2310 DVWA Fuel and Water Trapped in Fuel Tank Coffin

[Billy V]

Hello All,

I recently replaced my fuel sending unit due to a crack and leak around the seal. However, some fuel and water was able to leak off the top of the tank and down the backside into the foam and sealed fuel tank compartment.

Today we shot some video through the rear deck plate while running the boat, it shows fuel and water sloshing up near the back/top of the fuel tank.

How do I drain this mess out of there? There is limited space to work, as you will see there are 2 bait tank hoses also running through this area as well.

I thought of drilling a hole at the bottom of the bulkhead from inside the bilge compartment, but want to hold off until I can get some Classic Parker advice.
I'm attaching an iCloud link showing the area and fuel/water sloshing back there. ( please note the orientation of the vid may be off)
iCloud

Thanks
Bill

 

[warthog5]

THAT...is about the only way to get it out....and then you expose bare wood in the hole.

 

[Billy V]

THAT...is about the only way to get it out....and then you expose bare wood in the hole.

Thanks for the reply.
Yes I was concerned about that.

Here's what I decided to do - It was not easy but I hope this helps someone else on the forum:

You will need to remove the deck plate to get the most work space possible.
There is only 3/4" between the rear of the fuel tank and the bulkhead wall and it is Filled Tight with Foam.
The tank is 15" tall, and it will be 17" to the bottom of the hull.

I used a strong 6 ga. solid copper grounding wire to probe through the Foam until I was able to reach the hull.
(Take your time and do a little at a time. Just insert and wiggle side to side to hog out a small hole)

This is where I inserted the copper wire.
(Note - the 2 white hoses on the left are supply and drain hoses for my bait tank. The gray hose is the fuel supply to the engine.)
Firm pressure on the wire - try to make ONLY 1 hole. It will help when inserting the drain tube.

Fully inserted to a depth of 17". Some gentle up and down and side to side will help enlarge the hole for the 1/4" drain tube.

I used a Westmarine Fluid Extractor to suck out the water and a little fuel. Even a little gas smells terrible, I has some from a leaky fuel sender. The rest of the water was from a leaky deck plate.
- I took out 5 1/2 gallons. You will need to work on getting to max depth a little at a time. It took me 2 days to do this, it's a miserable job, but it can be done with patience.
- The extractor hoses on my unit have a thin metal rod inside the tube which helps when you are forcefully inserting it through the foam. I also tipped the drain hose with grease from time to time when inserting it down to the bottom.
- In this last pic the tube is inserted a full 17"

Unless the tube becomes clogged with bits of foam - Do Not Remove the drain tube, it's a bitch to reinsert it.
Just leave it in there for the next day.
I plan to go at it again tomorrow while driving with the Bow UP to force any remaining water to the rear.

 

[Billy V]

A quick follow up:

I let the boat sit in the slip a couple of days with the 1/4" tube installed and went back to see if anymore water/fuel had leached toward the stern.

Yes, I got 1 more quart of mostly Gas. This was much stronger smelling than any of the first 5 1/2 gallons I had previously extracted.
Makes sense because the gas would be sitting on top of the trapped water, and I was extracting from the very bottom with the tube.

Maybe this weekend I will run the boat Bow Up around the bay and try to shift anymore fluid to the stern - while using the extractor.

I'm happy with the results so far.

 

[Bodick93]

Take a tube of lifeseal and run a bead inside the inspection plates. They will still come out easily, but it seals them and keeps them from spinning when you step on them.