Gas Tank Replacement
Replacing the gas tanks is a
large project and it is very important to get it
right because of all the safety concerns involved.
This guide was supplied to the
club by member and CCCC co-founder Todd Heinrich,
owner of a 38' Commander Express.
To your top right
please find a PDF-file including drawings, photos,
this text and a marine surveyor's guide related to
the work done to replace the gas tanks in our 1967
FXA 38 Commander. The work was done by the previous
owners of the boat -the Fielder family- in 1995.
At this writing the aluminum
gasoline (Petrol) tanks are 11 years old. They have
been problem-free.
Use the following
information at your own risk. No recommendation of
this design or material is expressed or implied.
The tanks are of .20-inch-thick
fabricated aluminum -150 gallons each. They are in
the same “footprint” as the original Chris-Craft 100
gallon cylinder-shaped galvanized tanks. These
tanks increased the boat’s total fuel capacity by
100 gallons.
Notes:
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The bottom of each tank
has a break-bent trough -a shallow “V”
shape. If contaminants –solids or water -
get in the tank this feature makes it easier
to direct a hose into the tank to suck out
water or solids. The baffles are also
notched for this purpose.
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Install
a fuel-return fitting for future diesel or
high pressure gas systems -as found on
modern fuel-injected gas engines.
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In order to get access to
properly install new tanks the bulkheads aft
of the engines must be removed. They are
fastened with wood screws. The old tanks go
out the lazzarette opening. The new tanks
go in the same way. The original
cylindrical water tank must be temporarily
removed. |
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The round-shaped steel
tank supports must be cut to remove the old
tanks. Label and preserve them as a pattern
to fabricate new supports.
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Do not use rubber
anywhere in contact with aluminum. (See the
article below) |
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Do not skimp on aluminum
thickness. This is NOT a place to save
money. Some stock-tank manufacturers use
relatively thin aluminum stock.
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Todd
Heinrich
1967
FXA 38
Phone
269-637-7840
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