[C38] fuel leak

[DRS]

Les: Thanks for your insight. I have used small sections cut from fuel 
absorbent pads to localize the leak. It is on an edge weld of the tank. 
If I cant stem the leak with epoxy (everyone including my wife says that 
I've reading too much Beatrix Potter; no way that epoxy could ever stem 
a diesel leak with glue-I am beginning to believe them) I will remove 
the tank and take it to a welding shop.
   The pads are very good for keeping the mess to a minimum. No diesel 
has made it to the sea.
Don

Les wrote:
> 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
>>
>>     
>
>
>
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>   

-- 
Donald R. Strong
Professor
Dept. of Evolution and Ecology
Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of California, Davis
Davis, Ca 95616
530 752 7886


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