[C320-list] New Fuel Tank update.

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Ahoy Jeff......I'll be following your project with intent to do the same 
to my #245 next winter. Thee years ago I had a leak in my 1988 c 30 fuel 
tank, not a pleasant memory. I have had difficulty uploading pictures to 
this site......if you can send them to me at:  schwartz781 at optonline.net 
   .... I'd appreciate it. Thanks....Joe   


On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 01:21 PM, Jeff Hare wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I've just about finalized the design of a new C320 fuel tank with 
> Ezell.
> The key points are:
>
> 1) It's thicker than the stock tank (for hulls build prior to ~2004).
> (0.125" vs 0.090")
> 2) It has quite a bit of extra capacity.  Estimate ~25-28gal  but 
> we'll see
> how it measures.
> 3) Sized to fit through the aft cabin access door unmodified just like 
> the
> stock tank
> 4) Doesn't require modifying the starboard aft locker shelf.
> 5) Should provide little easier access to the sender
> 6) Allows routing the Aft water tank fill and vent lines along a 
> shorter,
> more direct path and more out of the way.
> 7) Similar improved routing for the two bilge pump lines.
> 8) We'll roll a couple of layers of Herculiner truck bed liner paint 
> over
> the bottom and sides of the tank to ensure that if some stray metal 
> object
> rolls  in contact with the tank, that we won't end up with a corrosion 
> hole.
>
>
> Using this new tank will require adjustments to 2 of the 3 small 
> wooden
> fiddle boards that hold the tank in position.  But the existing ones 
> took me
> just a few minutes to remove so I don't anticipate any trouble there.
>
> While I'm in there replacing the tank, I'll be doing the following:
> - Scrub down and clean out the whole aft locker area
> - Replace the Aft water tank fill/vent hoses (they are looking a bit 
> gross
> after all these years).  Unfortunately, there is just no way to run 
> the fill
> line or vent lines so that they don't have dips in them that hold 
> standing
> water. - Replace and reroute the blower and fresh air intake hoses to 
> the engine.
> They are currently 3" white dryer vent junk and probably don't work as
> intended.  I'm planning on using 3" flexible ventilation hose instead 
> of
> that cheap dryer vent stuff so that there is better airflow in/out of 
> the
> engine compartment and won't collapse or constrict.  In addition, I'm
> rerouting them so that they're both running well out of the way at the 
> aft
> most end of the boat.
> - In the process, I'll mount the blower motor on a flexible dense foam 
> block
> I have kicking around to see if it runs more quietly not being bolted
> directly to the hull (we never use it because it sounds like a jet 
> taking
> off today).
>
> I'll try to document the whole process with as many pictures as I can.
>
> -Jeff
> Woodbine II #809
>
>