Gasoline smell after fueling

[Howard Keiper]

This is a situation that has developed only recently.
Sea Quest's gas tank is under the cockpit with the filler on the cockpit floor. When I fill the tank, I do it two ways: I had always just poured the gas through a wide mouth funnel...until I noticed the smell. Then I thought maybe the hose from the filler to the tank was deteriorating, though I could never find any sign of gas around either the tank or the hose...or anywhere else near the tank. That's when I started filling by inserting a vinyl hose all the way into the tank, bypassing the normal filler hose alltogether and pouring the gas as before. No luck. The odor is fairly strong, especially when the stbd locker is open.
So, the next thing I did was to make sure the fuel supply shut-off was closed, got down on my hands and knees and 'pressurized' the tank by blowing into the filler hole to see if the vent was open...it was, and my wife got a handful of raw gas to prove it.
There is no leak from or around the carburator that I can detect, nor any sign of gas in the bilge.
Any other ideas??
Howard Keiper
Sea Quest E-35II
Berkeley

 

[NateHanson]

If you blew into the filler hose, and liquid gasoline came out the tank vent, then the vent is installed too low on the tank. That should be venting fumes or air out of the tank, not gasoline.

Not sure if that would be causing your problem, but it's not right, anyways.

Does the odor clear up soon after filling? Is the odor stronger in the cockpit, or in the cabin/bilge/lazzarettes?

 

[Glyn Judson]

Gasoline smell.

All, This discussion reminds me of the story of the guy who jumps from a plane and has both his parachutes fail. As he's contemplating his death while rapidly gaining speed downward, a guy passes him going up. Our fellow yells at him as thay pass, "Know anything about parachutes"? The guy going up answers, "No, you know anything about gasoline inboards"? Enjoy, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55 (Yanmar 3 diesel), Marina del Rey, CA

 

[NateHanson]

Now that's funny, AND on topic!

 

[Loren Beach]

Maybe a pinhole-sized leak in the tank due to corrosion over the years?
Can you see the flange and hose barb on the tank to see if there is a leak there?
Has it been over, say, a decade since the fill hose was replaced?



Loren

 

[ChrisS]

Do you have a vapor sniffer installed (other than your nose)? You can also get a handheld one (like the PG&E guys use) to pinpoint the source.

I've got an A-4 in my boat that runs great, and I really like the engine; however I think it pays to be paranoid about any gas smell. There's no bigger way to ruin a boat than by fire.

 

[tenders]

How about a pinhole in the vent line somewhere? A hose clamp which has bitten too far into its hose and caused a hole?

But I have to confess this really sounds like a leaky tank to me.

 

[Shadowfax]

If the smell is constant, I vote hole in tank. If it is interment, say only at fueling time, or in a sea, I vote hole in hose, etc..

 

[gareth harris]

That's when I started filling by inserting a vinyl hose all the way into the tank, bypassing the normal filler hose alltogether and pouring the gas as before.

If the filler hose seems in bad shape, that might be the source of the fumes?

When I pulled out my tank, the aft end, which is very hard to inspect inside the boat, was far more corroded than the rest of the tank, which had always looked in good shape. It was close to corroding through. There was something of a lip around the aft end which may have trapped water to cause corrosion from the outside.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[Glyn Judson]

Gas odor continues.

Howard, At first I discounted the good suggestiions that it was a pin hole somewhere because it goes away after a while and you were bypassing the hose with your own tube but that got me thinking that the leak might just be coming from the joint between the hose and the tank either during or after removing your fill tube. Have you had a chance to check and/or tighten the hose clamp at the tank end to see if that's the culprit? How easy that would be if it were the problem. While you're at it, why not check the top clamp too? Keep us posted. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA

 

[Jarod]

I replaced the tank in my E27 last year as it was leaking from the seams. The original ericson tank was of steel construction and starting to rust on the outside. I would ensure that it isnt the tank and if it is don't bother with the repair jobs...replace it as soon as possible...just my opinion. I know there is not one recorded fatality involving an atomic 4 but I dont want to become the first...

 

[Jarod]

oops i was wrong ...there was one fatality in Montreal apparantly (from moyer marine website)