Fuel Fill Line Removal

[UpGrady]

Any suggestions for removing the old fuel fill line from the gas tank connector? Outside of cutting the tubing or spraying the heck out of it with WD40...

[borderline 350]

Dear Hans/Upgrady, Remove the three (or 4) philips head screws (10/24 screws with 3/8ths hex size nuts) from the deck fill plate. You then can pull the entire hose and deck plate out of the deck hole. Measure the length carefully as this hose doesn't stretch much! If this procedure doesn't work because of turns and anchor straps, cut the hose with a hack saw (LAST RESORT!) and remove. CAUTION, DO NOT CREATE ANY SPARKS! The hose will have one or two spring wire reinforcments. These can be cut with a linemens HD pliers. Regular sidecutters usually will not work unless they are very HD. Once you get the hose off, immediately stop and plug this fill hole in the tank. The fumes coming out of the tank add real danger to this operation. Keep a fire extinquisher(Dry Chemical) on the ready with the safety pin out! A good friend/helper should be their with this extinquisher in hand, ready for any sign of fire! Note, the life that he saves will be yours. AND if you spill any fuel, one gallon or more has to be reported to the FEDERAL PEOPLE!! Use extreme caution and be safe........Sorry about the long safety lecture, but I have seen the results of untidy fuel tank repairs and it is very daunting!......Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

[jimski2]

As boats age, the fuel fill line loses its seal with the tank. When you fill up and overfill the tank, the hose will leak fuel into the bilge and you have a dangerous situation. Any time you can access the fill hose fitings, try to tighten up the clamps. On my boat, I took out the tank and now use 6 gallon portables that I can carry off the boat. That big hose hardens up with age and a leak develops. I tried to report it to the Coast Guard but they just don't want to get back to you.

[ray koziatek]

jimski, you need to take a boating safty class ,even the most basic class tells you to inspect fuel system ,many things learned in a boating class could say lives or injurys,anyone leaving the dock on any body of water should have some professional advise after over 30 years on the water i felt very comfortable boating ,during my boating squadron class i learned how much i did not know best 40.00 i ever spent, the Coast Guard has enuf to do without checking every fuel line on every boat take a course be accountable for yourself it could be your life you save........or mine,,,or if ya got a hoist on board ya might even pull muskybob from the water(big hoist) :)I bet old Musky has a suggestion for me on plainer reel location,at least they should be safe frum UV. rays outa the sun and all......

[muskybob]

I bet old Musky has a suggestion for me on plainer reel location,at least they should be safe frum UV. rays outa the sun and all......

If you're mounting them on your hardtop, have them so the reel handle is facing the stern to make it easier to reel in. Not much you can do to prevent UV rays other than checking your line every year. If no hardtop, just put the mast as far forward as you can and attach a retrieve line to them.

[UpGrady]

The problem is that the fuel fill line is very much adhered to the tank fitting and I do not see a very good way of getting the tubing off the fitting w/o cutting and as JBB says... sparks from hitting the metal in the tubing near the gas line is an accident waiting to happen...

I was looking for any other methods/ideas of loosening that tubing to tank fitting, so I could get this line replaced as a preventive measure to avoid the ineviditable deterioration.

[ray koziatek]

probly is sealed from factory if ya can slice it with utility knife then pry with screwdriver or try boiling water ya gotta pour it slow as rubber conducts heat slowley ya might rig up a funnel with a hose to direct hot water to area probly will take several gal. ,,if it is glued or sealed ya gotta slice poke and pry,ya better hurry 70 deg on monday..if your near corning i can always help on a challlanging project,if its easy its easy if it ant it ant nothing is impossable just will take a little longer

[jimski2]

To check the fuel fill hose connection, you have to pull the floor boards. Now how many times have you pulled your floor boards to check that connection? I only found the leak when I smelled gasoline in the boat. opened the drain plug and found gasoline in the water. I spent a week before I discovered that the fuel fill hose was the cause of the leak. There are a lot of boats out there where this can happen. Pulling the tank and checking it out showed no leak. The supply and vent hoses had no leak. The leak was where the hose clamp on the base of the hose is hard to access and age hardens the hose and it can leak when you fill it up. A stain on the outside of the tank indicated that is where the leak is. I've been running boats for 55 years and this is the first time I saw this happen. I've held my operators ticket for over 30 years and gave lessons when I served in the Coast Guard as an Engineman.

[ray koziatek]

jimski , my boat has 3 axcess areas for each tank ,2 are about 8" in dia and fasten to floor with several screws,in the middle is a large screw cap that removes easly for yearly inspection, you might consider installing a couple of these in connection areas,or make a raised panel out of 3/4 ply that can be removed with less effort than pulling floor ,my old boat was poorly designed also so i made the plywood acess panel, i just feel its more important to be proactive on safty issues than wait till im leaking gas or overlook any other safty areas of my boat, not to mention the unthinkable...........cutting a fishing trip short due to a problem :? :? :?

[LongLine]

Hans -

Off the wall suggestion if it's the rubber/plastic tubing your after. Get a bucket of hot-hot water; a couple clean rag strips; get in position to do the job; soak the rags in the hot water; remove & wrap around the hose. Might soften the hose & make it somewhat pliable. If you have any rubber residue, a little acetone or alcohol should take it off but be careful that stuff is as bad as gas ie. flammable. If it's metal, use a plumbers tubing cutter but have extra disc blades handy.

When you install a new rubber hose, put just a "dab" of vasoline, chalk or talc on the connector first, then assemble. (Obviously don't let it get into the tank)

Tom B.

(LongLine)