[C38] fuel tank replacement?

[Joseph Launie]

D. R. Strong wrote:
> Dear C38 list.
>     "The time has come," and it wasn't a walrus that said it but about 
> 1/4 of a cup of bright red diesel in the bilge. The diesel is there each 
> week and takes about 5 days to appear clearly.  The tank location makes 
> the source of the leak hard to pin down. I can find no leaks in the fuel 
> lines or engine.  The 20 gallon tank is dated, 1979, and Discreet Charm 
> is a 1980 model Catalina 38. So, my inference is that the tank is 
> original and has corroded though.
>     Best way to remove and replace? How about cutting the top off a 
> section of the fiberglass molding supporting the Vberth? A careful cut 
> could be replaced after the install of the new tank. We are 
> contemplating a larger tank that would be beveled on the starboard edge; 
> some quick arithmetic from my trusty 8th grade geometry suggests we 
> might be able to get a 30 gallon tank in there. The electrical upgrade 
> made by a previous owner put the engine battery close behind the tank, 
> so sternward expansion of a replacement tank would be a huge job.
>     All suggestions and observations welcomed!
> ta,
>    
>
>   
D R
    Before you start cutting and pulling, there is one thing to check. I 
had the same thing - diesel in the bilge where I would rather not have 
it. My mechanic found that the rubber gasket on the top of the tank 
where the fuel gauge or something attaches had gone south. He replaced 
it and the problem disappeared. These tanks are pretty tough. Joe 
Launie, Macavity Commodore