550 Sedan Bridge, 1993. Just bought...

[Airwaves]

550 Sedan Bridge, 1993. Just bought it and strong diesel smell as you enter the salon from cockpit. Strongest odor just outside and just inside of slider but permeates the cabin, gets into clothing. Cleaned bilges with good degreaser, can’t find any leaks. Thoughts?

[fwebster]

Is the oddor that of raw unburned diesel fuel or is it burned diesel like in exhaust fumes?

Is the boat powered by Detroit Diesel engines?

Raw diesel comes from a leak in the fuel system, or filters. If the fuel gets into the bilge water it can travel past the main bulkhead into the area under the cabin sole and cause the fuel odor in the salon.

Burned diesel smell comes from ehaust leaks.
Detroit Diesel engines are known for excessive crankcase fuems being vented into the engine room as a mist. That odor is one of bunrned or hot diesel engine oil and on a 2 stroke Detroit, the oil can contain some diesel fuel so the odor will be strong and will migrate to areas under the salon sole.

[Airwaves]

Raw. Unburned

[Airwaves]

I think unburned. Will have to rethink. But yes Detroit’s - 6v92, newly overhauled

[Footloose]

If recently purchased,... what did the boat or engine surveyor comment on the fuel odor?

[fwebster]

On a newly overhauled 2 stroke diesel engine, it is possible that your rings have not seated yet. In that case, you will have some blue smoke in the exhaust and some raw fuel from the piston rings not yet seated tthe crankcase fumes and in the exhaust. Suggest you get the mechanic that did t he overhaul to come back and evaluate the problem.

[Capt_Paul]

Started having the same problem late last year on our 1994 500. I have narrowed it down to the rubber fill lines connecting the tanks to the deck ports. If I short fill the tanks there are no issues but if you top them off you have the odor until you burn the level down.

[Airwaves]

Capt@Paul Augius that seems to be my issue. The starboard fill line appears wet, nearly full tanks. I’m going to have them replaced - have you priced replacement?

[Capt_Paul]

Airwaves, My issue seems to have disappeared. But on the hard a sister ship of 97 vintage is having all the lines replaced which requires removing the salon Couch. I will try to get an estimate as too how much this is going to cost here in the Midwest.

[Airwaves]

@Paul Augius What do you know about the vent lines? Have not replaced fuel lines but the smell is outside salon as much as inside and curious about vent lines.

[Capt_Paul]

Airwaves, The sister ship never found his issue on his 1994 500 but he actually collects fuel in the bilge but only when topped off. The yard tried to give him an estimate based on the information I gave them regarding removing the couch but the owner never agreed to the work. He just consistently leaves the boat half full. My issue has not resurfaced. As far as vent lines - if you can fuel at a floating fuel dock find the fuel vents outside the hull and verify there is alot of air escaping while fueling at full volume. Compare all tanks and vents. If one is less (or none) than the others then its an obvious issue. On the 500 the vent lines require removal of salon couch also. Have you found where the fuel lines travel yet?

[Airwaves]

Yes @Paul Augius - have full view of fuel lines from fill to tank. Will check the vents next weekend. Still trying to seal salon from the engine room. Carpenter friend customizing the plywood pieces, make it easy to remove for access. So my sofa has been unbolted all season, also because I’m waiting for flooring guy to replace carpet with vinyl.

[gtstang462002]

@Seth Dunbar did you ever find the source of your fuel smell. I am completing a fuel tank replacement right now from a pinhole leak on my 460CC. I was mopping up about 2-3 quarts of diesel a day from directly under my starboard forward tank.

[Sethmonus]

 Have not figured it out to this day. I think there’s a tank leak in the back. Hard to get to and I’m putting boat up for sale to go to smaller. Company here wanted $45 k to replace the tank through the side of the hull.  

[Airwaves]

Have not found it - seems to be strongest in lazarette. Can you post pics of how you for tanks out? I was looking at mine yesterday and trying to figure out of u may have pin hole in Center tank although I’m just getting vapors, no liquid.

[Airwaves]

@Robert Robinson I also removed the black sound deadening insulation as it was turning to dust and was holding diesel vapor

[gtstang462002]

This is an album of my crummy photo documentation of the job. I am working on hooking the little stuff back up to the engine now. The new tank is 2 inches shorter than the original so I could put it back in as a single unit. I lost about 15 gallons of fuel capacity out of the 700 that I held originally. Just means the generator will always run off the port tank from now on.

[gtstang462002]

Guess the link would help:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KgRvk5LqqKJ2vS3P7

[Airwaves]

@Robert Robinson Where are you in MD? And you had to pull the engine to remove the tanks? I’d have to move the genset. Did you consider going through the fiberglass hull? I’ve heard that they pull engines that way sometimes.

[gtstang462002]

I am down here in Solomons at the Solomons Yachting Center. I only replaced the one tank, but yes had to pull the engine to access it. I considered going through the hull, but decided against it to keep the costs down. I did the whole job with the boat in the water. It was a microscopic pinhole that caused this whole mess, but with 230 gallons of fuel pushing against it, the laws of physics won. Taking the opportunity to make some much needed floorplan changes in the salon area since the floor is out that will create a ton of additional storage.

[Airwaves]

@Robert Robinson where did you get the tank? It’s clear that my tank is leaking and I had it emptied. Did you do yours yourself? I’m not sure I want the job and will try to find someone to do it this winter.

[gtstang462002]

@Seth DunbarYes I did the job myself. I had a local fabrication shop make the tank to my specifications based off of how much space I needed. Think I paid 2900 to have the tank made. The whole process took me about a month and a half to complete including the time to have the tank built. I help my marinia out in the yard part time when I have nothing going on(which due to COVID has been a lot here lately). Most of the time they cut the tanks out in pieces and put in multiple smaller tanks that are tied together to make up the volume. DM me and I will see if I can get the contact information for the fab shop if you are interested in it.

[Sethmonus]

I moved my boat to Calvert County so I’m closer to Solomon’s. What’s the name of the shop that built your tank please?