[C320-list] New Fuel Tank update.

[Jeff Hare]

Hi Chris,
It's $35 for a cleanout port.  Interestingly enough, after 13 years, the tank didn't have anything in it worth cleaning out.  The tank has a baffle in the middle that runs across the tank port to starboard with places on each side for fuel to feed to the front of the tank.  The pickup is in the front inboard corner.  The fill and fuel return are both towards the aft outboard area behind the baffle.  This means that sediment is constantly being urged toward the front inboard corner of the tank which is the lowest point in the tank.  Over time, it gets sucked into the pickup tube and removed by the primary filter.  I suspect that this design is mostly why the tank stays as clean inside as it does.  There's pretty much no way that sediment is going to build up anywhere except right near where the fuel pickup is due the sloped bottom.

>From what I see, it would be easy to install a fuel polishing system between the fuel return and the pickup tube.  But I don't think it's necessary or would help.

-Jeff
#809

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Pat Ireland
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2015 5:29 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] New Fuel Tank update.

Jeff

Just a thought....since it is a custom, you might consider a hand sized cleanout and a couple of  drain/fill ports for polishing the fuel off line.  You are certainly to be commended for picking up the challenge of designing a custom tank.

Pat, 801


On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 11:42 AM, Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com> wrote:

> don't forget including a parts list, sources and any special tool 
> requirements...
>
> On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 1:21 PM, Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> 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
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Chris Burti
> Farmville, NC
>