Gas Tank....any verdict reached ???

skyking33 · Post by **skyking33** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:22 am

Hi All, I haven't been around for a bit, and I was wondering if any verdict has been reached on the fiberglass fuel tank issue. My 82 33FBC has been sitting in Ct. with E10 all winter. Should I pump out tank, draw some fuel from bottom of tank, or just start up and run as normal. I'm sure this has been gone over before, but after a quick run through the forum, I haven't seen any bottom line. Thanks and I'd apperciate any help on this topic. Ken Liller '82 33FBC "Blue Chip" Thornwood, NY & New Port Richey, FL

Capt. Ed · Post by **Capt. Ed** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:49 am

Hi Ken, Do a search here, there is a lot of info on the subject. When are you returning to FL?

skyking33 · Post by **skyking33** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:56 am

Hi Ed... I just got to NY, but planning on returning to NPR in mid-september.... I also am going to list the boat. I just can't justify all the work and expense for 3 months. Do you know anyone interested. I'll be listing it with a broker this week-end but will let it go very reasonably now without broker commission. Is there any tank info here ????

Post by **dougl33** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:58 am

Ken, Hopefully Frank Price will chime in, but here's what we know for certain: When Rick and Al replaced their tanks last fall, Frank took strips of Rick's 1985 tank and set it to soak in ethanol. I know he set up several different jars with varying degrees of ethanol and/or ethanol and water. I think he set up his test in Nov or Dec of 2006. So far nothing has happened to the tank strips. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

skyking33 · Post by **skyking33** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:09 am

Hi Doug, Thanks for the reply and congrats on your repower (hope all is going well) Last year at the marina I winter store... several Brertams were having tanks replaced. A fuel sample from one tank was left in the office for all to see. Very scarey !!!! a layer of what was supposed to be dissolved tank was settled on the bottom. Plus the mechanic said this sediment adheares to hot intake valves and caused serious damage to the engines. Who knows ??? Why did Rick and Al replace gas tanks ???? Thanks again

Post by **dougl33** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:52 am

What year and model where the boats? What precautions (if any) did these owners take? There's way too many factors involved for anyone to be painting with the "all bertram tanks are screwed" brush. I'm not buying the layer of dissolved tank story. Was their contention that this stuff was floating around suspended in the gas? I believe Al and Rick decided to change tanks for these reasons: 1. Al is retired and could not afford to gamble on his tank failing and taking his recently rebuilt engines with it. 2. Rick recently (in 2001 I think) re-powered with fuel injected 454's. He did not want to gamble on his relatively low hour motors. The re-power is essentially complete. I am just waiting for some decent weather to complete some of the jobs I need to do before I can put the boat in the water. That being said, it looks like this weekend maybe be a washout. Unfortunately, this puts me back 2 weeks as I have to be down the Cape for Memorial Day weekend. It never fails. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:22 am

Hey Ken, Doug's pretty much right, I plan to stick with the 454's for another 4-5 years and didn't want to risk screwing them up from the sediments. Additionally, I knew that I had the time to do most of the work last Fall so decided that now was the time. Frank has subjected my old tank to just about everything and so far it's held solid. We do have evidence in Al's tank that with age and probably the right moisture levels, the baffles in older tanks rust out. My tank was 20+ years old so I guess it's just piece of mind at the end of the day. Take samples of your fuel, keep an eye on your spark plugs. If everything looks okay, it probably is. Rick Ticket 85 SF Falmouth, MA

skyking33 · Post by **skyking33** » Wed May 16, 2007 7:29 am

Rick, Thanks for the reply, would you know if a SF tank and FBC tank are the same..and where did you get your replacement tank, was it also a FG tank, and lastly what (if I may ask) did the new tank cost ... Thanks again

lobsta1 · Post by **lobsta1** » Wed May 16, 2007 10:48 am

Ken, Ct. has had eth for 3 years now. If you have not had eth problems yet, I don't think you will have any. My tank was different as the older B33s only had a 255 gal. tank. Newer models were upped to 315 gal. Besides what Doug & Rick have already said, I changed my tank as the last few years I have been picking up a lot of "coffee grounds" in my Racors. I took my old glass tank home & cut it up. Found there was a lot of deteriation through the baffle rivets. Looked like a lot of them were rusting; hence the "coffee grounds". Also found that the top joint was breaking down & where the rivets were allowing liquid through, I was able to separate the glass laminations by hand. I had only put about 200 gal. of eth mix in the tank last season. I believe my tank deteriation was strictly from age. Rick & I replaced our tanks at the same time with stainless. Figure roughly $10+ per gal. If you do a search on our names, you will find all the details including fotos of the whole process. Al

Post by **dougl33** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:04 am

Al, I could be wrong, but I'm not so sure that all parts of CT have had ethanol for 3 years. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

skyking33 · Post by **skyking33** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:54 pm

Al, and everyone...thanks for the reply. As I remember last year was the first year that E10 was pumped at my area in Ct. .You mentioned "older Bertrams" .. what years are we talking about ??? Did Bertram change the tank construction process at some date. Is there any way to filter out the "tank droppings" from my fuel...thanks again everyone.

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:21 am

Ken, It's a pretty general category but I think we're talking somewhere around pre-80's. Good luck ! Rick Ticket 85 SF Falmouth, MA

Post by **dougl33** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:00 am

Ken, If your tank has been compromised by ethanol, there is no way to "filter" out the offending material as it is passing right though the fuel water seps. That being said, if you followed the precautions and steps noted in the ethanol thread on the Inurance and Safety forum on this site I doubt that you'll have problems. My opinion is that there are a number of contributing factors in those tanks that have failed. This is the only logical conclusion, otherwise all cases would be the same. This has not been the case. Some tanks failed right away, others went after a few tanks, and yet others after a couple of years. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:44 pm

Hey All, Well about 2 weeks ago I launched "Blue Chp". I checked everything below, shot a little blast of starter fluid after cranking the engines to build up so oil pressure. Engines started right up and ran fine for about 5 mins., then stalled. I checked the watersep/filters, both were empty. I refilled it and restarted engines....same thing. I then hooked up a my outboard portable tank....they ran great for half an hour. So........what does that mean ???? It seems like my pick-ups were clogged...with what I wonder, and ideas ????? Next week I'm going pull off the pick-up fitting on top of the fuel tank, and try to look to see if anything is settled to the bottom. Looks like I'll be doing a tank this fall !!! Marina price starts at $10,000 ....man do I love boating !!!!Everyone have a great summer AIM: skyking4ever + 3 hrs. EST

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:00 pm

Ken, Before you jump to any conclusions, make sure you have more than a quarter tank of gas. Sometimes on initial startup the engines won't draw fuel if the level is too low. Checking the tank through the fuel sender hole is a good idea to see the condition, regardless.