I recently purchased a Hunter 28.5. I have diesel fuel in bilge but I cannot find tithe source of the leak. Any suggestions? Brenda Reiland
Diesel fuel in bilge
- Thread starter Brenda Reiland
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first get some oil absorbing dog bones in there pronto....if your bilge pump comes on and dumps this over....you may have some very expensive fines...
next you will want to clean and inspect every nook cranny and notch of the engine, fuel lines, filters, fills, tanks, etc...
the key is cleanliness, as you will not be able to see anything but a flood with dirty engine and bilges...
if the engine runs well and strong and meets it's specs, then you can look on the low pressure side and towards filters and tanks...as fuel leaks enough to show will usually cause an engine to miss
next you will want to clean and inspect every nook cranny and notch of the engine, fuel lines, filters, fills, tanks, etc...
the key is cleanliness, as you will not be able to see anything but a flood with dirty engine and bilges...
if the engine runs well and strong and meets it's specs, then you can look on the low pressure side and towards filters and tanks...as fuel leaks enough to show will usually cause an engine to miss
Brenda,
We've had our 28.5 since new in '86...great boat some models had a specific quirk that may apply to yours as you didn't say which year it is. Check the fuel tank in the bottom starboard sail locker to see if you have a forward removable plywood panel over top of a Fiberglas water-lift muffler and second screwed down plywood panel over top of an 11.5 gallon Polyethelene fuel tank (per my '86).
Some model years had a fuel tank and waterlift muffler 'compartments' built into the bottom of the sail locker, and these don't have the integrity of separate manufactured components. If the later is your scenario, it is the likely problem.
If you can clearly see a manufactured polyethylene fuel tank, then start looking at fuel lines, fitings, OEM Fram fuel filter, rubber fuel line to manual fuel pump on starboard side of engine and banjo fittings from there forward to the primary fuel filter.
You may find more information on :www.huntertwentyeightfive.com
We've had our 28.5 since new in '86...great boat some models had a specific quirk that may apply to yours as you didn't say which year it is. Check the fuel tank in the bottom starboard sail locker to see if you have a forward removable plywood panel over top of a Fiberglas water-lift muffler and second screwed down plywood panel over top of an 11.5 gallon Polyethelene fuel tank (per my '86).
Some model years had a fuel tank and waterlift muffler 'compartments' built into the bottom of the sail locker, and these don't have the integrity of separate manufactured components. If the later is your scenario, it is the likely problem.
If you can clearly see a manufactured polyethylene fuel tank, then start looking at fuel lines, fitings, OEM Fram fuel filter, rubber fuel line to manual fuel pump on starboard side of engine and banjo fittings from there forward to the primary fuel filter.
You may find more information on :www.huntertwentyeightfive.com
Very good advice in the response to your question. Woke last Sunday morning to a severe diesel smell in my harbor. Took a walk on the dock til I found the cuprit. My ditsty neighbor. Mr. "Dip Stick". He has earned that nickname. 
Saw his bildge was full, so he turned on the pump. Didn't bother to check to see what it was full of. The marina had filled his diesel tank the previous day all the way to the top of the fill inlet. The following day was a hot day in the middle 80's and the fuel expanded due to the heat and had no where to go but in his bildge.
Lesson Learned: Don't fill your fuel tank all the way to the top in let. Leave room for expansion.
Next I crawled around his boat checking for leaks. No leaks, very clean engine. Only found one fitting that should be replaced, but did not leak. Couple of other recommendations: If you have a Yanmar, check the bleeder screw on top of your secondary fuel filter to see if the copper "O" ring is in good shape. Check your primary filter to see if it has one. These are necessary, and if they are bad, they will leak. Last check to see if you have a metal fuel tank. The metal ones will break down and rot with age. I believe you may have a plastic/figerglass one though. Our Hunter 31 has a plastic tank. No leaks there. Fairley simple system to check out. I replace my rubber lines every 5 to 6 years. I know it is over kill. But the second mate has a very sencitive nose.
Oh, and "Dip Stick" has learned to check his bildge and have his bottle of "Dawn" close at hand............
Saw his bildge was full, so he turned on the pump. Didn't bother to check to see what it was full of. The marina had filled his diesel tank the previous day all the way to the top of the fill inlet. The following day was a hot day in the middle 80's and the fuel expanded due to the heat and had no where to go but in his bildge. Lesson Learned: Don't fill your fuel tank all the way to the top in let. Leave room for expansion.
Next I crawled around his boat checking for leaks. No leaks, very clean engine. Only found one fitting that should be replaced, but did not leak. Couple of other recommendations: If you have a Yanmar, check the bleeder screw on top of your secondary fuel filter to see if the copper "O" ring is in good shape. Check your primary filter to see if it has one. These are necessary, and if they are bad, they will leak. Last check to see if you have a metal fuel tank. The metal ones will break down and rot with age. I believe you may have a plastic/figerglass one though. Our Hunter 31 has a plastic tank. No leaks there. Fairley simple system to check out. I replace my rubber lines every 5 to 6 years. I know it is over kill. But the second mate has a very sencitive nose.
Oh, and "Dip Stick" has learned to check his bildge and have his bottle of "Dawn" close at hand............
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/s...mpaignId=T9F&gclid=CPC5_6qVprMCFQSf4AodPgMApg
or something along this line...they are certainly available at WM and marine stores..I buy them cheaper elsewhere....
they absorb oil, while leaving the water pretty much alone. easy to deploy and soak up quite a bit of oil in a fair amount of time.
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