fuel cap Stainless

[Bobg]

Just remembered breaking my fuel cap last fall,  Ron, according to the achieves you mention changing to the stainless steel one.  I looked up Catalina direct and see one for $29.50, it takes a inch and half hose, is this the one you remember using?  Or did you or anyone else find anything out there cheaper.  Getting my list of boat projects ready for the spring.  Thank you   Bob Gatz     88 C34 hull #818

[Craig Illman]

Bob - I hoped to replace mine on my 1991 with the model from Catalina Direct, but the hole in my deck just matched the diameter of the screws in the new fill. Not being handy with fiberglas and epoxy, I had to go down to the local well-stocked chandelry Fisheries Supply here in Seattle and find something larger that required a threaded tailpiece. It wound up being more than $29.50. While I was in behind the panel, I replaced the 1-1/2" fill hose (needed 37") and added the Racor Fuel/Air separator for the vent line. Hey, it's only money and I was trying to do my part to maintain the economy.

You'll probably be luckier!

Craig

[Bobg]

Thanks Craig, I have a 88, now I don't know if the SS fill cap flange is too small for mine or not, I don't want to make a simple project bigger by doing fiberglass, I found one on the internet for $20.00, but will make sure the flange fits before buying, Anybody else got a idea on flange size?  The caps are $17.50 on Catalina direct,  Thanks  Bob

[Phil Spicer]

 As general maintenance I replaced my cap with ss. Got the new deck fitting to replace everything, but could not get the old fitting out of the deck. Spent most of a morning without success. Nothing would break the bond, so I returned the deck assembly and got a ss cap. So if the deck fitting is in good shape you may want to think about just replacing the cap. Check the threads, I found 2 different sizes at WM.

[Phil Spicer]

Just another thought. Last summer I found a site, Marinepartsdepot.com. They have deck fills for $17.95. I'm sure the parts come from over seas, but the bimini parts I got are just fine, but my life doesn't depend on these parts. For simple ss parts this site has some good deals.

[Stu Jackson]

The easiest way to do this is to buy the colored deck fill plugs that Catalina Direct sells.  They're the only ones that fit in the holes and you do not have to replace the entire fitting.  We bought some 10 years ago and they still work just fine.  If you want stainless, you'll have to replace the whole fitting, which is a lot more work.  We repainted them with spray paint a few months ago.

[Ron Hill]

Bob : I replaced the entire deck fill cap and deck plate fill.  I was unable to match the threads with other cap that was made of metal.  The only cap that will fit are the plastic caps from Catalina Direct which I didn't want for the fuel cap - water & waste are OK.  There have been numerous articles on the plastic fuel caps cracking and letting in water!

In your 1988 almost any stainless fuel cap assembly should fit.  I had no problem with the new fill covering the old fill.  As I recall it my have been slightly smaller in diameter, but it covered the old screw holes. The holes may be differant, but that's what caulk/epoxy is for.  Just remove the cap fill screws and then the engine instrument panel.  Take a putty knife and try to break the old caulk seal while the other hand pushes up on the fill hose.  Mine took only a few minutes before it was free.  Then take off the hose clamp, ground wire and replace with the new fill unit.

At a raft up a C34 owner complaned about water in the bottom of his Racor.  I told him his fuel cap was probably leaking.  He said "no way, the cap looks OK "!  So I had him take off the cap and give it to me.  I filled the winch handle detent with rubbing alcohol and we watched it drip drip and I said SEE !!   

[Bob K]

I also tried to replace my fuel deck fill last year with a stainless unit, but after removing the old one (ugh) I too noticed the hole pattern was too small.  Might have been a WM model, I can't remember.  With head hung low I reinstalled the OEM fill and returned the SS unit.  Bought a new plastic Catalina cap, and kept the old cap as a spare.  I also once had a cap which developed a hairline crack in the bottom, so I like to replace this cap when it starts looking faded  (3-4 years?).  

[tonywright]

On the MKII all filler caps are stainless. All are on safety chains except for the waste pump out cap. A couple of words of warning, based on my experience:

1) Stainless caps don't float 
2) No one seems to stock a replacement cap
3) Buying the whole assembly to get a replacement cap is expensive 

Tony

[Stu Jackson]

Good points, Tony.

1.  Cut off the small chains on the caps, and remove the caps and place them in the cockpit when refueling or watering.  When, that's when, not if, the chains break, if you depend on them, the caps go overboard.  This is something that was written up over twenty years ago in the Mainsheet Tech Notes.  Do NOT depend on the chains to hold the caps.

2.  In order to save money, then buy 2 plastic caps when you order them from Catalina Direct and check the one you use normally and simply replace it if it goes bad.  There is a real difference between those of us who sail in places where it doesn't freeze.  Yes, plastic caps are more prone to cracking in the freezing weather climates.  Your boat, your choice as to whether or not you can or want to depend on plastic or feel you need to replace the whole fitting at greater expense.  This is mostly for Mark I boats.

[Jim Hardesty]

Last season was my first with my 2001 mkll.  Thought all the deck fills had the chains attached, I was mistaken, the shiny cap made a nice splash.  I took off one of the water fills and up to my local chandlery.  Got a replacement, suprise, took it to the boat and it didn't fit.  Close but.  Measured, went back and exchanged it for the right fit.  Odd that the fills are so close in size but not the same.
Good news is that replacment fit and was only $10, cheep for boat parts, it is cast stainless.  
Seachoice products,  32551.
and it came with a chain.

[Stu Jackson]

Jim, they ALL come with chains.  Diss the chain!

[Roger Blake]

Well Stu, you just made my day. All my chains have broken and replacing them is on my list of things to do (for quite some time now). Now I can scratch it off the project list...whilst doing nothing...my kinda of project. Guess I now need to get off my backside and do the "real" outstanding projects...hmmm...long list of to dos... Thanks again! 

[Ron Hill]

I'm definitely the odd man here!

My stainless deck fill covered the old holes and its stainless chain has held for 15? years.  I can't tell you the brand, but I got it at West Marine.  It has a continuous slot for the deck plate key (no holes at either end of the slot).

In the marine catalogs listings it looks like the deck fills vary in varying sizes flange diameters from 3" to 4".  I don't know the diameter of the OEM MK I fills, but I'll guess they are 4" ! 

The OEM brass chains broke from the fill inside stem on all of the plastic caps within the first year in back in 1989!

The main problem with the OEM caps are not that they are plastic persay it's the winch handle indentation that cracks and allows water into the fuel tank.  With my water/waste caps I never tighten them down with the winch handle.  Finger tight is good enough.  You can loosen with the winch handle, just don't tighten.

I'd still recommend changing out the fuel deck fill with a fill assembly that has a 3 1/2" to 4" flange.   

[Jack Hutteball]

Also the screws come loose and fall into the tank... I know
Jack