can gas tank leak ???

[glennC]

I have a 69 Donzi 16'. The gas tank is stainless and I think
original. Can this tank leak ? I get fumes all the time, but I didn't think SS
could rot out...maybe its cracked. ANY info appreciated..

Thanks
GlennC

[mattyboy]

Glenn just went thru this myself, the older Donzi's had plain ole steel tanks, that do rot and leak, the manufacturors went to aluminum tanks in a round 72-73, I would think if your tank is original it is steel.
be careful drain the tank before snooping around down there also want to check fuel lines as well


Matt

[glennC]

Oh BOY! Have you fixed yours yet. What is process. Llooks like I must cut floorboard
to remove.

I love the boat, but OH BOY !!!

thanks
Glenn

[Fish boy]

Hi Glen,
First and foremost, welcome to the DOnzi Registry- the greatest boating site in the world. You will be amazed at the wealth of knowledge on this site as well as one heck of a group of people.

One of the best tools you can have here is the search feature located towards the upper right hand side of the web page. I know there have been several threads on gas tanks, and I am sure you can find some great info to get you started. I think there are even some pictures of a 22 that is going through it right now.

While it seems like the end of the world to pop your deck, there are a lot of people here who have done it, and more who will do it in the future. After you put it back together, you will never know it was off- but your boat will be a lot safer with the new tank.

Good luck and welcome to the donzi family.

Fish

[glennC]

Thanks, so much.

I'll try the search

G

[krakmeup]

Welcome to the forum, GlennC! Let me share my recent experience with you as well, certainly something to look at before cutting:

I just bought my 1976 18' and brought her back to Texas. ABout the third fill-up I notice bad fuel smell. After crawling under the deck and nearly getting knocked out, I found the filler line from the deck-fill to the tank was weeping. The 1 7/8" reinforced hose was cracked from age and just decided it had had enough. Upon filling it very full, the fuel seeped out and you know the result. I immediately carefully siphoned out fuel and replaced the hose (no small feat given my size, the angle of attack under there, and that new 1 7/8" hose does not like to bend very much!).

Anyways, I was also thinking the worst, a leaking tank, but was glad to see it was very much easier, at least this time. I didn't always smell fuel because it only got bad when very full and fuel was in the filler hose. I can only hope yours might be this simple also, good luck!

Keith

[MOP]

Krakmeup has a very good point and it is very common even on much newer boats for the hoses both fill and vent to be dried out and weeping. A foamed in S/S tank is nearly indestuctable, Ralph di have the baffle rivits go bad on his. So even after checking the hoses you may still be in for a tank. The hoses can be a bugger to get through, on real tight installs I use a 3 inch long piece of PVC roughed up pipe glued with formica glue inside mating the old to the new, let to dry over night. You pull easy and have a buddy push just a little harder.

[penbroke]

I had a leak in the original tank in my '66 18. It turned out to be a tiny crack in the solder where the sight gauge was soldered to the tank. I was able to clean it up and seal it with epoxy through the hole in the floor for the window for the sight gauge. It had been that way for years and took all winter to air out the foam around the tank. With the sight gauge out I could see the inside of the tank with a flashlight and a mirror. It is still shiney for the most part.

Frank
Fume free and hope to stay that way. :)