Fuel tank leak

EricJ said:
For a new tank you could also consider a fibreglass one. Custom made to meet the shape of the bilge.
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Fibreglass is subject to attack from ethanol, fibreglass is already ruled out for gasoline because of the ethanol and now ethanol is found in some blends of diesel at up to 15% and is likely to become a feature of all blends as time goes on.
 
Portofino said:
Expect you could show us a few FL tanks instals …..Dare you !
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A photo of my fuel tank would be just as (ir)relevant as an Itama one. I doubt it is any comfort for Bouba to know that that the full length of my tank can be accessed by lifting a hatch in the cockpit? You could probably remove and replace the tank in a couple of hours.

Regarding the S/S vs Aluminium debate, the general consensus is that S/S can suffer from crevice corrosion and or cracking welds therefore it is better for small / round tanks. Aluminium doesn't have this weakness but is susceptible to corrosion from fuel bug and dampness.

Polyethylene seems to be the way to go.

Bouba just needs to get a professional on board to investigate. I know he's waiting for someone from Beneteau but I'd just get a competent / local general boat fixer to take a look. If they're VP engines then get the local engineer to investigate and rule out a fuel supply issue.
 
petem said:
A photo of my fuel tank would be just as (ir)relevant as an Itama one. I doubt it is any comfort for Bouba to know that that the full length of my tank can be accessed by lifting a hatch in the cockpit? You could probably remove and replace the tank in a couple of hours.
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You are right! I hate you??


?
 
petem said:
A photo of my fuel tank would be just as (ir)relevant as an Itama one. I doubt it is any comfort for Bouba to know that that the full length of my tank can be accessed by lifting a hatch in the cockpit? You could probably remove and replace the tank in a couple of hours.
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I was going to post a picture of the tank in my Windy - but thought better of it. Anyway theres a removable floor panel directly above and of the same size as the tank, which has two twist handles to remove, then its just four bolts to release the tank to lift it out. Different boats though, and doesnt help Bouba.

The tank on the axopar looks like a right pain in the backside to get to, I can see a small part of it through an access hatch that lets me get to where the various pipes connect to it, but the rest is completely hidden under the cockpit, suspect it would need the cockpit unbonding to get at it on the axopar. Mind you its a plastic tank , so hopefully will last a very long time.
 
Freebee said:
Fibreglass is subject to attack from ethanol, fibreglass is already ruled out for gasoline because of the ethanol and now ethanol is found in some blends of diesel at up to 15% and is likely to become a feature of all blends as time goes on.
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Having looked into this a bit a while back, it appeared that the problems with GRP tanks for petrol do not apply to diesel. I am no expert, but found that the % additive to diesel was very different in type and purpose to that for petrol (I can't remember the detail now), and that GRP was what was the recommended material for diesel blenders and supplier's own storage tanks.

p.s. I have just found an old post I made on the topic on another forum after I'd been reading up on the matter -

'. . . I suspect you may be confusing the effects of ethanol, which is the 'bio-fuel' additive to petrol (gasoline), with FAME, which is the 'bio-fuel' additive to diesel. They are very different things, for different purposes, and with different effects. This car orientated guide has some of the basics - www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/biofuels

As I understand it, it is the ethanol added to petrol that can attack GRP tanks, not the FAME in bio-diesel. GRP is the standard material for the construction of new commercial large-scale storage tanks for bio-diesel . . . There is much discussion on the internet (particularly in the USA) about the possible need to replace boats' GRP petrol (gasoline) tanks because of biofuel, but I couldn't find anything similar about diesel tanks.'
 
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Could a series of small plastic tanks be connected together instead of one big tank?
That way the old tank can be removed with an angle grinder and the new ones inserted without removing the engine
 
Bouba said:
Could a series of small plastic tanks be connected together instead of one big tank?
That way the old tank can be removed with an angle grinder and the new ones inserted without removing the engine
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Dont see why not - the main "issue" with that approach would be working out how to fix them all securely in place, but I'm sure a tank manufacturer has thought of an answer to that problem.
 
petem said:
Regarding the S/S vs Aluminium debate, the general consensus is that S/S can suffer from crevice corrosion and or cracking welds therefore it is better for small / round tanks.
Aluminium doesn't have this weakness but is susceptible to corrosion from fuel bug and dampness.
Polyethylene seems to be the way to go.
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There's also another alternative (which is also the best, in principle), i.e. structural GRP tanks moulded together with the hull bottom.
That's just for sake of debate though, 'cause it can only be part of the boat design from the drawing board, and it's impossible to retrofit.
 
LittleSister said:
Having looked into this a bit a while back, it appeared that the problems with GRP tanks for petrol do not apply to diesel. I am no expert, but found that the % additive to diesel was very different in type and purpose to that for petrol (I can't remember the detail now), and that GRP was what was the recommended material for diesel blenders and supplier's own storage tanks.

p.s. I have just found an old post I made on the topic on another forum after I'd been reading up on the matter -

'. . . I suspect you may be confusing the effects of ethanol, which is the 'bio-fuel' additive to petrol (gasoline), with FAME, which is the 'bio-fuel' additive to diesel. They are very different things, for different purposes, and with different effects. This car orientated guide has some of the basics - www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/biofuels

As I understand it, it is the ethanol added to petrol that can attack GRP tanks, not the FAME in bio-diesel. GRP is the standard material for the construction of new commercial large-scale storage tanks for bio-diesel . . . There is much discussion on the internet (particularly in the USA) about the possible need to replace boats' GRP petrol (gasoline) tanks because of biofuel, but I couldn't find anything similar about diesel tanks.'
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I have experience of what ethanol does to a fibreglass petrol tank on a boat...... it basically turns it to cheese in a few days!!

You have misunderstood what I have written........ my post was about ethanol being introduced into diesel fuel that has got nothing to to do with fame which is something else entirely.. I agree that not all diesel has ethanol at present but if its coming to a filling station near you glass fibre tanks are going to be useless.
 
julians said:
Dont see why not - the main "issue" with that approach would be working out how to fix them all securely in place, but I'm sure a tank manufacturer has thought of an answer to that problem.
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I could easily make a stainless steel rack
 
Bouba said:
Could a series of small plastic tanks be connected together instead of one big tank?
That way the old tank can be removed with an angle grinder and the new ones inserted without removing the engine
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The fill, return, supply, vent pipes and the fuel gauges will be fun to install.
 
petem said:
Why are you so worried about removing the engine? It really may not be as much work as you think.
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It’s going to mean hiring lifting equipment and mechanics. Where to I store the engine safely while I spend a few days cleaning up ?
It’s a logistical nightmare and will cost a lot down here and then I have to always worry that it was reinstalled properly
 
RAI said:
The fill, return, supply, vent pipes and the fuel gauges will be fun to install.
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I think if the tanks are designed correctly, it wouldnt be too bad. many boats have several tanks with balancing pipes and air vent pipes etc.

I'm thinking three tanks (imagine slicing the current tank into 3 sections vertically) , with balancing pipes at the bottom joining them all together, each with a vent pipe that join together into one. Just need one level sender in one of the 'thirds', the fill goes into one of the thirds etc, its just the same principle as a tank with baffles.

I'm sure the various tank manufacturing firms will have a standard approach for this.
 
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