I have removed my fuel tanks for cleaning while the engine is out. Mine are the horizontally mounted cylindrical 12 gal. steel type and are in good shape. I have been considering cutting an access port ( 4" dia. hole) in one end to facilitate cleaning. Plan to cut a steel 6"dia. cover , drill and tap for 10 machine screws around perimeter and sandwich a neoprene gasket betwween the two. Am I looking for trouble or can this be done successfully ? I know ports are usually located on the top of the tank but it seems it would be difficult to achieve a good seal on the curved surface. Any suggestions, improvements, insights would be appreciated.
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Penny stocks to watch
Fuel tank access port
Moderator: Jim Walsh
Fuel tank access port
Last edited by Ron M. on Feb 11th, '11, 05:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Tom in Cambria
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 22:39
- Location: Cape Dory 31
Inspection plate on fuel tank
Ron,
I did it to mine when I had the tank our for cleaning. It's been several years now, but I don't recall any problems doing it. I used an aluminum one that was made of fairly thick walls maybe an eighth of an inch thick, and as I recall it was 6 or 8 inches rather than 4 inches. You want room to see what you're doing while you've got your arm through the hole if you've got the room to do it. I've never had a problem with it. As I recall I got the inspection plate through Svendsen's Marine in Alameda, Calif on a special order and it cost a little over $100 about 10 years ago.
I did it to mine when I had the tank our for cleaning. It's been several years now, but I don't recall any problems doing it. I used an aluminum one that was made of fairly thick walls maybe an eighth of an inch thick, and as I recall it was 6 or 8 inches rather than 4 inches. You want room to see what you're doing while you've got your arm through the hole if you've got the room to do it. I've never had a problem with it. As I recall I got the inspection plate through Svendsen's Marine in Alameda, Calif on a special order and it cost a little over $100 about 10 years ago.
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Duncan Maio
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 22:01
- Location: Cape Dory 27
Curved Cover?
Ron:
Why not have the cover rolled to the curve of the tank? Almost any sheet metal shop should be able to do it in a few minutes, and as long as you had one of the tanks (or a template made from one end, or a reasonable facsimile) getting the curve right should be fairly easy.
I'm not sure I'd bother making the port round, either - make the cuts square and spend the effort getting the cover curved to match the tank.
Why not have the cover rolled to the curve of the tank? Almost any sheet metal shop should be able to do it in a few minutes, and as long as you had one of the tanks (or a template made from one end, or a reasonable facsimile) getting the curve right should be fairly easy.
I'm not sure I'd bother making the port round, either - make the cuts square and spend the effort getting the cover curved to match the tank.
Duncan Maio
s/v Remedy
CD27 #37
Bristol, RI
s/v Remedy
CD27 #37
Bristol, RI
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Tom in Cambria
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 22:39
- Location: Cape Dory 31
Inspection Plate
FWIW my tank wasn't curved. It is perfectly flat on all sides, so it was just a matter of cutting a hole with a sabre saw and a metal cutting blade, then drilling the holes for the mounting machine screws by setting the outside ring in place and marking the spots where you want the holes and drilling them. Being thin aluminum, the tank cuts easily with a saw or drill. The plate is much stronger than the original tank walls.
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Oswego John
- Posts: 3535
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Attaching the cover plate
Hi Tom,
What method did you use to attach the cover plate to the tank?
Best regards,
O J
What method did you use to attach the cover plate to the tank?
Best regards,
O J
Thanks for the info. guy's.
I've read the archives on the subject.
The plate Tom mentioned is manufactured by: www.seabuilt.com
I've discussed this with a few local mechanics, none of whom felt this would be a big deal even on the side of the tank- as long as it's flat.
I think I have a project after turkey tomorrow.
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Easy vape
I've read the archives on the subject.
The plate Tom mentioned is manufactured by: www.seabuilt.com
I've discussed this with a few local mechanics, none of whom felt this would be a big deal even on the side of the tank- as long as it's flat.
I think I have a project after turkey tomorrow.
________
Easy vape
Last edited by Ron M. on Feb 11th, '11, 05:31, edited 2 times in total.
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Duncan Maio
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 22:01
- Location: Cape Dory 27
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Tom in Cambria
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 22:39
- Location: Cape Dory 31
Inspection Plate
Hi OJ,
The plate came with the gasket and mounting machine screws as I recall. I unscrewed the center plate and just reached in to hold the nuts while tightening. When you want access to the inside of the tank you unscrew the center plate and leave the outer ring in place with the bolts through it. Similar to the inspection plates we have on our water tanks only done in aluminun rather than plastic. The plate and ring are thick enough that they are threaded so the center just screws in or out. Once installed you don't ever remove the outer ring it stays in place and you unscrew the center to gain access. That's the reason it's circular rather than square or rectangular. I mounted mine on the top since I took the tank out to clean it at the car wash. If I ever have to clean it again, I plan to remove the tank and thus will have access to the plate on the top.
BTW on a related subject I've heard you don't want to use biobor in your tank. It creates a gray sludge which ultimately will clog your fuel filters itself. The mechanic that sold me the Racor filter recommends a fuel treatment which I can't recall the name of at the moment. I used biobor religiously for years but I'm leery of it now. If you do use it, I think you do not want to exceed the recommended dose. I've talked with people who think that if a half ounce of biobor is good then a whole ounce is twice as good. I wouldn't do that. FWIW
It's sure good to have Oswego John back on the board at full tilt with his seemingly infinite store of knowledge and wisdom.
The plate came with the gasket and mounting machine screws as I recall. I unscrewed the center plate and just reached in to hold the nuts while tightening. When you want access to the inside of the tank you unscrew the center plate and leave the outer ring in place with the bolts through it. Similar to the inspection plates we have on our water tanks only done in aluminun rather than plastic. The plate and ring are thick enough that they are threaded so the center just screws in or out. Once installed you don't ever remove the outer ring it stays in place and you unscrew the center to gain access. That's the reason it's circular rather than square or rectangular. I mounted mine on the top since I took the tank out to clean it at the car wash. If I ever have to clean it again, I plan to remove the tank and thus will have access to the plate on the top.
BTW on a related subject I've heard you don't want to use biobor in your tank. It creates a gray sludge which ultimately will clog your fuel filters itself. The mechanic that sold me the Racor filter recommends a fuel treatment which I can't recall the name of at the moment. I used biobor religiously for years but I'm leery of it now. If you do use it, I think you do not want to exceed the recommended dose. I've talked with people who think that if a half ounce of biobor is good then a whole ounce is twice as good. I wouldn't do that. FWIW
It's sure good to have Oswego John back on the board at full tilt with his seemingly infinite store of knowledge and wisdom.
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Tom in Cambria
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 22:39
- Location: Cape Dory 31
Senior moment
Actually I had forgotten how the outer ring bolts down. There are no nuts on the inside. There is an inner ring which is tapped to accept the machine screws from the outer ring. The inner ring comes in two pieces. You put them through the hole one piece at a time and then they smap together to form a continuous ring on the inside. The outside ring is just one piece. When you're finished you have a ring with a gasket on each side of the tank. The outside ring is thus screwed into the inside ring (with the tank wall between them) and there are no nuts involved. A very good design and robust setup and hence the price.