New fuel filler necks, deck caps on a 1983 3207 AC

kthoennes

Member
Joined
May 7, 2011
RO Number
32590
Messages
84
Before we haul the boat for the winter one of the last items on the to-do list has to be two new gas filler necks. The old ones are so corroded and the cap threads are so shot the caps stand 1/2" proud of the deck flange and I can't screw them in any further. They can't possibly seal well and we can't have melting snow and rain dripping into the gas tanks. Couple questions:

First I assume I get at them by removing all the teak trim boards and removing the salon's side wall panel, right? Any secrets or advice on that? I haven't removed the wall panels before.

Second, I bought the two new filler necks last March at the Dania boat flea market in Florida. I tried to do some research at the time, measured the ones on my boat as well as I could with the badly corroded inlets (for what that's worth) and a Carver owner insisted he knew the correct size, and so I bought two filler necks that are 1-15/32" OD on the part that goes into the hose, and the deck flange is 3" in diameter. Anybody have any different information? I'd hate to get the walls removed and everything taken apart and find out that the filler necks are the wrong size. I pulled the aft bunks to see if the size was written on the fuel hose, but I couldn't find the size on the hose.

Thanks everybody. Sad sad time of year when the boat gets hauled next week.
 
when I have changed the necks in the past, I have taken the screws out and pulled the neck out, hose and
all to the outside, it may be sealed to the deck, the seal must be broken. Attach the new fill cap/neck to the hose
and push it back in, seal and screw down. trying to take the hose off/on from the inside of the boat
is nearly impossible.

good luck (watch your nuckles!!)
 
Ah, thanks very much -- but aren't those machine screws with nuts on the inside? If they're sheet metal screws and just cranked into the fiberglass that would make it a lot easier. I haven't tried backing them out yet. Yep, already have the bedding compound to set the new ones (white Boat Life Sealant from West Marine).
 
I do believe 1 1/2 inch is the standard for most fuel deck fittings-the 1 15/32 inch should work just fine-make sure you double clamp the deck fitting. On the 3 Carvers that I have owned, I replaced the Zamack deck fills (cheap chrome plated crap) with stainless steel. They all used just regular screws-not machine screws. There shouldn't be any reason to pull the salon panels. Zamack may hold up for years in fresh water, but in salt water they are one step above useless.
 
Rats, on mine they did use machine screws with nuts with nylon inserts. I guess I'll learn how to take off the salon wall panels after all.
 
Sorry for your luck. In all the years I have owned Carvers, I have always thought that they did things with future servicing in mind. Maybe they just got smarter after 1984???
 
Just as well I suppose. As long as I'm going to go to all that trouble and make such a big mess, pull up the quarter-round baseboard, the teak trim, the faceplate for the 110v wall outlet, then the wall panels, I might as well replace all the inlets on both sides (gas, water, waste) and I need to tighten the screws and nuts on the side rail stanchions that are getting just a little wobbly. I didn't want the to-do list to get any shorter anyway, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
 
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