[C38] 1980 fuel tank

[Les]

Hi, Don,
	Once I had a leak under the fuel sender.  I couldn't find it.  We could
clean out the bilge, and wipe up all the fuel (what a mess), use those
bilge pads to absorb the fuel from the top of the bilge, pump and dry it
out, and look all over the fuel tank, engine, and everything, but there
was no problem.  Finally one of the young men at the fuel dock filled
the tank to the filler when I wasn't looking.  I smelled diesel, and
opened the hatch and sure enough it was seeping around the sender
flange.  I bought a new gasket and installed it.  No more leaks.  No
more escaping diesel.  We still leave a bilge pad down in the corner of
the fuel tank area (you can see it in the photos), just in case.

	I have also had a problem once with the vent hose stopping up.  I took
it off the fuel tank, put a captive device over the breather, and pumped
and then sucked until it cleared up.

	On jace, you can see the breather where it leaves the tank, then is
strapped to the bottom of the bunk area until it bridges the gap near
the quadrant, then goes up a bit to the vent on the transom.  It should
be good that way, but I suspect there is a check valve that is going
bad.  I need to pull it and replace the necessary components, but this
month I have replaced the alternator, the battery charger and the
carburetor on the outboard as well as all new canvass, so my boat budget
is sort of flat, flatter, flattest right now.  Maybe in a month or
two???

	Any way, that hose could be a source of your fuel.  Also, some people
setup the fuel pump between the separator and tank (which is wrong, the
pump will stir the water into the fuel and make it more likely to pass
the separator).  If this is the case and the filter is not well sealed,
it will leak fuel from the pressure feeding it.  The correct way is to
put the pump after the separator so it draws a vacuum, but then when you
replace the filter you MUST be sure to get it sealed well or it will
suck air.  But you will be less likely to pass water in the fuel to the
engine.  Pick your devil...

Regards,
Les H
On Wed, 2007-10-24 at 10:34 -0700, DRS wrote:
> Dear Phil: 
>     Discreet Charm is hull #50, 1980 and has a 20 gal fuel tank. It is
> leaking somewhere that I have not been able to find. I have had it out
> and have replaced it, all pretty easy. 
>     I have images for you, but have not been able to post them owing
> to the file size restriction.
> How does one post images on our site?
> Would it be possible to post these on the tech tab of our site?
> Who is in charge of doing this?
> Don
>