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This past summer I started noticing a strong gasoline odor in the boat and I saw what appears to be a small amount of fuel in the bilge. When I say small, I’m guessing maybe an eighth of a cup after two or three hours of running the boat. I have a combustible gas detector and with it I found the sending seal was letting some fumes through which stopped after I replaced the seal. Although I didn’t see actual fuel around the sending unit, I thought it was the source of the leak.
Fast forward to the present. The boat has been sitting in an enclosed barn for the past few months and last week I decided to start getting it ready for next season. As soon as I climbed into the boat, I was hit with the fuel smell. Checking the bilge, I couldn’t see any fuel, but the odor was somewhat stronger there. I decided to remove the center section of the deck and inspect the fuel tank from above.
The fuel tank, a Moeller FT6103, has a small space around the perimeter which allowed me to use the gas detector probe to check for leaks. The tank also has two round openings located at the centerline running from top to bottom with one opening being toward the front of the tank and the other toward the rear. The only time the detector sounds is when I get the probe about halfway down the rear opening.
The two local shops near me either focus on engine repair or fiberglass repair and neither seem interested in helping me pressure test, inspect and/or replace the tank. So, I would like to remove the tank myself and at least do a visual inspection. It seems simple enough, but the tank extends under a section of the top cap into the bilge area. The distance between the tank and top cap is about 3/8”. It looks like I need to remove all the fittings from the rear of the tank and slide it forward under that section of the top cap in order to lift it out. What concerns me is that I don’t know what holds the tank in place and if it will slide forward at all. From the drawings I found on the Moeller web site it looks like the tank has a concave indention on each side that could be used to mate to convex protrusions on the hull. If that is what’s used to hold the tank in place, then I’m thinking that I’ll either have to cut a portion of the top cap out at the back of the tank to lift it or remove the top cap completely. Before starting I thought I should put this out there and hopefully get some insight from some of the members.
To gain access to the tank, you will need to remove the screws holding down the fuel tank cover as well as cut the sealant.
Note only cut the sealant and not the gelcoat underneath.
The tank is fixed in place with angled brackets as illustrated in the attached diagram.
I would suggest the culprit for the smell are the fuel fill, vent and supply hoses and the inspection port seals.
Rather than rely on a detector, I would just replace all of them as a matter of course. The hoses are most likely original and not specified for ethanol blended fuel. Installing alcohol resistant marine hose is the standard practice.
Phil T - Thanks for the info. I am unable to read the descriptions for parts 9, 10, 11 and 12 in the drawing you sent. If your original is any better can you tell me what the descriptions are for those parts?
