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rinker 270 how to remove a gas tank
johnp116
Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
I need to replace my gas tank in my 03 Rinker 270. Has anyone done this? i am replacing the motor this winter so i thought i could cut the brace in front of the tank and hope it slides out. BEFORE i do anything i want to see if anyone has done this before?
Comments
All could have been avoided if the drain hole on the devider board had a drain hole at very bottom. Instead of two holes on each side 4 " high, allowing salt water to be present between tank and fiberglass.
Thanks for the explanation, as a 270 owner, and hearing of this problem, always wondered was was the cause, of the aluminum deterioration.
The Trouble with Tanks
Even if you don’t have an aluminum boat, you probably have aluminum fuel tanks. While these can be perfectly safe, the U.S. Coast Guard noticed a recurring problem with leaking tanks. So it asked Underwriters Laboratory to see why. Not surprisingly, UL found that corrosion caused 92 percent of the failures. Most of it was caused by how the tanks were installed.
In general, aluminum tanks should be left bare. Paint can help. But if it’s not properly applied, it wears away, scratches or peels off, and moisture gets under the paint, concentrating and accelerating corrosion.
The most common fittings used in fuel systems are usually made from brass. Screw one of these directly into an aluminum tank and add some moisture, and you’ve got serious galvanic corrosion. Isolate these fittings from the tank by using 300-series stainless-steel washers or adapters.
The tank’s supports must not be moisture-absorbent, such as carpeting is. Suitable materials are stiff neoprene, Teflon or any high-density plastic. Water should drain from all tank surfaces when the boat is at rest; the bottom of the tank must be at least a quarter-inch above the hull to let air circulate and above the level normally reached by bilge water. The European standard says “no less than 25 mm [1 inch] above the top of the bilge pump inlet or the bilge pump automatic float switch.”
A fuel tank should be accessible for relatively easy inspection via a screwed-down, caulked hatch, but that is often not the case. Many builders install tanks so that a saw is needed for inspection or replacement. Too bad.
13 Ways to Prevent Galvanic Corrosion
1. Don’t mix metals, or at least use metals as close to each other as possible in the galvanic series.
2. Bolts should be less active than fittings; they’re small, so loss of metal is more serious.
3. Take all measures to electrically isolate fittings from each other, even on small craft.
4. Securely fasten anodes, and ensure there is firm contact with the metal to be protected.
5. Never paint an anode. Be sure the metal to which it is fastened is free of paint, scale and dirt.
6. Impressed current voltage should never exceed 1,300 millivolts when protecting aluminum.
7. Always repair paint chips and scratches that expose bare metal as soon as possible.
8. Avoid using any lubricant made with graphite aboard a boat made from aluminum.
9. Employ an isolation transformer whenever the boat’s connected to AC shore power.
10. Don’t use an automotive battery charger aboard a boat, especially an aluminum boat.
11. Paint only with primers and coatings specifically designed for aluminum.
12. Wash the aluminum boat down with fresh water after every use to remove built-up salts.
13. Keep hooks, sinkers, bottle caps and other metal debris out of the bilge lest they wreak havoc.