2018 SE450 Cracked front ballast

[cal1319]

Sooo our front ballast tank is cracked. Has anyone dealt with this? Do we need to remove the gas tank in order to slide the ballast tank out? Can we use a bag instead of a hard tank for replacement? Thanks!


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[HFarr]

Not doubting you, but are you sure the tank is cracked and it's not a fitting or hose that is leaking? Most of the time fittings are the culprit.

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[Holdmybeer]

Front ballast tank (not bow) requires the fuel tank to be removed to access it.

A tank crack is rare but possible. Again, i believe you but it is vert hard to see through the access holes. I would check lines and fittings first. Buy a bore scope camera from Amazon for $20-30 and use it to find the leak first. Still might need to pull things out of the way to fix a fitting but at least you will know exactly what to fix.

[cal1319]

Thanks for the replies. We did stick a camera through the fill holes and there is a crack in the bottom center of the tank unfortunately. Going to call skiers choice and see what they say. I’m sure this won’t be cheap.


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[Holdmybeer]

Depending on your ability, the fuel tank removes easily and the ballast tank slide to the rear and out the same floor panel. The tank can be repaired. I am sure you could find the tank from a manufacture and avoid SC markup. Just a thought because my guess is $1200 for the tank and fittings, $1600 for labor. Not going to be cheap at all.

[cal1319]

Any clue who makes these tanks? I tried googling and couldn’t get anywhere.


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[Holdmybeer]

If you can find a part number sticker anywhere on the tank you can cross it. Great Lakes Skipper carries some SC parts like this.

[cal1319]

Perfect thank you!


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[larry_arizona]

Biggest pita would be draining the gas tank enough to remove it.

Other than that it's not awful. Sounds like you already have the center floor pulled.

There used to be companies who could internally line a cracked gas tank, might be an option for you.

You absolutely could get a custom bag made. Most boats are using sub floor bags now.


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[cal1319]

Yea all viable options. We are going to pull the gas tank and then the ballast and see if it’s repairable if not a new tank from skiers choice is $800. I’ll keep you guys posted how it turns out just in case it happens to one of you too.


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[larry_arizona]

Yea all viable options. We are going to pull the gas tank and then the ballast and see if it’s repairable if not a new tank from skiers choice is $800. I’ll keep you guys posted how it turns out just in case it happens to one of you too.


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Actually $800 sounds reasonable for a new tank.


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[MJHSupra]

I agree. $800 does not sound bad. The larger custom Wakemakers bags are now pricey.

If you have the floor out, I would suggest adding sound deadening material on the underside before you put everything back together.


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[Holdmybeer]

Does the 2018 SE overflow the center tank to the bow ballast?
Is there bow ballast?

Jist thinking for all the work, could the OP prep for an upgrade while it is apart.

[cal1319]

Does sound damping material under the gas tank make that much difference?

Yes, the hard ballast tank overflows to bag in top. What upgrade did you have in mind?


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[Holdmybeer]

Does sound damping material under the gas tank make that much difference?

Yes, the hard ballast tank overflows to bag in top. What upgrade did you have in mind?


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If you didn't have bow weight, this would have been a great time to add. All good though.

The sound deadener goes on the underside of the floor panel. Help with v-drive noise echoing under the floor.

[cal1319]

Ah ok ok. Have you been on a boat that did that? Did it make that much of a difference with tranny noise?


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[HFarr]

Ah ok ok. Have you been on a boat that did that? Did it make that much of a difference with tranny noise?


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkYes, it did make a difference on my boat. Go to the post in the link below. There is a lot of discussion about what many of us have done for sound issues.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum%2Emoomba%2Ecom%2Fsho wthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D36983&share_tid=36983&share_fid=27865&share_type=t&link_source=app

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[MJHSupra]

When I work on my SL next spring, I will be putting some sound deadening materials in the floor around the trans area.


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[MJHSupra]

@larry_arizona had a post about the aftermarket materials he installed.


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[larry_arizona]

I just saw this, these are the acoustic foam panels I used on the engine and trans hatch and under the main floor panel.

They stick decent, had to use some spray adhesive on heavily contoured areas.

They kill sound significantly!!!

Unfortunately it looks like they are currently unavailable on Amazon https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231212/bc5b8f9e81bb3fcdf8738cc2e8ad7807.jpg


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[cal1319]

Awesome thank you!


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[cal1319]

Just an update… the dealer just back to us. For a new tank installed they want $1200. Seems legit enough to me and not needing to hassle with it myself.


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[HFarr]

If the tank cost you 800, then you only have to look at it as 400 bucks to not have to hassle with it yourself, just as you said. It all depends on what kind of free time you have to spend on it. And we all know from experience that some small, strange, and unforeseen issue will probably pop up ( like a broken or striped screw head in a hard to reach place) that will make you cuss and cause you to spend twice as long on the project as it should. Not a bad deal to let them do it in my opinion.

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[MJHSupra]

IAnd we all know from experience that some small, strange, and unforeseen issue will probably pop up ( like a broken or striped screw head in a hard to reach place) that will make you cuss and cause you to spend twice as long on the project as it should.

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A lot of truth in that statement. I have a 4-wheeler project that is one blunder after another . . . and I just want to get it back together to sell the damn thing.


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[cal1319]

Yes exactly… at this point in my life I’d rather pay the $400 hahah


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[cucv]

Yes exactly… at this point in my life I’d rather pay the $400 hahah


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkThe biggest challenge I have is that I spend more than $400 of my time transporting the boat or any other item for that matter in for service than just having the parts drop shipped to my house and doing the work myself. I'm definitely open to paying a reasonable fee to have the work done at my place or dock.

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[cal1319]

The dealer is 45minutes away… drop off in the AM and pick it up a week later… not such an issues but yea if I needed to travel hours away each way that would be a different issue


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