Hoolie
Well-known member
From my flooded sump experience I would suggest you just use pure clean water as any detergent will leave a film of emulsified diesel/water in the tank. Pressure washing sounds a good way of getting into all the crevices!
Wonder compound for sealing a fuel tank from the inside?
- Thread starter Murv
- Start date
Medway Mudlark
Member
Chris,
Just bought one myself from Aylesford as the Karcher I had died. £50 of the queens.......
https://www.aldi.co.uk/search?text=steam cleaner
Just bought one myself from Aylesford as the Karcher I had died. £50 of the queens.......
https://www.aldi.co.uk/search?text=steam cleaner
Murv
Well-known member
Thanks for that, got to be worth a try then. Mine is only a cheapie, but it does have a second lance that has some serious power behind it, so worth a go!
Thanks Dave, the price is certainly right! Sorry to be dim, but can the head be removed to give a jet of steam?
Freebee
Well-known member
have a look at slosh sealant from rustbuster.co.uk,
does say tank needs a clean first tho!
does say tank needs a clean first tho!
Medway Mudlark
Member
Just had a look inside the box. Lance is removeable,leaving the trigger, which will deliver a 'squirt' of steam
superheat6k
Well-known member
If you can gain working access to all interior surfaces and get them reasonably degreased, then an interior coat of GRP resin with a medium CSM layer and decent gel layer could be a workable option, effectively creating a GRP bladder. You would need to use a resin or epoxy that is 100% diesel tolerant, but I am sure such things exist, and laying up a flat surface is simple.
Puggy
Member
Good luck but sadly I think you are only delaying the inevitable. 550 litres is a lot of diesel to risk sloshing in your bilges.
I had 2 x 550 tanks in my Nauticat 43. I didn't have a leak but as I was pulling the boat apart decided to replace them as they were full of crap and I couldn't seem to successfully clean them.
I couldn't get them out in one piece so had to cut them out. They turned out to be mild steel and were rusted internally and also externally in the corners and probably a year away from failing.
I designed new tanks with Tek-Tanks and decided on four separate tanks (each one the maximum that would fit through the hatch) joined into two logical pairs with a total capacity of 880 litres (down from 1100). Clear inspection hatches and pick-ups to the lowest points means they are much easier to maintain.
Pics attached - the insides of the tanks after they had been cut out and some pics of the new tanks.
Puggy
I had 2 x 550 tanks in my Nauticat 43. I didn't have a leak but as I was pulling the boat apart decided to replace them as they were full of crap and I couldn't seem to successfully clean them.
I couldn't get them out in one piece so had to cut them out. They turned out to be mild steel and were rusted internally and also externally in the corners and probably a year away from failing.
I designed new tanks with Tek-Tanks and decided on four separate tanks (each one the maximum that would fit through the hatch) joined into two logical pairs with a total capacity of 880 litres (down from 1100). Clear inspection hatches and pick-ups to the lowest points means they are much easier to maintain.
Pics attached - the insides of the tanks after they had been cut out and some pics of the new tanks.
Puggy
NormanB
Well-known member
It is perfectly possible to clean and degrease a tank IF you have good access ( need to be able to get a hand into every corner) and that is rarely possible in small boat tanks.
superheat6k
Well-known member
Perhaps worth a call ...
https://www.pondlinersonline.co.uk/category/our-product-range/tank-liners/
or this one ...
https://www.duratank.com/tanks-and-liners
https://www.pondlinersonline.co.uk/category/our-product-range/tank-liners/
or this one ...
https://www.duratank.com/tanks-and-liners
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Tranona
Well-known member
Not been established yet, but I would be surprised if a 550l tank did not have extensive internal baffles which makes any sort of liner or coating the interior with resin and glass impossible.
The reality is unless he can find the leak from the outside and seal it there then the only solution is to do what Puggy did and cut the tank out to replace it.
Murv
Well-known member
Thanks for that, they do offer a product that may do the job.
Perfect, thank you!
I'll give ECF a call in the morning and see if they can suggest something, I think this might be the best option.
That is very smart, and if my tank wasn't in such good condition, that might be the route I'd take. problem would be is gaining access to fit them, even smaller linked tanks would require engine or boats interior removal.
I can get to 90% of it by hand, the rest can be reached with cloths on a stick so not too bad.
Thanks Trevor, that could be a last ditch resort, I think the real problem would be, as above, cutting the baffles out. There may be someone at the club with the skills to do that, unlike myself who would end up accidentally cutting through the side of the hull!
Right, plan B or C now, I forget, but...
As suggested by OG of these fora, coat the inside of the tank with soapy water, then pressurise (slightly) to see if any leak can be identified externally by escaping bubbles.
Issue there is, how?
I'd need some sort of one way valve to do this. I was thinking that if the fuel pickup connector was removed, that could be plugged, the access hatches refitted and sealed, then use the eberspacher pickup with a short length of bicycle inner tube containing the valve tightly clamped around it, and clamped shut at the other end. Then I could add a couple of psi with a bike pump.
Plausible? or is there an easier way?
I do appreciate the pleas to tear the tank out and replace, but as there are no signs of corrosion or damage, and the leak could have been down to that drain plug, it seems a bit overkill at this stage.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
A few years ago, I had some problems with a fuel tank. The engine had given trouble, with the fuel line being clogged with debris. Had the tank cleaned, as the outside looked fine. A few weeks later, found the bilge full of diesel! The cleaning had been the last straw, removing the last flakes of rust INSIDE the tank that were keeping the pinholed bottom of the tank diesel tight. The exterior looked more or less Ok - a bit of superficial (hah!) rust, but nothing serious. I ended up having to replace the tank - in my case, not a problem as it was in a reachable location, except for the usual requirement for a double jointed monkey to reach some of the mounting bolts.
A tank that looks OK on the outside can still be in a terminal condition on the inside.
omega2
Active member
It also depends on how the tanks were fitted in the first place, on ours even though they were stainless and looked in good condition it leaked, fortunately we were able to get it out and found it had several stress fractures on the base due to it being in contact with the P bracket bolts which were sticking up. The base was re plated and when put back we used conveyor belt to line the space were it rested. It,s an age thing.
fisherman
Well-known member
I was told that a quick temporary fix is a smear of soap. Might help in desperation.
Puggy
Member
My tank had lots of baffles. it would not have been possible to access all of it to clean it or make a repair let alone fit a liner. Also I fear that you might find the inside of your tank in a similar state to mine...
superheat6k
Well-known member
To partially pressurise the tank a wet and dry vac on blow then tape the hose into the filler. I suggest a very strong solution of fairy liquid as the bubble fluid.
If this reveals the precise leak point, and if you can get to it, then after you have degreased it PERHAPS one of these might be worth a try ...
https://www.norelem.com/us/en/Produ...les/LOCTITE/97990-LOCTITE-flange-sealant.html
Use the vacuum on blow again pressurising the tank to push the sealant into the fissure. Once it is in there it hardens by absence of air.
If this reveals the precise leak point, and if you can get to it, then after you have degreased it PERHAPS one of these might be worth a try ...
https://www.norelem.com/us/en/Produ...les/LOCTITE/97990-LOCTITE-flange-sealant.html
Use the vacuum on blow again pressurising the tank to push the sealant into the fissure. Once it is in there it hardens by absence of air.
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Murv
Well-known member
Thanks all, just to reiterate again though, there is no corrosion inside the tank.
Omega2, luckily mine sits on thick rubber sheets that support it every 2 feet or so, so hopefully nothing to perforate it.
Thanks Trevor, I shall give that a try.
Incidentally, there isn't an epoxy on the market that will remain impervious to diesel. Well, there is one, but it's only guaranteed to adhere to GRP tanks, not steel.
Omega2, luckily mine sits on thick rubber sheets that support it every 2 feet or so, so hopefully nothing to perforate it.
Thanks Trevor, I shall give that a try.
Incidentally, there isn't an epoxy on the market that will remain impervious to diesel. Well, there is one, but it's only guaranteed to adhere to GRP tanks, not steel.
fisherman
Well-known member
I repaired a steel petrol tank years ago with a two part epoxy, darned if I can identify it now. It was on the shelf at a local engineering supply co.
Murv
Well-known member
Thanks fisherman, it seems that petrol isn't such an issue, it's long term diesel soaking that causes a problem apprently. One company does manufacture a two part epoxy, but only for the exterior of a tank.
There are also the putty types that will seal the interior, it's liquid resin that appears to be difficult.
fisherman
Well-known member
What we need is an invention like radweld, something that reacts with diesel and air at theleak point to create an impermeable repair. Shouldn't be too difficult....?