HEY LARRY! F28 Question for you??

Capt. Z · Post by **Capt. Z** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:47 am

I'm sitting on my boat right now & reading about replacing fuel tanks. It got me thinking about a winter project, new fuel tanks.

I know you been giving your F28 an overhaul & was wondering if you know the best way of getting the fuel tanks out? I'm gonna haul the boat home to my shop this winter & gut the cabin...so if I had to pull the floor up to accesses the tanks no big deal, right? A close friend of mine has a welding shop & has again agreed to build me new tanks. I trust his work! He built my fuel tanks for my Egg Harbor when I repowered to BTA Cummins, there's nothing this guy can't fabricate.

Anywho, I was kicking the Idea around of the best way to get them out. I would hate like hell to have to pull the motors & bulk head to remove them? If you got any suggestions let me know?

Thanks, Aaron

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:56 pm

Capt Z, glad you asked as I am going to do the same thing. I have the engines out and pulling the bulkhead will not give you the access you need. I have one more step to do to be able to pull them. Here is the order of dissassembly that I have found out to get there. Believe me it is not easy.

1. remove the salon furniture. Many screws, I am not putting mine back just some nice manufactured wood flooring on top of the deck. The furniture is old camper style anyway. I am converting to a room with more traditional furniture such as bamboo couch and chairs etc.

2. With furniture removed you will find 1/2 in ply wood which can be removed by removing brass hold down screws then lift out the two sections of the decking.

Vola! the tanks should be easily removable now. I decided not to try and put the old furniture back in. Further I can then study the mid bilge areas to understand what the various other systems are like (steering, wiring, water etc.)

Maybe someone else knows of another way but I cannot see any. Weather here is now finally cooling thanks to tropical storm Lee and I will attack the deck removal in salon in the next couple of days.

If you want to chat about it feel free to give me a call anytime:

903-896-1610

Larry

Capt. Z · Post by **Capt. Z** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:56 pm

Thanks for the reply Larry! You & I both have the same idea for the salon. I'm gonna let the wife do the decorating & figure out what furniture works best. The lower helm is going to be removed & I still don't know what I'm gonna do with the galley?

I did some digging this afternoon & kinda figured the only way the tanks were coming out was to remove the floor. I think it would be smart for me to replace the tanks while I have the salon gutted.

I will give you a call this week sometime & we can chat or share some ideas.

Aaron

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:43 pm

Great,

I am replacing my tanks as soon as I get the size. but leaving the lower helm and "kitchen such as it is".

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:56 pm

Capt, just finished pulling up the 1/2 in floor boards, it is the only way to get tanks out. I will not be able to pull the boards under helm and galley as am leaving them.

FYI my tanks as are yours probably, 48 inches long, 18 in in diameter, fill is at at the front, overflow next to it and gas gauabe at the stern, all on the top side.

Maximum length of a tank is limited to 53 inches between bulkheads and 19 inch in diameter for a round one. If one is being custom made it could be made trapezodial if you want more gas.

Talk to you when you call. For any small details.

Larry

Capt. Z · Post by **Capt. Z** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:31 pm

Thanks Larry! I pulled the sending units in june due to having 5 year old gas in the tanks. Sucked all the old gas out threw the sending unit holes. The port tank sending unit was under the step as you enter the salon. The stb tank sending unit was under the "L" shaped dinette. Of course the A/C & heat unit was in the way, so I had remove that also to get the sending unit out. My tanks look good, but the black slimy growth on the bottom of them has me worried. I haven't had any fuel problems yet.

My tanks looked to be square with a V shaped bottom. Are you gonna keep the copper fuel lines or switch over to rubber?

Thanks again Larry.

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:28 pm

Not by my knowledge but by others comments on this board, I think Copper is required. My sending units were both accessable through a hole under the seating both right and left as well as a cutoff valve, but the gtanks are cylindrical.

I recalled that gasloline was corrosive to copper, however, I have not been able to verify it by research. So will use copper, in fact I belive someone on this board has cited USCG regulations to that effect.