Well that stinks...(like diesel) plus Plastic Gate Valves

Oldlaxer1 · September 06, 2020, 04:17:14 AM

Preparing for our first extended trip and wanted to top off the fuel tank. (first time fueling up for me on this boat) Using jerry jugs I added just under 5 gallons from the first jug. Gauge showed just under 3/4 full. Filling from the second one I hear the gurgling in the hose with maybe 2 gallons left in the jug. Nothing from the vent hose btw. Ok, that's full enough for this trip. Head down below and get hit with the smell of diesel. Start tracking it down. Started in the head behind the sink and there was the stream and stink. Got out the oil absorbing pads and started soaking it up. Open the bilge and it has migrated there. More pads, booms. Spent a couple of hours flushing and sopping up diesel. Of course the whole boat stinks, aft cabin too. We leave on our anniversary cruise The next morning and thank God my wife never complains once. Said she only smells it a little when the boat is closed up. Maybe I should send her for a nose checkup 😎 We're getting home this afternoon and my first task after unpacking is to find the source of the leak. I'm guessing the vent hose is the culprit. Welcome to boat ownership....

scgunner · September 06, 2020, 08:14:48 AM

John,

It doesn't sound like the vent hose to me. If you overfilled the tank and the vent hose, even if the hose did have a hole in it the hose won't hold that much fuel, a pint maybe a little more. It sounds like you've lost a lot more than that. Since it's the first time you've fueled the boat I'd suspect a leak somewhere between the old fuel level and the vent. I'd pull the aft cabin panel, the leak will probably be self evident.

Ron Hill · September 06, 2020, 02:16:56 PM

John : Here's what I'd advise:
Look in the compartment under the head sink at the connections to the Racor filter and the fuel pump. Check the condition of the fuel hose!
Remove the port side panel in the aft cabin and it'll expose the fuel tank, fill hose, hose from tank to engine and the aft vent hose.

You'll just have to have someone pour in some fuel from the top so you can see what is happening at the tank. Good hunting

A few thoughts

scgunner · September 07, 2020, 07:19:27 AM

Ron,

That's the first thing I thought of too, anytime I have a leak I immediately think hoses, connections, attachments, however it sounds like John's problem started when he added fuel. It seems to me that if it was a problem with the fuel plumbing the leak would have showed itself even without adding fuel.

John,

If you pull that panel you should see some evidence of a leak since diesel doesn't evaporate very fast.

Oldlaxer1 · September 08, 2020, 04:04:09 AM

Thanks everyone. Ron, I checked the plumbing portion from tank to Racor to engine and it is all dry. Hoses are all in good shape.
I didn't get a chance to do any more sleuthing yesterday as it was our 35th anniversary and my bride wanted to take our dear friends for a sail. I hope to get in the aft cabin tonight to see what I can find. The good news is the odor has diminished quite a bit. My Hatteras forum group recommends Odor Gone (which I already have) for diesel smells so I'll be using that tonight as well.

KWKloeber · September 09, 2020, 01:18:57 AM

John

I am putting in a vote for the vent or a leak near the top of the tank -- since it appared only when adding fuel.

Say the vent hose was disconnected or a bad hole, or a bad leak on the top (fuel sender gasket, cracked fitting?) or near it (crack in a weld?) the fuel woldn't leak as fast as you were pouring so you would end up with a gurgle, but (depending on the size) the leak could spil quite a bit to the bilge, etc.)

Some owners add a fuel whiste on the vent hose to indicate when the tank is topped off - if there is one, possibly it came loose or the case is broken?

I was on a project site where an underground tank was a great spot to dispose of waste chemicals -- the fill port would top off, but the next week the level was down and they could dispose of a couple more cans of waste. The leaky tank was just not leaking as quickly as they were filling it, but over a week it leaked enough for another 5 or ten gallons to be added. Added to the soil and bedrock, that is, and turned into a million dollar oops cleanup that's still ongoing since 1996.

OdoBan works well for those type smells, from my experience.

scgunner · September 15, 2020, 08:45:21 AM

Whistle on the vent hose, what a great idea!

Ron Hill · September 15, 2020, 02:34:54 PM

Guys : The whistle in the overflow line is not a panacea!! Practical Sailor had an article (years ago) that the whistles tended to get clogged when the diesel got into them. After being wet and then dry with diesel they failed and became silent.

Once clogged - Not even Lauren Bacall (Sp?) couldn't get them to whistle!!!

A thought

scgunner · September 16, 2020, 07:33:20 AM

When I want my fuel tank topped up such as at season's end, I pull the vent hose transom end and put it in a spare fuel can then fuel. This allows me to top it right up with out the worry of it overflowing into the water, which as we know can be quite a problem these days.

Oldlaxer1 · September 17, 2020, 05:55:23 AM

Quote from: scgunner on September 16, 2020, 07:33:20 AM
When I want my fuel tank topped up such as at season's end, I pull the vent hose transom end and put it in a spare fuel can then fuel. This allows me to top it right up with out the worry of it overflowing into the water, which as we know can be quite a problem these days.

Great idea!

Jim Hardesty · September 17, 2020, 06:19:01 AM

QuoteWhen I want my fuel tank topped up such as at season's end, I pull the vent hose transom end and put it in a spare fuel can then fuel. This allows me to top it right up with out the worry of it overflowing into the water, which as we know can be quite a problem these days.

Very good to keep fuel out of the water. In no way am I criticizing. My concern is that the boat, and fuel, heat up more out of the water under a cover then it ever does in the water. I've seen boats stored on the hard leaking fuel from heat expansion. Not good either. I fill up in the fall but take care not to top-up and overfill.

Jim

scgunner · September 17, 2020, 07:34:38 AM

Jim,

If I do get into an overfill situation where I've got fuel in the vent line I'll generally run the motor for 15 to 30 min to create a bit of expansion space at the top of the tank. I like to keep the tank topped up in the off season but you're right you do need some expansion space in the top of the tank.

Ron Hill · September 17, 2020, 02:52:41 PM

All : When pulled for the winter, you need to leave room for expansion of the fuel. You also need to watch the travel lift operator that the boat is not too bow high. Lift operators tend to raise the bow so that any water/snow in the cockpit will run out of the aft scuppers!!

A thought

KWKloeber · September 17, 2020, 03:59:28 PM

Quote

Whistle on the vent hose, what a great idea!

Believe me, its one of those good oncepts that fail in practical use (in many sailboats anyway.)
If on a power boat with tons of freeboard and you can put plenty of vertical rise in the hose so the whistle never ever lies in fuel, that's one thing. It's like a check valve on a bilge pump. Good concept until it doesn't work when we need it to.

Good concept, poor execution.

jonathanc34 · November 18, 2020, 02:29:57 PM

This just happened to me.

I bought a 1988 C34 two weeks ago, motored it from Norfolk, VA to the northern Chesapeake.
I topped it off, and put it away.

Last weekend, I went to check on the boat and start winterizing, and it smelled of diesel.
Found diesel in the bilge, cleaned it up, and set about to find the leak.

The fuel fill hose was leaking. It wasn't a hose clamp issue either: the hose itself was seeping.
I had to drain fuel at the water separator and find myself a new hose.

Removed the instrument panel, replaced the hose.

That was not what I had planned for my second weekend of ownership, but I sure got more familiar w my boat. :)