2100 DV Fuel Tank Replacement

[PastTheBarb]

Looks good! Definitely agree with a bigger side door. I have a '96 21DV and plan to replace the tank in the next year or two. No issues so far so I've been putting it off. Looking through your pictures it looks like your tank was mounted more towards the front of the boat? I requested stringer/deck lay-out schematics from Parker and it looks like the tank could be removed without detaching the console. Do you think this would be possible? I'm assuming the tank location didn't move from 96 to 00?

I also have a 96 DVCC. I just replaced the tank. It was heavily pitted but not leaking. I was in the middle of replacing about three quarters of the deck. The tank can come out without removing the console. Did parker send you drawings? I made my own and will post here if you like. My tank compartment had plenty of water in it.

 

[anyfishVA]

I also have a 96 DVCC. I just replaced the tank. It was heavily pitted but not leaking. I was in the middle of replacing about three quarters of the deck. The tank can come out without removing the console. Did parker send you drawings? I made my own and will post here if you like. My tank compartment had plenty of water in it.

Good to know it can be done without removing the console; thanks for your response! As for your drawings, if you don't mind posting that would be great. Any additional info would be useful. I emailed Parker with my hull ID and they forwarded the deck and stringer schematics along with tank dimensions within a day or two. Posted below if you or anyone else is interested.

 

[Boatnyota]

Looks good! Definitely agree with a bigger side door. I have a '96 21DV and plan to replace the tank in the next year or two. No issues so far so I've been putting it off. Looking through your pictures it looks like your tank was mounted more towards the front of the boat? I requested stringer/deck lay-out schematics from Parker and it looks like the tank could be removed without detaching the console. Do you think this would be possible? I'm assuming the tank location didn't move from 96 to 00?

It was almost directly under the console, it stoped just short of the front of the console and stopped just short of the front of the leaning post. I saw where someone said you could get it out with out removing the console, I'm not an expert on this but I suppose you might be able to cut a hole towards the back and slide it out that way? Seems like that maybe a little difficult, but just my thoughts.

 

[Boatnyota]

Depending on the mechanical gauge you installed, Moeller makes a magnetic sending unit that replaces just the gauge face with another gauge that incorporates a sending unit. That way, you have the mechanical unit on the tank gauge body (almost failure proof) and also have the capability to use a remote gauge.

https://www.moellermarine.com/moell...ion-capsule-mechanical-to-electric-035760-10/

Thanks for the info, I placed one in the tank that this will work with.

 

[anyfishVA]

It was almost directly under the console, it stoped just short of the front of the console and stopped just short of the front of the leaning post. I saw where someone said you could get it out with out removing the console, I'm not an expert on this but I suppose you might be able to cut a hole towards the back and slide it out that way? Seems like that maybe a little difficult, but just my thoughts.

Yea that's what it looked like in your picture which is why I was confused. They must've moved the tank forward sometime after '96. Looks like I may have lucked out and can get away with just removing the seats and live-well.. Thanks again!

 

[Boatnyota]

Update... I have been using the boat since the spring of last year and everything has been working great. I pulled it out of the water about two weeks ago to install a new Uflex steering system and to service the motor. All that work went off without incident, I stopped and filled the boat up on the trailer, dropped it in the water, test ran, and parked it back at the slip. Went down a few days later and could smell fuel, chalked it up to changing the fuel water separator and spilling a little fuel. Left the hatches open, and the smell cleared out, thought everything was good.

Went down the next day ran a pretty long trip on the way back noticed the fuel smell came back and opened the hatches to get back. Pulled the boat out of the water, brought it back home, and attempted to get everything cleaned and dried out. After sitting with hatches open with a fan running for about a day and a half I closed everything up overnight. Came back the next day to find a strong smell in the console, I again went all over the fuel tank from the access I had and checked the lines thoroughly to find nothing.

I took the boat by a restoration shop that had recently done some work for me, the owner went over the boat with me and couldn't find a smoking gun. He finally picked the boat up high with his bobcat to see if any fluid would come out, we had a large amount of water come out with a fuel sheen on top. He told me to fill it up on the way home and pick the boat up as high as possible with the jack to see if any fuel would work back over time.

After making it home and lifting the boat up, initially, I got about 2.5 gallons of water with a small sheen on top. I placed a new bucket under the drain hole overnight and woke up to find a five-gallon bucket full with the majority (75%) full of fuel (picture below). So, now I am in the process of pumping the fuel off to make the boat safe to work around and am going to pressure test it just to have an idea where on the tank it's coming from.

Unfourtanley I do not have a ton of time to work on it myself or the extra cash flow to pay someone to tear into it. I have spoken to the welding shop about the issue and they are going to stand by their tank but we haven't really discussed anything beyond that. It is very disheartening as I tried to make sure the previous work was done correctly to last a long time and have put numerous hours of other work into the boat just to turn around and tear it up again.

To answer some questions I'm sure that will come up, all the fill, vent, and supply lines were replaced with the new tank. The boatyard that did the work has been bought out and has new management there now. They allowed me to get the tank built myself and bring to them to install, so I will be dealing with the welding shop directly once we confirm and pull the tank if that is the issue.

 

[mbaltay]

Hi. Yes disheartening. Have you figured out anything further? Is there any chance it's not the tank itself?

Reason I ask is that my friend has a deep v cc, I forget the year. He replaced tank and lines maybe 2-3 years ago as part of a major overhaul. Then kept his boat drydocked mostly since then to upgrade all electronics etc. Now fuel is leaking. He had an independent marine mechanic look at it who concludes it likely is tank itself... WTF disheartening to say the least.

Pls lmk if you found out more or what is remedy if you get the time.

Best and good luck,
Mike

 

[Boatnyota]

Update again, I removed all the fuel from the tank and put a small pressure test on it to find it just dumping air out but was unable to get my hand to the location. I started de-rigging the console and was able to remove it this past Sunday. Monday I removed the bottom cap and cut the floor open. I found the bedliner material cracked around the top weld in a certain area.

I took the boat to the boatyard (not the same one that did the previous work) to have them pull the tank out with their bobcat. We found the top weld crack in an area, they also noticed there were no baffles built into the tank. The bed liner material peeled right off and never adhered to the tank probably due to the lack of primer, and to top it off, the boat yard never secured the tank in the boat...

Needless to say, I wasted a bunch of money..

The boatyard that did the work lost its lease and is no longer in business. I have been talking with the welding shop and have requested at a minimum the cost of the tank back. I also emailed the company who sprayed it and shared my disappointment in the adhesion of their product.

I am going to have another welding shop build the tank, this particular shop builds aluminum boats and tanks for a large fishing boat manufacturer close by. I have quite a bit more faith in their ability and he also recommended all the things above the Warthog said I should have done. I have a new boat yard that has completed some other work for me and I am also confident in his work based on other recommendations work being completed at his yard now. Hopefully, everything will work out for the better, I am just happy that nothing or no one was hurt due to the poor workmanship of others.

 

[tomc585]

This will fix that

 

[PastTheBarb]

I wonder if fuel sloshing with no baffles caused the weld to break? Is the new tank 3/16th thick?
What a nightmare. Your pictures bring back memories of my deck and tank replacement. I did the work myself following Warthog's advise.
So far so good. Sorry to hear you are having to go through this.

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

I wonder if fuel sloshing with no baffles caused the weld to break?

Exactly! That crack would be what you would expect from the constant flexing of the aluminum panels. It starts from the inside where there is incomplete fusion at the root of the weld. Also, I'm curious as to what this looks like from the inside?

 

[Boatnyota]

I wonder if fuel sloshing with no baffles caused the weld to break? Is the new tank 3/16th thick?
What a nightmare. Your pictures bring back memories of my deck and tank replacement. I did the work myself following Warthog's advise.
So far so good. Sorry to hear you are having to go through this.

Yes, the new tank will be 3/16" with baffles, I am also having the pickup and sending unit moved toward the front so I can get rid of the pie hole between the console and leaning post. On a better note, the original welding shop refunded my money for the tank. The bed liner company also gave me credit for future work or offered to redo the new tank with an epoxy coat first. Either way, it was nice to have some people stand by their work, be cordial, and step up when they really didn't have to.

Maybe I'll open the original tank up when they're finished with it just our curiosity.

 

[Bodick93]

I am also having the pickup and sending unit moved toward the front so I can get rid of the pie hole between the console and leaning post.

Man, I wouldn't do that. Think about the fuel when you take off. If you keep it full, no big deal I guess. I would want to be able to use all the gas in the tank.
In my boat, the tank level "increases" when on plane. Moving it forward will cause the level to "decrease" on plane, both by indication and as seen by the pickup.
I understand the piehole concern. Just use the caps that cover the hole like an inverted bowl. They shed the water over the hole and have an "o"ring, vs just relying on an "o"ring. Also apply a liberal coat of lifeseal sealant on the cap before installing. It seals the hole waaay better and keeps it from spinning when you step on it.

 

[Boatnyota]

Man, I wouldn't do that. Think about the fuel when you take off. If you keep it full, no big deal I guess. I would want to be able to use all the gas in the tank.
In my boat, the tank level "increases" when on plane. Moving it forward will cause the level to "decrease" on plane, both by indication and as seen by the pickup.
I understand the piehole concern. Just use the caps that cover the hole like an inverted bowl. They shed the water over the hole and have an "o"ring, vs just relying on an "o"ring. Also apply a liberal coat of lifeseal sealant on the cap before installing. It seals the hole waaay better and keeps it from spinning when you step on it.

I hear you on that, the tank builder is going to run the pick-up tube to the rear of the tank, said it's something they do on the regular. Should be fine, thanks for your recommendations though.

 

[Bodick93]

Notice How one has all screws and "o"ring visible while the other is a cap that sheds most water before it has a chance to challenge screws and "o" ring. Plus seal them to their mating surface. It takes minimum effort to pop them out using lifeseal, but it holds them firmly in place.

 

[Boatnyota]

View attachment 38433View attachment 38434

Notice How one has all screws and "o"ring visible while the other is a cap that sheds most water before it has a chance to challenge screws and "o" ring. Plus seal them to their mating surface. It takes minimum effort to pop them out using lifeseal, but it holds them firmly in place.

I may use those for my front pie holes for my forward drains. The other issue I had with the rear access to the tank, there was only room to remove the sending unit barley, if you ever needed to remove the pick-up fitting you would've needed to cut the deck. It seemed that it came from the factory like this? as I removed the original tank during the first tank replacement. I always thought it was crazy but didn't cross my mind to change it last time.

 

[Bodick93]

You're the project manager. We just offer options. Good luck man.

 

[Hammer79]

Man this is a sad story. Alot of work and money spent , I feel for you.

 

[Efx]

All I can say is wow. That’s a rough one. I’ve done two tank replacements and I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how much of a pain it is, do it yourself. I’d get this fixed, and then use the boat. It’s such a bummer but at the end of the day, it’s about health and getting the boat on the water and living. Thanks for telling us the saga so we all know what to look out for.

 

[Key Largo]

All I can say is wow. That’s a rough one. I’ve done two tank replacements and I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how much of a pain it is, do it yourself. I’d get this fixed, and then use the boat. It’s such a bummer but at the end of the day, it’s about health and getting the boat on the water and living. Thanks for telling us the saga so we all know what to look out for.

Not a happy time 23DVCC