diesel fuel smell in 25.5

[sailorkoop]

is it common for sailboats with diesel engines for the cabin to always smell like diesel fuel?.......I was on one yesterday and thinking of buying it but the smell in the cabin was so bad i don't think i could ever sleep in it!

thanks,

 

[Mulf]

no. more likely a former spill, leak or drip somewhere.

It can be as little as a seeping bleed screw on the engine mounted fuel system, as I had in my prior boat. It took wiping down the engine with a white paper towel to find it as it was invisible to the eye. Of course, it can be from bigger spills. Peggie Hall, the head mistress on this site, can tell you all about how to clean up and get rid of the smell. It's not necessarilly a deal breaker but you need to determine how big an issue it is.

 

[sailorkoop]

Re: no. more likely a former spill, leak or drip somewhere.

thanks a lot for your help!.....bums me out but glad to know!

 

[sailorkoop]

could it be mildew???

So now i've talked to the owner again and he says there is no leak...He says i'm either smelling mildew or diesel from when there was a leak last year......Could this be mildew and how hard is that to get rid of?

It can be as little as a seeping bleed screw on the engine mounted fuel system, as I had in my prior boat. It took wiping down the engine with a white paper towel to find it as it was invisible to the eye. Of course, it can be from bigger spills. Peggie Hall, the head mistress on this site, can tell you all about how to clean up and get rid of the smell. It's not necessarilly a deal breaker but you need to determine how big an issue it is.