Tank replacement on 2520 SCMV

Classic Parker Boat Forum

Help Support Classic Parker Boat Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Killin Time II

Active member
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
25
Reaction score
7
Location
Cudjoe Key, FL
I am original owner of a 2003 2520 SCMV. I wondered how long my tank would last. Now I know it's less than 18 years. We fueled up to a full 128 gallons and headed offshore. After smelling fumes, we stopped and opened the bilge. Gas was flowing off the top of tank into the bilge. After soap and wash down, we headed back. I read many good articles on this site about tanks. Here is where we went. We wanted to make sure it was a hole and not the fuel sender gasket. We put soapy water on top of the tank and fuel sender. We made an adapter to put an air hose over the vent on the side of the boat. We put about 5-10 psi into the tank. Even though we never reached that pressure, it pushed fuel out. No bubbles meant no gasket leak. Then we saw ripples in our video where fuel was coming up the foam at the rear edge of the tank and flowing onto the top of the tank. That meant a leak below. We pumped all of the fuel out into all of the neighbors gas cans. I marked the deck and set my circular saw to 1/16" deeper than the deck. I cut around the gas tank compartment. We removed the 28" x 96" section of deck. We used hand saws to cut along the foam beside the tank. We disconnected the four brackets. We put beams across the boat and attached large ratchet straps to the rear two brackets using 1/4" bolts and chains. We put a tension on the tank until it moved. We then moved our setup to the front brackets and repeated. Then back on the rear brackets until it came out of the floor. We had about 3-4 gallons of water and gas in the box on the foam. The tank had numerous deep pits. Then on the bottom edge, we found 1/4" x 3/8" hole. We washed the tank box, removed all of the foam and then washed and dried the box. We are now ready for a new tank. It took us 4-5 hours so far after the fuel was removed. It went better than expected due to the great threads here on this topic. Thanks. We will update this more as we go. Here are some pics so far. I am looking on Tuesday for tanks from that manufacturer, Parker and local fab shops. The original tank was 1/8" thick and not epoxy coated. I will prime and epoxy coat the new tank. If I find one 1/8" in stock, I will take it. If I have one fabricated, I will shoot for 3/16". Is there any reason not to use Rhino lining coating instead of epoxy?
 

Attachments

  • leak test.mp4
    24.9 MB
  • IMG_2080.jpg
    IMG_2080.jpg
    2.2 MB · Views: 117
  • IMG_9305.jpg
    IMG_9305.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 113
  • IMG_9264.jpg
    IMG_9264.jpg
    642.2 KB · Views: 111
  • IMG_9265.jpg
    IMG_9265.jpg
    426.9 KB · Views: 111
  • IMG_9250.jpg
    IMG_9250.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 111
  • IMG_9254.jpg
    IMG_9254.jpg
    638.9 KB · Views: 111
  • Boat.JPG
    Boat.JPG
    1,018.8 KB · Views: 111
Well, I found a local guy in Marathon fabricating me a new tank. It is 126 gallon and I selected 3/16" thick. I think the price is reasonable at $1650 or $13 per gallon. He will have it ready after this weekend.
 
Are you the guys who are tight with Wes in the dolphin research program?

sorry to hear the tank woes, I just spent the winter redoing mine, thread is on here somewhere.

I am on big pine, and have a lot of leftover material (glass also resin, cabosil, some coosa etc.

pm me if you want to connect or need help.

bo, woody too 2520xl, 2003
 
Last edited:
Are you the guys who are tight with Wes in the dolphin research program?

sorry to hear the tank woes, I just spent the winter redoing mine, thread is on here somewhere.

I am on big pine, and have a lot of leftover material (glass also resin, cabosil, some coosa etc.

pm me if you want to connect or need help.

bo, woody too 2520xl, 2003
Yes. Top Private Boat for about 14 years now. We tagged 387 mahi last year and need 165 more this month to hit the 4000 tagged mark!!! We tagged 87 so far this year. I had a new tank made out of 3/16" aluminum in Marathon. It cost $1650 or $13 per gallon. We picked it up Saturday afternoon. I sanded it with 220#, wiped it with lacquer thinner and then rolled on two coats of Coal Tar Epoxy 4:1 mix. We installed it today. We put foam back under it like from the factory. We made a wooden rabbit to run through the hole to have the foam about 3/4-1" below the tank. We then poured 160 ounces of foam down the center, installed the tank and screwed the brackets to the stringer. We calculated the volume needed from a test pour to make it so that it would fill underneath and flow around the bottom up a couple of inches on the side. The four anchor brackets each have 2 S/S 1/4' screws to hold it in the box. 1" at the stern and 4" at the front of the 96" tank. We foamed the sides too. It took 6 qts of part A and 6 qts of part B, 4lb density polyurethane foam. We put the tank in a plastic drop cloth in case I needed to pull it out to check for voids. New lines and sender all in place today. Ready to reattach the deck and fiberglass the seam back in. We have been down a week now.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9330.jpg
    IMG_9330.jpg
    921 KB · Views: 85
  • IMG_9331.jpg
    IMG_9331.jpg
    556.2 KB · Views: 81
  • IMG_9332.jpg
    IMG_9332.jpg
    828.4 KB · Views: 86
  • IMG_9333.jpg
    IMG_9333.jpg
    471.4 KB · Views: 94
  • IMG_9335.jpg
    IMG_9335.jpg
    508.1 KB · Views: 95
  • IMG_9338.jpg
    IMG_9338.jpg
    515.5 KB · Views: 94
I am having to replace my tank in 2320. I have been reading alot and seeing mixed reviews about foaming the tank back in. Is this a good idea or bad? I will be putting on the coal tar epoxy and a 3/16" tank. Curious for any tips/ tricks. Thanks.
 
That last pix......[Tank foamed in]

Now is the time to cut the foam flush with the top of the tank.
Fiberglass over that foam. Use 6in wide 10oz will do well.....3in on the tank and 3in up the side of the coffin.....Sealing that foam.
Install a limber hole even with the top of the tank in the center of the aft end.

This is the final stage to keeping that coffin and tank dry.
 
When your tank was fabricated did he use a drawing from Parker or did he go off the old tank and duplicate it? Is 3/16" thicker than what is standard? Can you provide the company who built the tank?
 
2801......They just build off the old tank dimensions.....Most tanks are built with 1/8in.

Parker does not build tanks....That is farmed out.....Look at the manufactures tag on the tank.

One of the folks I know that builds them will build 1/8in....But only up to 60gal and then kicks it up to 3/16in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Efx
Nice work. I think I’ve seen this boat. I’m often in a 17 out of key largo. I have to replace my tank this winter.
 
Back
Top