Fuel tank top plate

[SV_Fortissimo]

Has anyone taken the fuel tank top off? I’m trying to figure if it’s aluminum or mild steel. I tapped the metal for the Vevor heater, but wasn’t sure what metal it was. The PO painted it with rustoleum. The heater is going to allow me to varnish over winter. Can’t wait to see results!

 

[yurek]

Check it with magnet. Mine was steel

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

Also Steel in Sonata. I really doubt Aluminum would do well there.

 

[Warren Holybee]

It clearly looks like it was rusted and painted over.

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

While you're there, I would HIGHLY recommend pulling the pickup tube fitting. Sonata's was completely packed with crap. The engine ran somehow. But the screen at the bottom and tube was solid.
Mitchell

 

[terry_thatcher]

Doesn't some of the cabin sole and cabinetry need to be removed for this project?

 

[Star Child]

also dealing with this. contemplating just cleaning as best i can thru the sender hole and putting it all back together. otherwise how the hell can one get the plate out?

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

On our way back from Mexico in 2024, we managed to "polish" fuel with a jury rigged solution using an electric inline pump. We spent 2 or 3 days trying to remove water from the tank, and a lot of crap. As I mentioned before, when I pulled the pick up tube from the tank top plate, it was completely packed. I couldn't even blow thru the tube.
We'd installed the electric pump on the way south thinking the regular pump was suffering. Not so. Still not sure how the poor Perkins got any fuel at all. Maybe sucking it thru the return line? Anyway, glad we had the electric. We wired it to run with ignition on and was mounted just inside the engine bay low on the 1/4 berth bulkhead.
Mitchell

 

[DGA]

My question would be, can you get the pickup screen out without removing the whole fuel tank top plate? Can you remove the fuel level gauge plate and access it through there, maybe unscrewing the fuel pickup elbow, lift it up and clean from through the level plate access hole?

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

DGA, yes. The pickup tube is shaped with an slight angled bend at the bottom. The screen is soldered to the tube. The screen is cylindrical shapped, bronze/copper/brass, just slightly larger than the tube. This is at least how Sonata's was. Your milage may vary.
I believe you should also be able to remove the sending unit.
Either part will take some finesse, angling, wiggling to remove.
Sorry for my long, convoluted responses.
Mitchell

 

[terry_thatcher]

While you're there, I would HIGHLY recommend pulling the pickup tube fitting. Sonata's was completely packed with crap. The engine ran somehow. But the screen at the bottom and tube was solid.
Mitchell

Mitchell: So how did you access and remove the pickup tube? Did you have to cut the cabin plywood sole to get the metal plate up?

 

[Star Child]

Mitchell: So how did you access and remove the pickup tube? Did you have to cut the cabin plywood sole to get the metal plate up?

I think he is saying the tube can be backed out by taking the fitting off. ie in his picture it is the one with the shut off valve on it. If i am not mistaken. My vessel took on water that ended up ultimately corroding the sending unit which allowed water to enter the tank. so i have cleaned as best i can the inside of the tank however there is significant debris in the bottom. I am at the point of making the decision to cut back the base of the sette to access the top plate and then doing a substantial cleaning of the tank building a new top and putting it all back together. However that is a bunch of constuction type work and would prefer to pull the pickup tube clean that end and then "spray down" the inside of the tank as best i can possible with one of those pressurized weed killer spray thingys.

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

Yes, Star Child nailed it.
Pull the hose and back out the fitting. I would recommend we all check the pu tube and filter screen, based on my findings. We managed to "polish" our fuel with the jury rigged set up at sea. Gallons of water entered when a crew was refueling from our deck jugs.
M

 

[terry_thatcher]

I think he is saying the tube can be backed out by taking the fitting off. ie in his picture it is the one with the shut off valve on it. If i am not mistaken. My vessel took on water that ended up ultimately corroding the sending unit which allowed water to enter the tank. so i have cleaned as best i can the inside of the tank however there is significant debris in the bottom. I am at the point of making the decision to cut back the base of the sette to access the top plate and then doing a substantial cleaning of the tank building a new top and putting it all back together. However that is a bunch of constuction type work and would prefer to pull the pickup tube clean that end and then "spray down" the inside of the tank as best i can possible with one of those pressurized weed killer spray thingys. View attachment 9876

How hard was it to get the old fuel gauge out. I have installed a new gauge, a Tank Tender, but would like to get the old, inaccurate device our of the tank. Thanks.

 

[chawakee]

An alternative to the original mechanical diesel tank gauge that I will be installing shortly.
www.safiery.com

 

[Star Child]

An alternative to the original mechanical diesel tank gauge that I will be installing shortly.
www.safiery.com

dayyymn that is super cool. Did you buy it already? whats the cost?

 

[Star Child]

How hard was it to get the old fuel gauge out. I have installed a new gauge, a Tank Tender, but would like to get the old, inaccurate device our of the tank. Thanks.

mine came out relatively easily. I would suggest taking your time assuring you have a "flatehead screwdriver of the exact size of the slot" if you have the common screw heads and if they are philips again assure a solid fitment, and make sure you are using a significant amount of downward force when turning the old machine screws out. If ya bugger it up it could get interesting. maybe even use some pb blaster.

 

[john english]

Yes, Star Child nailed it.
Pull the hose and back out the fitting. I would recommend we all check the pu tube and filter screen, based on my findings. We managed to "polish" our fuel with the jury rigged set up at sea. Gallons of water entered when a crew was refueling from our deck jugs.
M

looks like a worthy project. I'm not clear on how to remove the pick up. Is it just a tube with a screen attached to the pipe fitting with the shut off valve?

 

[DGA]

I would guess it's an NPT thread, the fitting tapped into the top plate. Remove the hose and then, using an adjustable wrench, unscrew the fitting from the top plate, and carefully lift it out. The tube and screen will be a smaller diameter than the NPT taper thread.

 

[Pbenoit]

If helpful to anyone (at least on a 1979 382) it was easy to pull the drawers out of the transverse section of the setee, remove a few screws, and then lift the whole section away to access the fuel manifold plate.

From my recollection (2020), the pickup tub was (copper) and brazed into a 90-degree fitting that, as others have mentioned, is threaded into the steel plate. No screen was found attached (or loose in the tank).

I opted to replace the origianal fuel gauge, on which the cork float had become sodden, with an exact replacement (Moeller part no. 035751-10. Aka 7-1/2" mechanical sending unit). For interest, the dial guage on those reads via magnet from the mechanical bits, and electrical/gauge sending units are available, easily added. I prefer to keep it simple and just lift the sole plate! Take care orienting the swing arm, if memory seves: tank geometry restricts it in certain directions.

Word to the wise, be careful when re-tightening the bolts on the cover plate. They thread into the fiberglass tank! Also take care to tighten them evenly, consider your gasket material carefully.

For curiosity. Initial reason for opening the tank was diesel leaking from the cover plate seal. I was forced to open it again to fully empty and clean it (very annoying with baffles/geometry and access point bing all the way to one end) to address a very sneaky and intermittent low-power issue....

AFTER changing filters, replacing lift pumps, learning about the rubber "Parker Vibra-Lok" ferrules on fuel line compression fittings, etc. it was determined that debris was intermittently restricting the pickup tube. The quick/at-sea fix was to: close the tank valve, open the Racor housing and pour in spare fuel to flush fuel backward in the line (back into the tank), top up the Racor, and carry on.

 

[Mitchell S Allen]

I would guess it's an NPT thread, the fitting tapped into the top plate. Remove the hose and then, using an adjustable wrench, unscrew the fitting from the top plate, and carefully lift it out. The tube and screen will be a smaller diameter than the NPT taper thread.

Yes, simply unwind the bare fitting/pu tube and wiggle out the pickup tube up and out carefully.
M

 

[yurek]

Be careful with the liquid gasket. My pu tube was probably plugged by excessive liquid gasket falling in to the tank.
When I took out the pu tube the staff I found looks like calking.

 

[DGA]

Be careful with the liquid gasket. My pu tube was probably plugged by excessive liquid gasket falling in to the tank.
When I took out the pu tube the staff I found looks like calking.

I would suggest making a new soft nitrile sheet rubber gasket. Don't use silicone sheet, or silicone sealant, silicone will turn to a jelly paste in aromatic fuels such as diesel.

 

[Star Child]

If helpful to anyone (at least on a 1979 382) it was easy to pull the drawers out of the transverse section of the setee, remove a few screws, and then lift the whole section away to access the fuel manifold plate.

From my recollection (2020), the pickup tub was (copper) and brazed into a 90-degree fitting that, as others have mentioned, is threaded into the steel plate. No screen was found attached (or loose in the tank).

I opted to replace the origianal fuel gauge, on which the cork float had become sodden, with an exact replacement (Moeller part no. 035751-10. Aka 7-1/2" mechanical sending unit). For interest, the dial guage on those reads via magnet from the mechanical bits, and electrical/gauge sending units are available, easily added. I prefer to keep it simple and just lift the sole plate! Take care orienting the swing arm, if memory seves: tank geometry restricts it in certain directions.

Word to the wise, be careful when re-tightening the bolts on the cover plate. They thread into the fiberglass tank! Also take care to tighten them evenly, consider your gasket material carefully.

For curiosity. Initial reason for opening the tank was diesel leaking from the cover plate seal. I was forced to open it again to fully empty and clean it (very annoying with baffles/geometry and access point bing all the way to one end) to address a very sneaky and intermittent low-power issue....

AFTER changing filters, replacing lift pumps, learning about the rubber "Parker Vibra-Lok" ferrules on fuel line compression fittings, etc. it was determined that debris was intermittently restricting the pickup tube. The quick/at-sea fix was to: close the tank valve, open the Racor housing and pour in spare fuel to flush fuel backward in the line (back into the tank), top up the Racor, and carry on.

WOW!!! Thats super reasuring! Well done and thanks for the great information!