Update on fuel tank cleaning and hatch installation

Back in 2016 I dug into my fuel tank to address the unknowns of tank sludge and address clogging filters. The massive 70 gallon tank on a Gulf 32 is aluminum and encased in a fiberglass shell to hold it in place. As I detailed in my post on 1/16 about the project, I had to cut access hatches into each of the three compartments because the tank comes with no access whatsoever. Also, that fiberglass shell held leaking diesel for many, many years as the bottom of the tank was Swiss cheese I discovered.

View of the hatch most forward, with the top plate and bolts removed. 

Fast forward three years and I needed to redo the bedding used on the hatch closest to the bow because the Permatex blue product I had used that claimed to be fuel resistant, wasn't. Also, I was never really satisfied by the security of that hatch as the tank aluminum is quite thin and though the holes were tapped and threaded, the aluminum is too thin and weak to hold the screws securely and keep them from turning. This resulted in screws that would not fasten as securely as I would like and a sealant that was disappointing.

For this round, I took everything off and was happy to see that the tank still looks pristine. Spotless. NO sign of anything, including water. I cleaned everything off with a scraper and acetone, and decided to use West System GFlex to epoxy the heads of the bolts into place permanently. I love GFlex for how versatile and resilient it is. Some of the screw holes were so loose that I had to use tape to hold them in place until the epoxy hardened.

Completed with bolts held firmly by Gflex epoxy and LeakLock sealant

I did this yesterday and when I came back today I found everything nicely cured and solid. Before installing the plate I applied an even coat of Leak Lock, which I have found to be the best cheapest sealant that is truly impervious to the diesel and biodiesel and such. This time, with the bolts nicely epoxied into place, I was able to tighten everything down nice and snug. Tight enough to push a small bead of the sealant out along the edges. For what it is worth, I used 1/4 stainless bolts with a lock washer and nut.


Delighted to have done this project and feel better about it being solid now.