Calling all tank doctors

[rcnight]

Gents - been running my 23 WA a bit. Decided to dump a bottle of StarTron enzyme treatment in for good measures. Below is what I got out on the first vacuum pass. Tank is 31 yrs old, fair shape on the outside and some spotty varnish on inside what I can see thru the sending unit hole. Questions to the brain trust - anyone have success cleaning your tank either professionally or DIY? Heard stories good & bad both ways. Should I bite the bullet and put a new one in? About $10/ga locally to build one. What’ya think?

[kmoose]

New tank. Do it right the first time as rehabbing old tanks is a lesson in varied futility. Unless your not planning on keeping the boat.

[CaptLloyd]

It seems the Tracker designers did not have fuel tank replacement high on their list of priorities.

I sent you a PM

[rcnight]

Thinking the boat will probably stay in the stable so maybe a new tank is in order. Hindsight is always 20/20. Came out semi-easy when I did the transom, now not so sure with everything in place - at least in one piece. Pretty sure a 120ga won’t be easy going back in. Any tricks/secrets appreciated.

[SnafuFishTeam]

What KMoose said, replace it. A 31 year old tank is a ticking time bomb. When I pulled mine recently out of my 77Â’ you could really see the poor condition and mine developed a leak in the rear of the tank where the plywood was soaked underneath with water and gas. My boat was kept indoors most of its life and always on a trailer.

[bmajvi]

Another vote for replacing the tank. When I repowered I decided to pull the tank while I was at it, and found deep pits in places you couldn't see when it was installed. It was eventually going to start leaking for sure. Also put in all new hoses and clamps and feel like I probably won't have to worry about that stuff for a long time. Peace of mind counts for a lot!

[flyingfrizzle]

I cut several holes in mine and hand cleaned the varnish out if it with sea foam and a rag. Orange as that is the entire inside probably looks like that. You wont get it super clean with out cutting a hole in it to access the inside. A larger tank will have several baffles so that means cutting several holes and then welding them back up. It is not worth it unless it is a solid tank and honestly not worth it unless you can weld it back up yourself. I will add a link of what I did to mine below:
http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=29477

[strick]

How do you get away from the pitting of the rubber gasket from the sending unit? some other type of gasket material? this is a problem that keeps happening even on coated tanks..

strick

[erebus]

Originally Posted by strick

How do you get away from the pitting of the rubber gasket from the sending unit? some other type of gasket material? this is a problem that keeps happening even on coated tanks..

At the boatyard we use this stuff, and the rubber gasket.
really helps keep any corrosive liquids from creeping under the gasket.
works for sealing lots of other stuff too.


https://www.amazon.com/Mercury-Quick.../dp/B007I8YFZS

[rcnight]

Strick - used the cork gasket that came with it. Second Wema unit I’ve used without issue.