In floor fuel tank problem

[Riceyboy287]

Hey guys I just picked up a 1988 Starcraft islander 220v. Great boat, but was having problems running off the big tank. I took out the anti siphon valve and pickup tube thinking that could be the issue is was starving for fuel. I cleaned them both and stuck a siphon into the tank to discover it is full of silt, insects, you name it. It is a 51 gallon tank which looks to be aluminum. The easiest way to me would be to remove it and Clean it out of the boat, but that's looking like one hell of a job. Any body have any thoughts on how to loosen and extract the garbage that's in the tank without

Removing it?

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[sszoldra]

I have a 40 gal onboard tank that I'd have to cut the floor beams in order to remove it, What I do every year end is drain the tank. I bought an old 12 volt hot rod electric fuel pump, and disconnect the line going to the fuel filter and hook it up inline, and pump it out. If you have some old gas laying around it would probably clean it out enough for you to pump it out the way I do.

[IRon]

 I have a 40 gal. tank in my '95 Crestliner. Kept getting gunk in my fuel lines, tried draining and siphoning out the stuff with one of the kerosene siphons. Got a lot of stuff out but could never get it all, it seemed. So I bit the bullet and pulled the tank and found out why. The aluminum was so bad I could push my finger right through the top. Over the years the build up of dirt and trapped water laying on top had corroded the aluminum to the point it had no integrity. Thats right, aluminum corrodes, too. Cost me $400 for a new tank. Personally, I think, if you want to do it you should do it right. Pull the tank, inspect it, and if it's all intact, you can clean it perfectly and not worry about it for a long time.  

[Riceyboy287]

Ya I'm thinking removing is the best way to go, I have two small holes to work with that are center stern side and one bigger one if I removed the gas level reader, but I'm worried that will not be able to hit the edges and I don't think all the sloshing In the world is going to work everything to where I can reach it.

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[fishghost]

I have an 89 try draining it first and flushing it out its a lot of work pulling it out used a screen and a clear jug to see if there water in it to good luck joe

[fisherman 57]

I HAVE a 89 25 ' sport craft 100 gal tank, had same problem kept having problems till I drained all twice tore out TANK replaced with plastic tank, put on racon from west marine plus on motor & carberator filter.  TIGHT LINES

[Big Dave]

My 88 sat for 10 yrs before we started to work on it.  When we pulled the floor up we drained the tank and replaced the filler and vent hose.  They had started to weep fuel through the old rubber. I drained the tank through the fuel outlet in the back of the tank, motor end and ran the hose out through the drain plug hole in the back of the boat.   Flushed some fresh gas through and put a filter and water sep. unit in the line .  Knock on wood it has been working for me.  Used the old gas  in the riding mower a little at a time. to get rid of it.

[Big Dave]

When we made the new floor boards .  I made them so the centersection where the tank is can be unscrewed to get to the tank and the sending unit. 

[rolmops]

By what you are telling us,it sounds like you will have to replace all the hoses because they are from before the year 2000 which means that they are not ethanol resistant and probably rotten anyway. This includes the filler hose.If you want to remove the tank,it is not such a terrible job. Remove the center floor section and you will see the entire tank exposed. On the front and on the rear there are some pieces of wood  that can be unscrewed and the tank can be removed! If you want to drain it first,there is a little trick. Remove the hose that goes from the tank to the fuel pump and replace it with a much longer one which you will feed through the plug hole in the stern and tie it up high. Now jack up the boat/trailer and set a wheel on some blocks so that it is about 6 to 10 inches higher than before.Make sure that the side that the fuel pick up is on is lower side. Next raise the front as high as you can so that the stern almost touches the ground. Stick the end of the hose in a five gallon tank and lower it to the ground gravity will empty out most of what is in the tank. That is how I cleaned out the tank on my Islander.

Good Luck

Edited August 4, 2014 by rolmops

[Knotlost]

Xacltly what rollmops said when you get it out your going to find bad rubber, that really needs to be changed for ethanol proof stuff as well. And if you have any corrosion on the tank ( I'm betting you will) paint it with glufex and it will give you your lifetime of service.

[lineman49]

JUST remember Gas/fumes & sparks don't mix !! Be careful!