Frustrated, we left the ramp and I went home and read about algae growing inside of tanks. Rebuilt the carbs again, and drained the fuel. I removed the center console and removed the fuel gauge sending unit from the tank. The tank is totally dry, but there is all kinds of garbage in the tank. Black, yellow, white, colored garbage in it. I then removed the vent and fill lines. The vent lines had a white powder in them, and what looks like sand in them.
My question is, since I can't get the stock tank out without cutting more floor than the center console can cover, and can't see enough of the tank to say much more about it, is there a way to salvage this tank, or do I just run an external 12 gallon tank, and build a casting deck over it with storage? Any advice or direction to go, would be greatly appreciated.
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