fuel permeation smell from boat gas tank

[scugpg]

All, do any of you notice if your boat has a fairly strong fuel smell when stored indoors such as a garage etc or cover on for a while? Mine has one and being an 18yr old in floor plastic tank I think it's time to replace. Pressure tested OK this year and have all low perm hoses throughout so it must be the tank.

 

If I get a new xlpe tank should I notice an improvement for a few yrs or would it start permeating again quickly?

 

Thanks

[Old Ironmaker]

It may be venting fuel from it when it is warm in the garage and if the tank is full. Mine does.

[ecmilley]

the vents on the tank are open to atmosphere at all times and unlike automotive applications are not subject to laws for evaportive

emissions, so no charcoal canisters and such, smelling fuel fumes indoors is normal and also reason inboards have blowers on them especially older boats

[scugpg]

I also notice it more during a temp change thus the venting occurring, but majority of smell appears to be in floor area so wondering if replacing the tank will help.

[ecmilley]

if its passing a pressure test it should be ok, can pull seats or panels ect to access tank(s) it is possible that hoses in vent areas are cracked or clamps let go, maybe even top gaskets in sending units but the fuel smell should be around vents not in the boat it self

[scugpg]

if its passing a pressure test it should be ok, can pull seats or panels ect to access tank(s) it is possible that hoses in vent areas are cracked or clamps let go, maybe even top gaskets in sending units but the fuel smell should be around vents not in the boat it self

Everything is tight and all new hoses had the floor up recently. It's the tank itself permeating the smell.

[ecmilley]

Everything is tight and all new hoses had the floor up recently. It's the tank itself permeating the smell.

never seen a tank do that, anythings possible though and i work on lots of older boats

[misfish]

When I had the bayliner cuddy, I could smell gas when the weather warmed up. After awhile, I thought maybe it was the old seat covering. When we would go for a ride and come back, it was gone. After sitting for a while, the smell would return. I checked the engine area and could not smell it. In the cuddy I couldnt as well. Always came from the floor area. Im not saying you are wrong ecmilley, but just saying I found the same as spooled.

[ecmilley]

When I had the bayliner cuddy, I could smell gas when the weather warmed up. After awhile, I thought maybe it was the old seat covering. When we would go for a ride and come back, it was gone. After sitting for a while, the smell would return. I checked the engine area and could not smell it. In the cuddy I couldnt as well. Always came from the floor area. Im not saying you are wrong ecmilley, but just saying I found the same as spooled.[/quot

Just saying i 've never seen it. Usually find ethanol degraded lines and such but no rule saying cant be a tank. My ranger is a 1992 and plastic tanks are good so far but i run non eth fuel now. I would like to look it over myself just for the learning expierance

[scugpg]

Next time I'm up happy to pop by in reading around appears all plastic tanks permeate fuel and only recently some manufacturers offer low perm formulas. So maybe it's just typical behaviour and it's being exaggerated in a finished storage area? Especially with the open atmospheric venting adding to the smell.

 

Perhaps I should look at additional storage ventilation - I'd not be too happy dropping a ton of $ on an oem tank to find out it didn't really do much to help. :s

[scugpg]

Interesting note on subject in this doc http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/mm182_permanent_tank_afp.pdf

[aplumma]

Is your fuel cell made of epoxy or fiberglass? Many older boat are and the resin breaks down and allows fuel to permeate the foam and areas on those boats. Removal of the fuel cell and replacement is needed if this is an issue. I however would say it is just the tank venting off from temp. change.

 

 

Art

[scugpg]

Is your fuel cell made of epoxy or fiberglass? Many older boat are and the resin breaks down and allows fuel to permeate the foam and areas on those boats. Removal of the fuel cell and replacement is needed if this is an issue. I however would say it is just the tank venting off from temp. change.

 

 

Art

Tank is made of xlpe plastic.

[irishfield]

My 2007 Lund always has that smell if the tops on and she's been sitting in the sun at the dock. No fuel in the bilge and no signs of any leakage anywhere, so can only chalk it up to exactly what you linked there on permeation.

[Old Ironmaker]

If any gas has dripped onto the floor you will smell the gas below the boat. I'm not sure how you can detect that the smell is comming from the tank than any other area because of the enclosed space. Is there a smell when it's parked outside? I think you may be a lot like me, looking for complicated questions for problems that have a simple answer. Like my boat sitting high in the bow when it always has but never noticed. You aren't an engineer are you?

[irishfield]

I also own a plastics plant OI... I understand the cross linked PE issue and can't be bothered to pull up my floor to check since there are no signs of fuel leakage in my boat, as if there was it would have showed up in the bilge by now. I am certain that not a drop of fuel has been spilled on my floor.