Ideas for fixing screw hole gas tank?

[Manomet]

Hi all, Over the past few weeks I have had my "new" 2002 210CC out a few times and the experiences have been mixed (water in fuel) but finally I got it all sorted out and the boat seems to be running fine now (although, it is only doing about 35 at WOT, need to figure that out).

Anyway, tonight I filled the gas tank up completely and went to the launch. When I got there, I checked the bilge and it was flooded with gas.

Long story short, we went home, ripped off the rear deck and the seating platform. Drained the bilge into five gallon buckets (got about 4 gallons of gas, water, trash, bilge scum out) and found that it was a screw hole in the top of the tank from one of the rear deck plate screws.

So, my question is this: Can anyone suggest a cheap and easy fix for that hole? I plan to just put a screw in it (I have one in there temporarly and it is holding the liquid) and bore a hole in the bottom of the seating deck to accomodate the head. I'm just thinking that the screw should be sealed with something to make it 'fuel tight'.

BTW, no....I did not put the hole in the tank, I read every thread on here before buying the boat and I was familiar with this problem. It was there when I got the boat and guess I underestimated the size of the hole and the amount of pressure that 70 gallons of gas on the slope of the boat ramp would create. Trust me, there was MUCH gasoline coming out of that tiny hole.

Also, if anyone needs advice on how to deal with water in gas (getting it out of the boat and what to do with it when you do), just ask. I am an expert now. Just DON"T dump it somewhere. A little bit of gas on the ground can contaminate a TON of earth for a long time. Sorry if I sound preachy, but I am passionate about this topic and a bit worried about it given the way Ethanol reacts with water. I have nightmares about backyard mechanics dumping contaminated gas in the ground...

Thanks in advance for your replies. This is a great little community and I have learned much from all of you.

[MolarBoater]

Definitely wouldn't be trying to melt plastic and repairing with fumes etc all around. How about good old Rule Elastomeric, it the only on that "bonds" to plastic.

[cagrove]

You might try putting a small piece of rubber (like inner tube) on the screw before tightening it down. I would also cover it completely with a sealant of some kind, most likely Rule. Once that stuff sets up, it would be darn near impossible to remove.

Good luck.

BTW...got any pictures? Might help others who run into a similar situation.

[Manomet]

Yup, I took a couple of pictures. Now that I look at them, they are not as interesting as the actual experience. In any case, I reassembled the boat and what I did to (hopefully) solve the problem is I simply screwed one of the deck screws into the hole. It seated nicely and did not leak at all. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Also, the deck plate sits very close on top of the gas tank and I didn't want it to press against the screw, so before I put the deck plate back down, I drilled out the hole from the bottom with a a 1/2 drill bit. It is hollow so that was no problem and the plate is not pressing on the screw.

We'll see how it goes...

[cagrove]

I can see where that could turn into a potentially disasterous situation. Glad you were able to find a work around and I hope it holds up. I think I would still put some sealant around it...just to make sure.

Tight lines.

[BarryB]

The photo you attached shows a screw not all the way in with the head flush. Did you leave the screw that way or did you tighten it down all the way?

On some other threads, some owners mention a "plastic welding machine" ($30.00) from harbor tools. I purchased one and it looks like I'll have fun with it. Basically, it looks like a large soldering iron with a hole in the tip. You attach the other end to a compressor with the attached hose and pressure regulator. Air is pumped through the tip at high temp. The plastics melts just like welding. If you were to drain the tank and air it out for a few days, I bet you may be able to weld it, or bring the boat to a marine shop to see if they could fix the tank.

This is the same welder owners use to fix holes and do other repairs on the boat. You can purchase the welding rod from Merrit Marine. Ask NCAngler about that. He is the "Master Yoda".

[ILLOGICAL GGC]

that type of plastic cannot be welded on i think-- believe it will need to be replaced to be safest solution.

[Manomet]

Thanks Guys, I heard about the welder and I'm glad to hear how it works because I was wondering about that. However, I agree that the gas tank cannot be welded. I also agree with the idea of using some sealant, mostly to hold the screw from vibrating loose, but I was pressed for time and there is no leaking so I went without for now.

I am looking for advice on what to use. Gasoline disolves a lot of materials so I want to use something appropriate for this application.

As for the screw, I should have been clearer, when I first got the deck off, I put that on there to test the idea of plugging the leak and to give me the chance to look for other leaks. For the actual fix, I used one of the shorter stainless screws, with a flat heat that would sit flush against the tank. Sorry I didn't get a photo of that or of the hole I drilled in the underside of the deck.

[NCangler]

Let's see now Yoda was a short, fat, ugly creature from another planet with a strange voice as I recall. Seriously though...you can get the welding rod from Merritt Marine or some online tool stores. I think I would prefer to have my dealer do any welding on a gas tank though.

Originally Posted by BarryB

This is the same welder owners use to fix holes and do other repairs on the boat. You can purchase the welding rod from Merrit Marine. Ask NCAngler about that. He is the "Master Yoda".

[cagrove]

Originally Posted by Manomet

I am looking for advice on what to use. Gasoline disolves a lot of materials so I want to use something appropriate for this application.

Rule (Sudbury) Elastomeric Sealant. Once that stuff sets up, it'll make a permanent bond. It's really sticky to work with and needs at least 24 hours to cure but it'll be a one and done thing.

Good luck.