I can’t find the source of my diesel leak. It’s dripping when the motor is running. Coming from aft cabin space dripping forward under exhaust pipe. I can’t access the fittings on tank and tank is full of diesel. Any ideas??
Diesel smelll, diesel leak . 35.5 Legend
- Thread starter FDICsailing
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,390
Diesel is like water. You see it one place but the source is hidden and not where you’d expect.
I thinking your not like Lt Colonel Kilgore
I suspect your going to need to get dirty and follow the trail from where you see it to the crack or cracks that happen to hoses. @kloudie1 has given you a good place to start. The return hose at the nearest connector to the observed fuel. That would be a place where the fuel would be under pressure (even though it is low pressure). It might be that the hose has just wiggled enough that the clamp needs to be tightened. You may find that a previous owner put the hose on the nipple and failed to secure it with a clamp. This may be a case of the hose is just old and needs replacing.
good luck. Follow your nose.
I thinking your not like Lt Colonel Kilgore
“Smell that son. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
I suspect your going to need to get dirty and follow the trail from where you see it to the crack or cracks that happen to hoses. @kloudie1 has given you a good place to start. The return hose at the nearest connector to the observed fuel. That would be a place where the fuel would be under pressure (even though it is low pressure). It might be that the hose has just wiggled enough that the clamp needs to be tightened. You may find that a previous owner put the hose on the nipple and failed to secure it with a clamp. This may be a case of the hose is just old and needs replacing.
good luck. Follow your nose.
Thanks fellas this is all great advice, now time to get to work sniffer this out!! Question: does the amount of fuel in the tank make a difference?
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,390
Fuel volume should not impact the issue you identify. If the tank has a hole and it is below the fuel level it should be a constant drip drip drip. If the fuel level is below the hole, you should have no drips unless you heel over and change the level of the fuel in relation to a hole.
If as you identify, it is only when the engine is running, then the usual suspect is a hole/crack in a hose, tha tis on the pressure side of any pumps. (On the vacuum side you would get air sucked into the fuel line. A different problem)
If as you identify, it is only when the engine is running, then the usual suspect is a hole/crack in a hose, tha tis on the pressure side of any pumps. (On the vacuum side you would get air sucked into the fuel line. A different problem)
fuel fill hose was my leak, I noticed it when the engine was running and made incorrect assumptions.
yes if the leak is at the filler hose to tank coupling. the black light dye works well .