Diesel stench

[deaconwayne]

I am the new owner of a 1998 Hunter 28 and the stench of the diesel on the cabin cushions is unbearable.:cry:- I will replace the cushions.
Question - is there a vent (blocked?) to discharge heat & fumes from the engine?
I hate to replace and then fumigate the new cushions.

Thanks.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

From what you describe, I'd be looking for a substantial fuel leak somewhere under the sole.

Once you've repaired the leak, I'd suggest removing all of the sole, letting the underside bake in the noon day sun and then scrubbing out the bilge area as best as possible.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Assuming no fuel leak, A properly operating diesel should not cause any smell inside the boat. My suggestion before replacing the foam is to ensure everything is tight and you have no fuel or exhaust leaks.

There are a number of home remedies to minimize the odor adsorbed in foam, none of which are 100% effective but I'd hate to read that you replaced them just to have the problem recur.

 

[just lucky]

we had similar issue with our latest boat. If you can smell raw diesel it must be a leak. I finally tracked ours down to a pin hole on a lower rear seam of the aluminum fuel tank by removing the tank from the boat and pressurized it with air. We then removed everything from the boat and cleaned it, the cushions remained in the yard for a week, flipped often and only going into the shed when there was fear of rain. the hull was flooded with a high concentration of dish soap and rinsed. All is well now, lots of surplus got jettison in the process.

 

[deaconwayne]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I really believe the odor is exhaust, not raw diesel. Kinda like sitting next to a greyhound bus at a stop light and the cushions are permeated. They're so old that the zippers have deteriorated and cannot be unzipped to expose the foam.

Seems like I need start the engine and look (smell) for an exhaust leak. With someone to help if I become incapacitated for sure. Any suggestions on this?

 

[deaconwayne]

Ps. I have been on 4 sailboats. 2, including mine, smelled like mine and the other 2 were completely odor free and a joy to be on.

 

[Stu Jackson]

www.pureayre.com

 

[deaconwayne]

Tried the Pureayre thanks. Didn't put a dent in the smell - too entrenched in all the cushions.

 

[kloudie1]

There are some past posts on diesel smell removal on the forum.. but the problem is that the diesel vapor has a big affinity for the foam and gets into the pores ..the solutions aren't 100% as Don suggested.. but the high labor one is to carefully take the foam out of the covers .. wash the foam in a detergent with a little Lysol ..really saturate the foam, as in a tub ..after squishing and agitating, use something like a rolling pin to mash out as much water as you can.. then put the foam in the sun until dry.. may take a few days. meanwhile carefully and gently hand wash the covers in laundry detergent.. then dry them in the sun. The most difficult part will be putting the foam back into the covers so it is all straight. Good Luck .. but as others have said, be really sure that all drips or drools of diesel and wisps of exhaust are completely eliminated before going through the pain of cleaning the foam and covers.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

If You Think it's Exhaust ...............

I really believe the odor is exhaust, not raw diesel. Kinda like sitting next to a greyhound bus at a stop light

............... there's also the danger of CO lurking about.

Maybe time to think about a CO monitor.

 

[deaconwayne]

Roger that on the CO detector. Should also tell me if the fumes are coming from a keaking exhaust system - thanks for the tip.

 

[Sailm8]

I to had the smell. Found some loose fuel line fittings and an exhaust leak at the elbow. It was just a pin hole but was enough to really stink up the boat.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good point. FWIW, there is a distinctly DIFFERENT smell from exhaust gases than from a fuel leak. Both are equally annoying, but different. If you had them both, I'm sure glad you traced them down.

 

[just lucky]

diesel exhaust fumes are not as lethal as gas exhaust fumes.