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Celestialsailor · 16-12-2016, 08:21

Steel tanks in almost all the Taiwan boats are problematic. The real problem is they put the tanks in first and attach the interior permanently. Repair wise, you have to keep in mind the likelihood that the entire tank is deteriorating.

Cheechako · 16-12-2016, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Steel tanks in almost all the Taiwan boats are problematic. The real problem is they put the tanks in first and attach the interior permanently. Repair wise, you have to keep in mind the likelihood that the entire tank is deteriorating.

Yep. You might repair the current hole and fine another one soon. You could end up with 30 gal of diesel in the bilge and marina too.

brianlara 3 · 16-12-2016, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Yes, the instructions and precautions are still there.

WEST SYSTEM | Modifying and Customizing Boats - Wood/epoxy composite tank guidelines

The book : Gougeon Brothers on Boat Building goes into great detail.
I've never bought anything off the internet. The book is huge and priceless, the bible for traditional boat builders.
In OZ the book is now probably US $75:00 but priceless nonetheless.

**Jim Cate** · 16-12-2016, 15:10

Well, our timber/poxy fuel tanks, ply on three sides, western red cedar on the other, are now 26 years old. No issues as yet.

Jim

DeepFrz · 16-12-2016, 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

The book : Gougeon Brothers on Boat Building goes into great detail.
I've never bought anything off the internet. The book is huge and priceless, the bible for traditional boat builders.
In OZ the book is now probably US $75:00 but priceless nonetheless.

Is that the same book you can download for free on the West site?

DeepFrz · 16-12-2016, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, our timber/poxy fuel tanks, ply on three sides, western red cedar on the other, are now 26 years old. No issues as yet.

Jim

Yes. They can make good fuel tanks and if done properly they will most likely outlast a lot of metal tanks. The bain of metal tanks is improper installation. That and letting water sit inside or crud accumulate and line the sides and bottom of the tanks. Proper installation and maintenance can go a long way to ensure long lasting metal fuel tanks.

The only reason I brought up the warnings about the composite fuel tanks is because there are some very important considerations to take note of. Properly done they make fine tanks.

brianlara 3 · 16-12-2016, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Is that the same book you can download for free on the West site?

Can't imagine that West System would allow an A4 sized book, an inch and a half thick, hard cover, costing plenty of money , give it away for free.
But you asked the wrong guy bucause, as I said, I've never bought ANYTHING off the internet. I will be the last human on earth to know what's for free on the internet. Actually, if something worth having is free then someone somewhere is missing out imo.
Maybe someone else here may know.

Bill Seal · 16-12-2016, 18:12

I fixed 2 leaking fuel tanks (different boats) by taking them out, turning them upside down, and covering them with several layers of FG mat and cloth using polyester resin. They were then just FG tanks with (rusty) steel liners. Have lasted for 30 years or so.

brianlara 3 · 16-12-2016, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

I fixed 2 leaking fuel tanks (different boats) by taking them out, turning them upside down, and covering them with several layers of FG mat and cloth using polyester resin. They were then just FG tanks with (rusty) steel liners. Have lasted for 30 years or so.

Yep, big job but there forever! I'm guessing you have a bllody big Racor filter to catch the crap.
Reason for my love of epoxy is that it bonds better to all substrates better than poly. Especially to timber.
But mostly because epoxy bonds to polyester than polyester resin does. The people who disagree probably do so because of the massive additional cost.
When I did my first trade (tourist coaches) epoxy hadn't been invented.....hell, even electricity was new then !!

**Lepke** · 16-12-2016, 18:54

I've patched steel and aluminum tanks with epoxy. The trick is the metal has to be clean and absolutely diesel free. Sand, then I wipe down patch area with acetone. Ideal would be to do all sides so steel is enclosed.
My current tanks (1942) are steel and had some pits I welded, but had lots of thickness left.
Many home builders have plywood/epoxy tanks that last about forever if done properly. Even polyester will work if not fully cured before next layer is laid down. But poly is easy to **. My old commercial fish boat still uses a 250 gallon plywood/epoxy tank I made in 1977.
Some surveyors don't like epoxy/plywood tanks. Probably based on poly failures.

brianlara 3 · 16-12-2016, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Can't imagine that West System would allow an A4 sized book, an inch and a half thick, hard cover, costing plenty of money , give it away for free.
But you asked the wrong guy bucause, as I said, I've never bought ANYTHING off the internet. I will be the last human on earth to know what's for free on the internet. Actually, if something worth having is free then someone somewhere is missing out imo.
Maybe someone else here may know.

On the WEST site their book: Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction is in the price list as product #2. It sells direct from them @ US $ 44:00, weighs 4 lbs & in 504 pages.
Available to download for free? "Now I don't know anything about thaart" (gump).

Panope · 16-12-2016, 19:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I would use aircraft fuel tank sealer, as its purpose is to seal wing that are full of rivet holes and make them fuel tanks, but that is because I am used to doing aircraft.
It comes in different specs A is thinner and more watery but will run into cracks etc., B is thicker and will stick to walls, then comes a number from 1/2 to 2 , the number corresponds to pot life, all of it should be given 24 hours to cure out. It is a two part adhesive / sealer very similar to 5200 except for the color and of course its two part, but it is at least as tenacious as 5200, maybe moreso.
PRO-SEAL FUEL TANK SEALANT P/S 890 B2 from Aircraft Spruce

+1

This is an amazing product. Thick, tough, pliable, and super sticky.

groundtackle · 16-12-2016, 21:54

Without further investigation it's difficult to plan this repair, the whole thing could be junk. If it's out and in good shape the issue may well be repairable, properly. Just a matter of weighing the cost to repair/replace. Seems like and odd leak 1/4" down from the top? On a seam? Rotten from the inside or outside? Any good metal shop will give you the options.
Seen plenty of crappy tanks built in N.A., Taiwan gets a bad rap sometimes.
My first epoxy fuel tank repair was on a 59' beatle as a teenager with no cash, worked great. I have done it again but only on my own gear and wiling to take that risk.
ce

boden36 · 17-12-2016, 00:54

Maybe I'm a pessimist but if it has gone in one spot it will be about to go in lots of others. You may end up chasing your tail. I would bite the bullet, remove it and replace.

Regards,
Richard.