[C320-list] New Fuel Tank update.

[Pat Ireland]

Jeff

Thanks for the evaluation.  Sounds like a waste of time and money to add
the cleanout and polish ports.  Appreciate the information.

Pat, 801

On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 5:29 PM, Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:

> 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
> >
>
>