Galvanized Fuel Tanks: Your opinion

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:26 am

I am new to the club, just boaght a 1978 F-30 single screw, yes single screw 454. I am in love with this boat especially for the steal of a price I got it for. The only problem I had was with the fuel tanks. 2-50gal galvanized. They both had much debris in them from years (32) of gas sludge build up that was settling to the bottom tanks to Ethanol. I had called my marina who set me up with a company that said would suck all of the fuel out and clean the tanks for $600.00. When they got to my boat they said they would not do it because of them being galvanized and I would have the same problem in a week. Well I thought what do I have to lose and pulled the first tank out myself and hosed it down with my garden hose. A lot of pink build up came out of the tank without even having to do anything but hose it down. I inspected the tank and it was as clean as a whistle. Then I ran a blower throught the tank for 20 min to dry out the inside and reinstalled the tank filtered the old gas and put it back in the tank. Havent had a problem with it since (3 weeks). How long do you think this will last. I figured I would give it a shot, it didnt cost me a dime to do it.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:50 am

If you don't have the gas sit for more than a week or so I think you will be fine for a long time....... So run the boat and try and use up your gas regularly!

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:57 am

I was wondering if I should keep the tanks empty this winter so the Ethanol doesnt wear down the galvanization or should I fill them to keep condensation down.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:28 pm

Ethanol doesn't break down the galvanization, but the water it absorbs will.

Top off your tanks, use Stabil and use a fuel/water separator.

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:32 pm

Thanks, I was under the impression that it was the ethanol that was breaking down the galvanization.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:10 pm

I would worry about it rusting thru . I would replace them

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:18 pm

salt or fresh water... makes a difference...my boat's on fresh, has original galvanized tanks ,are clean as a whistle,no government bullshit corn gas here...

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:21 pm

they were rusting out long before corn gas tic tic tic just a mater of time

lobo · Post by **lobo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:36 pm

My boat is on the Upper Chesapeake, mostly fresh water. Tanks looked impossibly clean on the inside when I cleaned them out. Couldn't believe it actually. I guess the ethanol was somewhat of a blessing with the way it cleaned out the tanks, not that i want to pull them out again. Next year I will look into pulling them out and coating the inside with POR 15. A friend of mine uses it for coating the inside of gas tanks on olser cars, say's it hardens like a rock. By the way. On the second tank I just unhooked all of the lines and blasted the inside of the tank with fresh water while it was still sitting in my boat, siphoned it and forced air dried it.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:56 pm

When you say they're clean, you can look inside and there is no rust?

If theres rust, I'm with Paul - they're a time bomb. Easy to replace with alum tanks (some prefer plastic) BEFORE they leak.

I have 1 old galv tank, and a newer alum tank. The galv needs to go, but I have less danger, since I have diesels.

randyp · Post by **randyp** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:02 pm

I have a single engine/single tank set up. The original tank was galvanized and it was rusting on the inside BEFORE corn gas was around (1999) at our marina. If your tank is as clean as you think, good. But years and years of condensation is going to rust them on the inside and that will get into your fuel, carb, filters, etc. Worst case is they eventually rust through and dump lots of gas into your bilge and the water. I'm in fresh water and the boat's been here on the same lake since new in 1977.
I opted to replace with plastic, but aluminum is a great choice too. Stay way from fiberglass tanks because that's where the ethanol will really do a number on them.

Either way store your boat with FULL tanks and stabilizer. If you can get ethanol free gas at your marina or where you boat all the better. If not, don't let the tanks stay partially filled and sit idle for weeks, especially in the hot weather. That's where condensation and separation occur the most.

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:41 pm

Welcome to the forum.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:37 pm

Don't coat the tank ethanol has been know to eat thru the coating . remember this is a safety issue .

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:30 pm

As Danny mentioned - NO FIBERGLASS - ask 35,000 Whaler owners! They ALL had to replace their tanks when ethanol came out - ate the resign and plugged everything. I doubt if anyone sells them anymore. For the same reason, I would be wary of "coatings", but I'm told they work.

If you're saving money doing it yourself, spend the $ and get plastic or aluminum ... and you'll have a safe boat ...

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:47 pm

Welcome to the forum.

Replaced my galvanized tanks with aluminum tanks this past spring - expensive but well worth it.