Diesel in the Bilge (Reprise)

Posted by katorpus (katorpus@…>)

The original poster stated the he tops off the tank “regularly”

How full are you filling it?

If you are truly topping off the tank (to the threads on the deck
fill) each time you fill it, then you are likely leaving the fill
hose full of diesel (or partly full) when you “park the boat”.

Over time, this may very well weep out thru the hose, or at the
clamped fitting on the tank or at the clamp on the bottom of the
deck fill.

A “plumb full” tank will still slosh into the hose, but you
shouldn’t fill it beyond the point at which the tank itself if
full…if you do, then run the engine long enough to use up what’s
in the hose, then run it a little more to allow for expansion of the
fuel that remains in the tank when the outside air temperatures rise.

Periodic leaks are a booger to find. Buy a bottle of the white
powdered chalk that’s sold for masonry string lines (any hardware
store) and “puff” it around lightly on suspected areas. It comes in
a plastic bottle with a cutoff tip (like the ketchup & mustard
bottles at some eating places). Any “fresh” drips will show up in
the chalk. Works for water leaks as well.

Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)

Depending how the vent for the tank is plumbed that could be a
culprit as well.

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “katorpus” <katorpus@…>
wrote:

The original poster stated the he tops off the tank “regularly”

How full are you filling it?

If you are truly topping off the tank (to the threads on the deck
fill) each time you fill it, then you are likely leaving the fill
hose full of diesel (or partly full) when you “park the boat”.

Over time, this may very well weep out thru the hose, or at the
clamped fitting on the tank or at the clamp on the bottom of the
deck fill.

A “plumb full” tank will still slosh into the hose, but you
shouldn’t fill it beyond the point at which the tank itself if
full…if you do, then run the engine long enough to use up what’s
in the hose, then run it a little more to allow for expansion of
the
fuel that remains in the tank when the outside air temperatures
rise.

Periodic leaks are a booger to find. Buy a bottle of the white
powdered chalk that’s sold for masonry string lines (any hardware
store) and “puff” it around lightly on suspected areas. It comes
in
a plastic bottle with a cutoff tip (like the ketchup & mustard
bottles at some eating places). Any “fresh” drips will show up in
the chalk. Works for water leaks as well.