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 Post subject: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:02 am 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:11 pm
Posts: 57
Location: Brunswick Maine
I brought my boat out two days ago and everything ran great. I brought it back to the marina topped it off and covered it up. I went down yesterday took off the cover and the boat remakes of gas. Openened the engine compartment and sure enough there was gas in the bilge. Not a lot but enough to make it smell pretty bad. I followed all the lines And could not find a leak. After it aired out I started it and checked it and no leaks. Is it possible that by filling it the fuel expanded and leaked in. I checked where the lines came into the engine compartment from the fuel tank and there wasn't any fuel around that.

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1995 Fourwinns Sundowner 195
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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:27 am 
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Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:26 pm
Posts: 5688
Location: Long Island NY
You might want to remove the rear seat and lift up the hatch over the gas tank and see if it smells there. It can leak from under the tank and then run out of the limber hole from the gas tank compartment to the engine bilge.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II


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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:31 am 
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Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:58 pm
Posts: 1173
Location: Lower Niagara/Lake Ontario USA
This is something you definately want to remedy 100%. I would crawl all over the bilge/engine/gastank areas and find that leak. The alternative (BOOM) is not good...

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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:31 pm 
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Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 8:03 am
Posts: 2238
Location: Winthrop, Ma.
I don't the your model, but it sounds like Lou does! Just as general info, never fill the tank completly. As you mentioned, the fuel can expanded. General it will come from the fuel cap. GOOD LUCK with it!


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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:35 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:26 pm
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Location: Long Island NY
Lifting up the tank hatch will allow you to inspect the full length of the fill, supply and vent hoses. Also you can look at the round gasket under the gas tank sending unit. I thought I smelled gas once last year after filling up, so while the boat was on the mooring, I pulled out the rear seat, took up the hatch (15 min job) and sniffed and sniffed. I also had a fume detector that I used as a probe, I snaked it down down by the bottom of the tank, nothing. Then I put my nose right up against the sending unit, could smell just a tiny bit, faintly if my nose was right on it. Tank was full too. So I gently (and I emphasize, gently) snugged up the 5 bolts that hold the sending unit on. No smell after that.

This spring to be on the safe side, I checked it again. With the boat on the trailer, I filled up the tank, removed the seat and hatch and drove it around making a lot of stops n starts. No smell so I buttoned it all up. I intend to lift that hatch every few years to check everything, not a bad idea with an older boat.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II


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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:49 pm 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:11 pm
Posts: 57
Location: Brunswick Maine
ill lift the hatch and check. Im thinking it was cause it was overfilled because tonday there was nothing. Is there some common areas for intrution in this case. My fill is on the swim platform so theoretically it should have went overboard

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1995 Fourwinns Sundowner 195
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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:18 pm 
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Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:13 pm
Posts: 1303
Location: Allatoona Lake, Georgia
NiagaraChillin wrote:
This is something you definately want to remedy 100%. I would crawl all over the bilge/engine/gastank areas and find that leak. The alternative (BOOM) is not good...


Boats blowing up due to fuel leaks are at an all-time high. You won't hear the government say a word though because they and their ethanol mandate are the root cause of failed fuel lines today. So now we can add the loss of human life to the growing list of pitfalls of this insane government mandate. Can't wait for these incompetents to take over my heatlh care.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
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 Post subject: Re: Gas leak?
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 3:40 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:26 pm
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Location: Long Island NY
Yeah I think the whole ethanol thing stinks too, I'd advise anyone who has a boat older than 10 years to check those fuel lines. Mine are still in good shape but what I'd do is get an inspection mirror and a good flashlight and really check them, you are looking for cracks like what you'd see on an old rotted tire.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II


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