CROSS TACKLE 17: Fuel Tank Level Sender Replacement

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Author Topic:   CROSS TACKLE 17: Fuel Tank Level Sender Replacement

Cross Tackle posted 08-04-2015 03:31 PM ET (US)
I have a 1997 Boston Whaler Cross Tackle 17 with a 1997 Johnson 115 Ocean Runner. I am in the process of replacing the fuel sender gage in the 54 gallon tank. I was able to get dimensions from Florida Marine Tank, the manufacturer. The tank has a V-bottom. Based on some rough calculations 28 gallons or 52% of the 54 gallon capacity is contained in the top three-inches of what is a 9-inch depth. The remaining six-inches contains 26 gallons: 19-gallons in the middle three-inches 7-gallons in the bottom three-inches. I am leaning towards purchasing a Wema SSL in the 7.5-inch length because of the shape of the tank.
The sender is held in place by 5 #10-24 Philips headed machine screws. So far Krol and light hammering have been unsuccessful. Impact screw driver or left handed drills and extractors come to mind but the 1/8-inch thickness of the aluminum, and the fact it is a partially-filled gasoline tank concern me.
Any input on the above would be appreciated.--jtb

jimh posted 08-05-2015 09:17 AM ET (US)
[This article was originally posted to a thread in PERFORMANCE that has been dormant for eight years.]
jimh posted 08-05-2015 09:25 AM ET (US)
I presume the original fuel tank level sender was also an electrically operated sender. Did that sender have an isolated negative-circuit return conductor? Or did it rely on the fuel tank for the negative circuit.
The reason for asking: I wonder if the flow of electrical current has affected the fasteners, making them so hard to remove. There could be more than usual corrosion involved.
Removing any fastener associated with a gasoline supply is a challenge because you don't really want to use too much heat to loosen them. I'd try using gentle warming with something like a low-wattage hair dryer. Watch out for sparking and have plenty of ventilation. It may be safer to use a long hose to deliver the warm air to the gasoline tank area and keep the heater and motor far away.
Let the solvents like KROL soak longer, too.
Make sure you use a screwdriver whose head fits the Phillips head very well. The Phillips head screw head pattern can be a bugger to apply a lot of torque to it. It was actually designed to spill off the screwdriver before too much torque was applied so as not to strip the threads of the material it was screwing into.
wezie posted 08-06-2015 10:53 PM ET (US)
Do not try to use heat. The boat is a bowl and the gas fumes are hydrocarbons which are heavier than air. They collect in the bowl/boat.
Any sparking device, motor, fan, etc. may be the last tool you use.
PB blaster may be the best, liquid wrench, tap the screws and let them sit so the penetrants can get in.
The most difficult time I have is patience time.

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Author	Topic: CROSS TACKLE 17: Fuel Tank Level Sender Replacement
Cross Tackle	posted 08-04-2015 03:31 PM ET (US) I have a 1997 Boston Whaler Cross Tackle 17 with a 1997 Johnson 115 Ocean Runner. I am in the process of replacing the fuel sender gage in the 54 gallon tank. I was able to get dimensions from Florida Marine Tank, the manufacturer. The tank has a V-bottom. Based on some rough calculations 28 gallons or 52% of the 54 gallon capacity is contained in the top three-inches of what is a 9-inch depth. The remaining six-inches contains 26 gallons: 19-gallons in the middle three-inches 7-gallons in the bottom three-inches. I am leaning towards purchasing a Wema SSL in the 7.5-inch length because of the shape of the tank. The sender is held in place by 5 #10-24 Philips headed machine screws. So far Krol and light hammering have been unsuccessful. Impact screw driver or left handed drills and extractors come to mind but the 1/8-inch thickness of the aluminum, and the fact it is a partially-filled gasoline tank concern me. Any input on the above would be appreciated.--jtb
jimh	posted 08-05-2015 09:17 AM ET (US) [This article was originally posted to a thread in PERFORMANCE that has been dormant for eight years.]
jimh	posted 08-05-2015 09:25 AM ET (US) I presume the original fuel tank level sender was also an electrically operated sender. Did that sender have an isolated negative-circuit return conductor? Or did it rely on the fuel tank for the negative circuit. The reason for asking: I wonder if the flow of electrical current has affected the fasteners, making them so hard to remove. There could be more than usual corrosion involved. Removing any fastener associated with a gasoline supply is a challenge because you don't really want to use too much heat to loosen them. I'd try using gentle warming with something like a low-wattage hair dryer. Watch out for sparking and have plenty of ventilation. It may be safer to use a long hose to deliver the warm air to the gasoline tank area and keep the heater and motor far away. Let the solvents like KROL soak longer, too. Make sure you use a screwdriver whose head fits the Phillips head very well. The Phillips head screw head pattern can be a bugger to apply a lot of torque to it. It was actually designed to spill off the screwdriver before too much torque was applied so as not to strip the threads of the material it was screwing into.
wezie	posted 08-06-2015 10:53 PM ET (US) Do not try to use heat. The boat is a bowl and the gas fumes are hydrocarbons which are heavier than air. They collect in the bowl/boat. Any sparking device, motor, fan, etc. may be the last tool you use. PB blaster may be the best, liquid wrench, tap the screws and let them sit so the penetrants can get in. The most difficult time I have is patience time.