Help!!! Leak in tank?

[bajones]

Hey, just bought a 1990 Sunbird Stinger with a 2.3 OMC Cobra. It has a strong fuel smell and it the fuel and i'm trying to get stuff cleaned up before I take a good look at everything. I emptied all the fuel from the tank and took the boat to the superwash and sprayed everything real good. I was spraying the hose straight into the drain in the floor storage compartment in the front of the boat and seen that a gas-water mix was coming out of the bilge drain. I then pulled up the the inspection holes above the fuel tank and sprayed in there real well. I thought this would drain out the back as well but instead it filled up to the inspection holes! Should this happen or is something plugged and stopping it from draining? I syphoned the water out and it is now drained but I want to know if this is normal. If it is and I do have a leak in the fuel tank how is that gas getting into the bilge since it seams like the tank is contained seperately from the rest of the bilge? Thanks!

 

[imported_scott_m]

Re: Help!!! Leak in tank?

While it is possible you have a leak in the tank (particularly if it is an aluminum tank in direct contact with the floor of the bilge), it is more likely that your main fill hose is dry rotted. I have a 1988 Wellcraft and a 1990 Sea Ray and I have had to replace the fill hose on both of them. You might want to invest in some oil absorbing pads to pull the remaining fuel out of the bilge, then leave it opened up for several days to air out the fumes.

 

[bajones]

Re: Help!!! Leak in tank?

Thanks for the reply. I have checked the fill hose and it looks to be fine. I can only see parts of it though. I will pull the hoes out and inspect it. I have a fiberglass tank so It would be suprising to me if I did have a leak. Don't fiberglass tanks hold up pretty good?

 

[Omega-1]

Re: Help!!! Leak in tank?

Bajones,<br />You are correct in that fiberglass tanks rarely leak if they are correctly constructed and baffled. Besides the fill tube MackSea mentioned, you need to check the vent tube connections and condition of the hose. This could be a source of leaking. If your fill tube is in good shape and fastened with double clamps and your vent tube is in good shape and fastened correctly with two clamps at the tank site, and your fill cap seals correctly, then you probably do not have a leak. Should you detect gas in the bilge with all of the hoses in good order, then you will need to pull the tank and inspect for cracks with seeping. When you sprayed water into the inspection hole over the tank and it filled up with water, this probably indicates that your tank is foamed in all around and the water could not escape. Don't forget to place a ground to the metal fill tube to prevent static sparks. This ground will need to go to the ship's ground, not the battery ground. The ship's ground needs to have direct connection with the water. I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Help!!! Leak in tank?

One way to make sure that the tank is not leaking would be to again fill the cavity that the tank is in with water and then apply some low pressure compressed air to the tank. If you get bubbles you have a leak.