PT35 fuel tank leaking

[racejudge]

Looking at a PT35 and the starboard fuel tank is leaking. Very tight area beside the twin Perkins. Has anyone came up with a good solution to solving this problem?

 

[CharlieO.]

I would consider cutting an inspection hole to see if it could be repaired from the inside.

 

[racejudge]

We talked about that actually. I might use an inspection camera to look in the tank and see if it’s something obvious. Best idea so far is cutting a hole on the outside of the boat and pulling the tank out of the side.

 

[CharlieO.]

Don't forget to check the tops of the tanks also..
Be sure the boat is priced accordingly.

I did this job on my single engine boat when I bought it. Hindsight be 20-20 I wish I had the time to pull/move the engine to clean up and paint the bilge and engine room. I cut my tanks into pieces and replaced with smaller ones.

 

[tiltrider1]

The best plan is to replace the tank. If you already own the boat then there is nothing to lose by attempting a repair.

 

[Comodave]

If you are not the owner yet I would get a quote to replace the tank and take that amount off the purchase price. I wouldn’t accept a deal where the tank was repaired or replaced with a different type of tank. The repair may fail and then you would be stuck with the replacement cost. A replacement with a lesser tank system would affect the resale value of the boat.

 

[BruceK]

We talked about that actually. I might use an inspection camera to look in the tank and see if it’s something obvious. Best idea so far is cutting a hole on the outside of the boat and pulling the tank out of the side.

More "last resort" than "best idea", repairing the hull to standard is the issue.

 

[jungpeter]

Looking at a PT35 and the starboard fuel tank is leaking. Very tight area beside the twin Perkins. Has anyone came up with a good solution to solving this problem?

No “good” solutions to be had. RUN, Forrest, run!

 

[racejudge]

We kicked around the idea of mounting a new tank in the cabin against a wall then covering it with cabinets. I would only loose about 12 gallons of capacity. But having diesel in the living area and up high is not the best resolution.

 

[dvarholy]

I successfully repaired my 150 gallon port side tank two years ago. Was able to cut a hole and used a 12" Seabuilt access plate once the repair was completed. Large and accurate round holes can easily be cut with a Malco HC1 available from any HVAC supply. The HC2 will cut holes up to 20". After mopping out the interior, I used MEK to thoroughly remove all residue. I used KREEM fuel tank liner, but there are other brands such as Red-Kote and Northern. Proper ventilation is key. Pressure tested @2 psi for 2 days just to be sure.

Daniel

'89 43' Tradewinds MY

 

[roberttigar]

fuel tank repair

JB Weld makes 2 products designed to repair fuel tanks from the outside. I have used them both, successfully. Bob

 

[sunchaser]

The vessel has a serious flaw. There may be others lurking like the tank on the other side. There are good boats out there thus maybe best to keep looking.