Diesel Deck Fills

Hello
I have a 1990 GB 42 that I just purchased from a man that hasn’t used the boat in some time. I’m going through all the systems and have found that the deck fills for the fuel are frozen shut. I’ve tried everything from different lubricants to corrosion breakers. I even used heat. I then took some dry ice to them and got two of the three opened. I pulled the third out of the deck and would like to replace it with a like kind. Brass 2 1/2 hose fitting. Does anyone have an idea of where I can fins an original or like original deck fill like that?

All the help is appreciated.

Welcome aboard. Don’t know where you can get one but since you have it out of the boat have you tried heating it to see if it will break free?

While it’s removed, soak in ”Kroil” for several days. It’ll come loose.

Any chandlery that handles commercial boats and white boats should be able to obtain what you need , perhaps Fisheries?

As you have removed the fittings , replacing the fill hose might be a worthwhile task.

A simple trick to save effort later is to place a 1/2 or 3/4 inch pa , like starboard , under the tank fill.

Raise it might be a PIA if you stub your toe , but lots easier to live with than a leaking O ring letting water in the fuel tank in every tiny rain or deck wash.

Unfortunately those cast bronze deck fills will be spendy. Spartan marine has similar for $170-a-pop. How much heat did you try? Now that they're off, try using a torch; gets the rusted bolts off of my car, and they can't be worse than that.

Thank you for the tips. I heated the one that I pulled out with a torch and it’s still stuck. I do Have it soaking now in lubricant. I’m grabbing some Kroil today and will soak it in that as well. Wish me luck.

Thank you agin for the help

Welcome to the forum first off. If you can screw the outer ring down to something solid, other than the boat, use a hammer (impact) driver which will usually break most things free, assuming yours has a slot across the face.
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-bit-impact-screwdriver-set-with-case-64812.html

Heat with a torch, then put a crayon to the threads. The wax will get sucked into the threads and then you'll be able to unscrew it.
Any color will do

jleonard said:

Heat with a torch, then put a crayon to the threads. The wax will get sucked into the threads and then you'll be able to unscrew it.
Any color will do

Click to expand...

never heard that one. Good tip Jay!

jleonard said:

Heat with a torch, then put a crayon to the threads. The wax will get sucked into the threads and then you'll be able to unscrew it.
Any color will do

Click to expand...

Nice idea. I had never hear of it either. I guess that would make it childs work???

I'm fond of 'blue violet' color

Welcome. Try Longship Marine in Poulsbo, WA at (360) 779-2378. Ask for Aaron, he has a photographic memory or something close. Good folks too.

Good Luck

I’ve heated it up, cooled it down, soaked in lubricant for 24 hours and hammered it and torqued it. No luck. I’m taking down tomorrow to then guy that tunes my props to see if he can fix it. Never seen anything this stuck before.

Thank you for all the tips. Great ideas

Amazing that it is still stuck. Did you try the crayon trick?

Why repeat the problem with brass replacements? Stainless-steel fittings are an alternative.

I agree with the stainless steel, I would replace the one that is out now with s/s and do the others as needed.

I've got a 50/50 mix of Acetone and transmission fluid in a small oil can for such occasions. If you need it only once or twice a year, mix it as you need it. All bets off if cross threaded.

Actually white vinegar soaking works best, even better if vinegar is hot.
Vinegar dissolves corrosion. Totally submerge the part.
Vinegar will easily enter the small spaces, but since you greased it up, you have to soak it in gas and and clean it good with soap now, if you want to try it.

After a few days soaking in vinegar it should easily open if the threads are not deformed.

A key tip for penetrating oils is to tap on the materials. The idea being the oil gets to a point and then tapping helps break just enough of the corrosion to let it get a little further. Making sure that the item is set up to allow gravity to help the oil to flow downward.

I’m trying to soak it in vinegar now for a couple days. I’m not against replacing it but i would like to keep the boat as close to original as possible. For now I’m going to keep down this path and try to get this thing unstuck.

Put it in the freezer overnight. Heat the housing (not the cover ) with your torch in the morning.

I never thought about putting it in freezer but did wonder why he was heating inside piece. Hopefully one of these tricks works out for him..

TripleNet said:

I’ve heated it up, cooled it down, soaked in lubricant for 24 hours and hammered it and torqued it. No luck. I’m taking down tomorrow to then guy that tunes my props to see if he can fix it. Never seen anything this stuck before.

Thank you for all the tips. Great ideas

Click to expand...

You have to heat the outside, not the plug in the center, applying heat to the center plug just causes it to expand in to the outer ring and make it even harder to unscrew.

Finally! Got it open. Took it to a machine shop and they worked some magic and got it open. Thank you for all the tips. Learned a couple new things I’ll carry with me forward.

Fair winds and smooth seas.

Triple Net

TripleNet said:

Finally! Got it open. Took it to a machine shop and they worked some magic and got it open. Thank you for all the tips. Learned a couple new things I’ll carry with me forward.

Click to expand...

And? What was the final technique that worked, did they tell you?

Dang... just got to the last page of the "Who-dunnit" thriller and somebody tore it out...!!

Tripple Dude ya Gotta Tell us.

I’m guessing they cooled it, put it on a lathe and while turning it heated the housing.

When it is back in service you might consider anti-sieze on the threads. (With a new o ring) Us an extremely thin coating applied with a tooth pick. Excess is going to be a problem. Will prevent corrosion on all type.

TripleNet said:

Finally! Got it open. Took it to a machine shop and they worked some magic and got it open. Thank you for all the tips. Learned a couple new things I’ll carry with me forward.

Fair winds and smooth seas.

Triple Net

Click to expand...

What was the magic???