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Post by optimystic on Apr 22, 2015 23:04:42 GMT
Our fuel gauge stopped working and now I have a small fuel leak. I mistakenly over filled the tank and now there is diesel in the bulge. I use the diesel absorbent mets and the source is someplace under the starboard birth as this is where the mat filled up then drained down to the Matt in the engine bay and finally to the bilge. I haven't been able to find any leaks. After I clean everything up and start the engine I see nothing dripping. It is a significant leak if running for a few hours,I'm guessing a cup or two. It filled two mats. Any ideas? I'm rather stumped and it has got to get resolved.
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Post by sleighride on Apr 23, 2015 16:20:24 GMT
I did a minor overfill last summer on my DS43 with diesel appearing around and beneath the fuel tank. The leak was hard to find, but turned out to come from the fill pipe rubber gasket where it entered the tank. The rubber gasket was a bit to large and the nut to tighten was on inside of tank. I carefully worked the gasket back into place and then tried Marine Goop to seal the gasket around the fill hose where it entered the tank. No leaks since despite sailing about three thousand miles since the leak. I have been careful not to overfill tank; but obviously the boat heals and has been in five separate gales since the leak was first discovered. Try a paper towel around the side of the tank closest to the fill spout and see if it has diesel on it. Good luck!
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Post by Quiddle on Apr 24, 2015 17:52:41 GMT
I had the same problem on my 36i with a weep from the fuel take off joint, which only presented when the tank was fairly full and the boat heeled.
I created a new seal using 3mm cork gasket sandwiched with setting gasket sealant, hemetite red, after cleaning with acetone. It is very difficult to get a 100% seal on the original polypropylene tank. I get fuel residue (condensed vapour?) in the bund around the offtake when the tank is full but no liquid fuel and no noticeable smell.
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Post by optimystic on Apr 25, 2015 14:09:09 GMT
I have everything taken apart and will try and trace from the tank. After careful inspection I noticed some very slight residue on the primary filter. I'll change that first and see if it helps. There is no leak when not using the engine. It sounds like a full tank might be an unhappy tank.
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Post by JEF on Apr 26, 2015 11:15:52 GMT
Hi Optimystic
Just back from my SO379 ... Having checked I have have a slight fuel dampness around the fuel pick up pipe outlet no current major concern. Seems to me that the silly original rubber gasket swells after a while and allows some weepage when tank is brim full.
Agree with Quibble a new cork gasket fitted with a fuel resistant sealant is the best option to provide the best possible fix to this tank outlet problem.
Would be surprised if you have a leak problem in the Fuel feed / Filter line areas because if fuel can weep out then air can get in so logic would state that would cause a engine start / running problem.
Hope this helps .. good luck.
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Post by optimystic on May 5, 2015 2:15:09 GMT
I just replaced the primary fuel filter and looked at all the tank portals. It looks very clean around all inlets and outlets. I am about 3/4 full so perhaps over filling is a no no. I ran the engine after changing primary filters to check for leaks.. All was good but the engine stopped presumable due to air in the fuel system. I followed the yanmar instructions and opened the bleed screw on the secondary filter and pumped the small lever at the fuel pump.. I pumped for 1/2 hour and could hear some gurgling at the bleede valve but it still won't start. Is there another way to bleed the system? This will take hours of pumping.
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Post by so36idavid on May 5, 2015 6:24:37 GMT
Optimystic,
I replaced my primary fuel filter with a Racor 230r2. It has an integral priming pump which makes bleeding the fuel system pretty simple. This works really well because when you change the filter element you don't get air into the bleed lines downstream of the Racor. You crack the screw on top of the filter and work the Racor's priming pump until the bubbles stop and then you're done. If however you do get air in the line downstream of the Racor (which you presumably now have) then you crack the bleed screw on the engine and do the same. It's pretty quick. When I changed to this system it didn't take more than a minute or two to bleed the whole thing even though the fuel lines were completely purged at that point.
Some people add either an outboard bulb pump or small, electric fuel pump between the tank and the primary filter. When you need to bleed the system you turn on the pump, crack whatever screws need cracking and wait until the bubbles stop.
If this all sounds too complicated then keep doing what you're doing. The lift pump is small and low volume so it will take a while but keep going until the bubbles stop.
David
P.S. If you're cranking the engine a lot through all of this then it's very important to close the raw water intake seacock. Excessive cranking will fill the muffler and if it backs up further it will get water into the cylinders which could ruin the engine. Don't forget to open the seacock when the engine fires.
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Post by MalcolmP on May 5, 2015 9:32:16 GMT
I just replaced the primary fuel filter and looked at all the tank portals. It looks very clean around all inlets and outlets. I am about 3/4 full so perhaps over filling is a no no. I ran the engine after changing primary filters to check for leaks.. All was good but the engine stopped presumable due to air in the fuel system. I followed the yanmar instructions and opened the bleed screw on the secondary filter and pumped the small lever at the fuel pump.. I pumped for 1/2 hour and could hear some gurgling at the bleede valve but it still won't start. Is there another way to bleed the system? This will take hours of pumping. As David says a Racor with a primer is an option, but a simpler a cheaper route is just change out the Delphi primary filter to a model with one with a built in primer. I did this after finding it could take around 500 frustrating little pumps of the lift pump to bleed the system- not good at sea www.ssldieselparts.co.uk/primers-primers-with-filters-c-263_169.htmlOn the 39i the CAV/Delphi (without primer) is the OEM fit, not sure if it is the same with the 379, but if so should fit directly  |
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Post by optimystic on May 8, 2015 4:55:34 GMT
All fixed. There was a leak,in the fuel line between the primary and fuel pump. I think that someone damaged it while doing service on the saildrive. I took the opportunity to replace the primary housing with a Racor. It has a priming plunger and a water extracting valve so I am much more confident with this system than the stock unit.
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Post by optimystic on Jun 2, 2015 1:05:15 GMT
The leak was fixed as referenced but the gauge still doesn't work. Is it possible that installing a galvanic isolator effected the panel or gauge? It was professionally installed.
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Post by Tigidal on Jun 4, 2015 13:24:42 GMT
All fixed. There was a leak,in the fuel line between the primary and fuel pump. I think that someone damaged it while doing service on the saildrive. I took the opportunity to replace the primary housing with a Racor. It has a priming plunger and a water extracting valve so I am much more confident with this system than the stock unit. Which Racor model and filter size did you install? I'm looking for advice on replacement and how the Volvo filter works on a separate thread... jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/3905/volvo-filter-operation-replacement-suggestions |
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Post by mickmeck on Jul 26, 2016 14:58:31 GMT
I did a minor overfill last summer on my DS43 with diesel appearing around and beneath the fuel tank. The leak was hard to find, but turned out to come from the fill pipe rubber gasket where it entered the tank. The rubber gasket was a bit to large and the nut to tighten was on inside of tank. I carefully worked the gasket back into place and then tried Marine Goop to seal the gasket around the fill hose where it entered the tank. No leaks since despite sailing about three thousand miles since the leak. I have been careful not to overfill tank; but obviously the boat heals and has been in five separate gales since the leak was first discovered. Try a paper towel around the side of the tank closest to the fill spout and see if it has diesel on it. Good luck! I just had an issue where the attendant over filled my tank. Along with 100 plus heat the rubber gasket gave way and let about 2 gals of fuel into the bilge. Lucky I was checking the bilge for water and caught it before it actually reached the pump out part so I didn't spill any. But, how do I fix this? |
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