Re: Leaking fuel into Bilge
JChurn,<br />You have a serious problem which could lead to an explosion. For your safety, do not operate you boat until this problem is repaired. Carefully disconnect your battery, so there will be no electrical sparks to ignite any fumes. I presume that you have a permanently installed fuel tank and that it is below deck, right?? There are four possibilities for a leak: Filler tube and connections; vent tube and connections; sender unit bunk gasket leak; and fracture or rust out of the fuel tank. You will need to take the first three items and examine them to determine where the leak is coming from. Proceed as follows:<br />Drain out some or all of the fuel from the tank;<br />Visually check the fill tube clamps and tube - look for loose clamps and a brittle cracked fill tube; next check the clamps and look for brittle cracked vent tube; next check the bunk hole of the sender unit and look for signs of leaking gasket; if by this time you have found not defects, you will probably need to pull the tank for examination. If your vent tube and fill tube are in excess of 10 years, and are brittle, it would be best to replace them and the clamps before pulling the tank. If you do replace the hoses and fill tube and check the bunk hole gasket, and feel that all is in good order; then fill the tank with water and look for leaks. If you find water in the bilge, then you will need to pull the tank and probably have to replace it. I would suggest that you color the water a bright color with food dye if you decide to fill it with water to check for leaks.<br /><br />Good luck; keep us posted, be safe.
