Fuel leak

[ovakil]

While having this crappy weather I was tinkering in the boat & I could smell fuel,after looking around I saw it was coming out of my fuel cap,I undone cap & about 200ml came pouring out.I read that it was good to have tank full but unsure about that.I haven't used boat for about 2 months :(.
Any idea's why this would of happened.
Cheers Steve.

[backlash08]

check that the breather is not blocked but fuel will expand and create this situation, if the breather is blocked the symptom is much worse
cheers - Craig

[goldfish]

steve do as craig says (it sounds a lot like a blocked breather to me too.) depending on what sort of tank it is, but most carry on tanks have the breather in the cap if this is the case it might be time for a new cap. if the tank is fitted check that it has a breather & that its clear if no breather get one fitted. a blocked breather will cause your motor to starve for fuel on long runs as it creates a vaccume in the tank as the fuel is used.
cheers
rick.

[davez104]

I had a similar thing happen the other day, don't know if it's of any help to you, but I'll explain.

My tank is an underfloor one, the breather tube is at the front of the tank, on top of course. The hose runs from there down to the back of the boat where the breather is mounted. I had a fairly full tank and where I had parked the boat to wash it out, the boat was facing down hill. The fumes would not have been able to escape as the breather tube was at the wrong end of the tank in that situation. As the fuel heated up in the sun, it pushed fuel through the breather tube and a bit out the breather itself. It also created enough pressure to force fuel out from around the fuel cap.

So if yours is under floor, just check thet the breather tube would be at the highest point of the tank. I think if I ever replace the tank, I'll get a breather tube put in at each end of the tank to avoid this situation.

Dave.

[Noelm]

if it is a genuine plastic tank, some are only vented when the fuel line is connected, so if you disconnect (as a lot do) then it will build up pressure if it is full and the temp rises it will leak out when the cap is removed.

[oldboot]

Fuel does expand consideraly with heat. this is why there has been quite some coverage in the media in the past about selling fuel at a particular temperature.

both my plastic tanks have a maximum fill mark quite some way down from the top of the tank.....this I expect is to allow for expansion.

perhaps you are overfilling your tank.

Another thing to consider is that unleaded fuel only has a manufacturer specified shelf life of 90 days.

I wouldn't be going out with fuel over 30 days old in my tank.
In my old bomb car yess, in the mower yess..... in my boat or my best chainsaw NO.

I left fuel in my generator for some months at one time & tried to start it...... not a hope...... emptied and refilled with fresh...... started second pull as it allways should.

Realy stale unleaded does not smell right at all... it smells stale and musty and does not have that fruity bite that petroll should have.
I recon the high octane volatiles musr break down or oxidise or something.
.
cheers
cheers

[Blackened]

Realy stale unleaded does not smell right at all... it smells stale and musty and does not have that fruity bite that petrol should have.

.


G'day

Are you sure you're not a wine taster broadening their horizons?

Dave

[goldfish]

Realy stale unleaded does not smell right at all... it smells stale and musty and does not have that fruity bite that petroll should have.
I recon the high octane volatiles musr break down or oxidise or something.
.
cheers
cheers
Where do you buy your fuel oldboat? because mine just smells like fuel but now i want the fruity one. :D :D :D

[goldfish]

I had a similar thing happen the other day, don't know if it's of any help to you, but I'll explain.

My tank is an underfloor one, the breather tube is at the front of the tank, on top of course. I think if I ever replace the tank, I'll get a breather tube put in at each end of the tank to avoid this situation.

Dave.
Dave the other option is to put your breather in your filler tube then it should breath no matter the angle.

[davez104]

It doesn't have a filler tube though, just a screw in cap on the top of the tank. It's fine if the boat is level or nose up, and once the fuel level goes down a bit it's OK as well.

Thanks anyway.
Dave.

[ovakil]

Tank is 200L mounted under floor,when I did fill it up I did fill right up to fuel cap.Next time I won't.I will check breathers but I pretty sure they are ok,as when I filled up I hear them hissing a bit.
I just siphoned some fuel out & ran motor for 15 minutes.
Cheers.

[Moonlighter]

Hi Chris

In the "old days" the recommended and accepted practice was to fill tanks after each trip as a measure to reduce condensation, and that sounds like what you may have been doing.

These days with unleaded fuel going "off" so quickly the recommended practice is to fill up on your way to the ramp so you've got fresh fuel, and to install and regularly check a good quality water separating fuel filter. There are so many threads on here about this issue and confirmation from all sorts of professional sources, so its a safe bet that its correct.

Also, do check that those breathers are clear - those pesky mud wasps have a liking for setting up home in places like breather outlets, water pump tell-tales etc!! But most likely yopu've just overfilled it as you say above, so leave a cm or 2 below the top for expansion and you should be OK.

Grant

[Fed]

Ovakil your fuel cap should be fuelproof so it needs to be fixed.
Check the 'O' ring or washer for faults or it may just need to be done up a little tighter.
Either way, it should not leak.

[oldboot]

High octane unleaded: A cheeky little vintage with some extra bite due to added aromatics, overtones of volatile solvents over a hydrocarbon base. Will not cellar well, use shortly after purchase.;D

I have to admit fruity probaly isn't the correct discription for petrol, that more applies to thinners and definitely metho.

I havn't had anything to do with E10 but I expect that would have a " fruity" overtone due to the ethanol

Stale unleaded could probably be better discribed as having a earthy overtone with eliments of wet straw.

I any of the wine descriptions are to beleived, solvents are fair game for creative discriptions.

Chateau chunder is an apalashon controlae grown for those keen on regurtation.
Melbourne old an yellow which has a boquet like an aboriginies armpit is known not least for its aftertase but its lingering afterburn
Sydney syrup is one of the worlds best sugary wines, this is a bottle with a message and the message is beware, at the recent opening of the Sydney bridge club they were pulling em out of the sluces every half hour.

( appologies for any errors in the above paragraph)

cheers