[C320-list] Fuel tank removal and new inspection port

[Graeme Clark]

A big thank-you to all those who have posted on this subject before and uploaded photos to our website. Thanks to them,  the removal of my tank went very smoothly and although I had to be a bit of  contortionist (not easy at 6ft 4Ins and 235lbs!) it was a relatively simple job.

I’ve removed the tank because of the gunk inside it that i need to clan out. The actual tank walls appear to be in good condition. The worst surface is the outside of the top, which is the part, I guess, that gets the most exposure to salt water and where water will sit, rather than run off. The underside is pristine.

Anyway I was planning to fit an inspection port so that in future i could access the tank to clean it without needing to remove it. The issue being that their is a vertical baffle across the tank, halfway along it. I was thinking of putting an 8” round port centered on that baffle so I can get an arm in either side of the baffle? Is this a good idea or would I be better putting two smaller (4 inch?) ports either side?

Anybody have any experience or thoughts? From an engineering perspective I guess cutting the hole where a baffle is possibly welded to the top of the tank may not be the easiest job. On the other hand theres not a lot of room to fit a separate port on the forward half of the tank in a location where it isn't hidden under the cockpit floor.

All thoughts and suggestions welcome; the only no-no is I don't want to fit a port anywhere other than the top of the tank to minimise chance and effects of any leakage

Graeme

Jaskar, #366, 1996, Falmouth, UK