Leaking Fuel Tank Trouble

[merleau]

Hi!

After cleaning out the diesel tank on our Princess 385 (1986) we have sprung a leak! After filling the tank, diesel leaks out through the bottom.

Has anyone experienced similar trouble? We are contemplating repairing this tank, however, we then either have to remove the port engine or cut out part of the cabin floor.

Any advice? Should we repair the tank? Should we replace the tank? Any tips or tricks?

Thanks in advance!

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[hlb]

Oh dear. Probably rust. But worth checking if it will weld. Not easy without taking it out.. Maybe you could cut the tank up. Angle grinder. But you still have to get a new one in. Taking an engine out is not all that big a job if you can get to a big fork lift or some such with a long boom. Or make an A frame on a traveling block and tackle.

Put a new tank in..

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

It it's still pretty sound, you can put a flexible liner in. You can do a search for several threads on similar topic.

Does need to be sound or able to be patched up though, as liner will probably split if the tank falls apart

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[BarryH]

Have a word with Boatone, he had a small leak in his Princess tank.

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[hlb]

Not much point. He put a new tank in.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[robind]

Liner insertion is OK if no baffles are evident ? trouble is they usually are. Replace the tank, and when you have a quote for the job let me know how much it will be as I may do the same.
Rob

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[oldgit]

Is tank stainless or bean tin steel.If stainless prob worth repairing.If mild steel then prob not worth it as will be more bits of it waiting to give way .May have failed along baffle welds.One way or other you will have to bite the bullet and the blimming thing will have to come out.
In my case boat must have been built round perishing tank and we had to grind tank into 4/5 bits to remove,while avoding all wires/cables/insulation plus assorted in the way stuff.There may be a couple of hard to spot securing straps/brackets which you will need to release.Do not forget filler and breather pipes.
By the way,try to get correct dimensions for new tank and unlike me you will not get further delays when you discover it is to big to go in vacant space.


<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[Talbot]

try tek tanks. They made a custom job for me in 9mm plasticy stuff to the exact dimensions of a wooden thing I had knocked up out of thin mdf. Thus ensuring that it would fit in the space. It was also a lot cheaper than stainless.

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[MLBURGE]

you may try pouring a resin in the bottom of the tank and this will seal the tank if the leak is right at the base but i would feel this temporary and be dubious to the condition of the rest of the tank.
A better way 'apart from replacing the tank', is if you could somehow get good access to the inside of the tank by cutting a big enough hole then it would be possible to laminate the inside of the tank with layers of chopped mat and resin followed be a gelcoat and then glass back the piece that was cut out ,if using polyester resin then neo pentol glycol resin will be needed for the chemical resistance.
I would be interested in the job myself if location was different.
I would suggest that if you do repair the tank then pressure test it to .25 bar - 3.675 psi for peace of mind.

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