I recently purchased an Oday 30. Unfortuantely prior to my purchase the diesel fuel tank began leaking. The prior owner replaced the tank and flushed (but didn't clean) the bilges. While the leak and all the free diesel are gone, the smell of diesel on entering the cabin remains overpowering. Obviously I need to scrub the bilges and the engine room-- what is the preferred agent to remove all the traces of diesel? Does anyone know any other tricks to help get rid of the lingering fumes? Thanks in advance for your help. ERic S
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Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net
Simple Green
Dec.31, 2000 Dear Eric, On cleaning the bilges themselves I haven't found anything that works any better than "Simple Green" which is not a soap but an emulsifying agent. You can mix it in various strengths and it really gets the job done. I've used it in our bilge to clean up oil leaks with excellent results. The other part of the problem is that fumes from the diesel will have penetrated all of the upholstery and other cloth material in the boat. We couldn't get rid of the smell until we took all of our settee cushions, pillows, and mattresses and had them and their covers dry cleaned. If you have fabric ceiling liners you can clean these yourself with either Simple Green if they are vinyl or fabric cleaner if they are cloth. The entire interior of the boat is also going to have to be cleaned to finally rid it of the aroma of diesel. Happy New Year and fair winds, Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net Aboard The Legend, RodneyBay, St. Lucia
Dec.31, 2000 Dear Eric, On cleaning the bilges themselves I haven't found anything that works any better than "Simple Green" which is not a soap but an emulsifying agent. You can mix it in various strengths and it really gets the job done. I've used it in our bilge to clean up oil leaks with excellent results. The other part of the problem is that fumes from the diesel will have penetrated all of the upholstery and other cloth material in the boat. We couldn't get rid of the smell until we took all of our settee cushions, pillows, and mattresses and had them and their covers dry cleaned. If you have fabric ceiling liners you can clean these yourself with either Simple Green if they are vinyl or fabric cleaner if they are cloth. The entire interior of the boat is also going to have to be cleaned to finally rid it of the aroma of diesel. Happy New Year and fair winds, Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net Aboard The Legend, RodneyBay, St. Lucia
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Detergent and water
A strong solution of it, followed by a very thorough rinse. Forget bleach, it won't do a thing for oil, grease etc. If the smell persists after you've done that, you haven't found all the diesel and gotten rid of it, 'cuz all odors have to have a source. Get rid the source, and you get rid of the odor.
A strong solution of it, followed by a very thorough rinse. Forget bleach, it won't do a thing for oil, grease etc. If the smell persists after you've done that, you haven't found all the diesel and gotten rid of it, 'cuz all odors have to have a source. Get rid the source, and you get rid of the odor.
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Gary Jensen
Caster oil degreaser
I used Caster Oil's degreaser (from Wallmart)to rid the diesel smell in my 36, when my tank leaked. Its like simple green but stronger. If the diesel sat for a long time and permeaded everything, then you will have to do EVERYTHING!...On your fabric (curtains and cushions) clean them outside wiyh mild detergent and spray scotchguard on them after. I then re-oiled all the teak. The boat was as good as new without a trace of diesel smell......good luck.
I used Caster Oil's degreaser (from Wallmart)to rid the diesel smell in my 36, when my tank leaked. Its like simple green but stronger. If the diesel sat for a long time and permeaded everything, then you will have to do EVERYTHING!...On your fabric (curtains and cushions) clean them outside wiyh mild detergent and spray scotchguard on them after. I then re-oiled all the teak. The boat was as good as new without a trace of diesel smell......good luck.
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Dave
After cleaning bilge use tons of fabreze!
If you use quite a bit of Fabreze, the cushions will loose the diesel smell. It really works! I spilled diesel on one of the chusions, didn't realize it until the next weekend when I opened her up...boy if it were gas fumes, I would have blown the boat out of the water they were so strong. Fabreze made it all go away...
If you use quite a bit of Fabreze, the cushions will loose the diesel smell. It really works! I spilled diesel on one of the chusions, didn't realize it until the next weekend when I opened her up...boy if it were gas fumes, I would have blown the boat out of the water they were so strong. Fabreze made it all go away...
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
Odor Sponge
At West Marine they have a product that comes in a little tub (like a short margarine tub) that is something like AirSponge or OdorSponge. It literally sucks the odors into the sponge - really doesn't smell much itself. Our diesel tank is right under the galley's dry storage locker. You have to go thru the locker to access the tank if you run out. Uh oh. Yup, ran out of fuel & had to get to the tank thru the locker. PEE UUUU! A couple of things that were in the locker were so permeated with diesel fumes they were inedible. I put the air sponge in there & it sucked it right up. LaDonna
At West Marine they have a product that comes in a little tub (like a short margarine tub) that is something like AirSponge or OdorSponge. It literally sucks the odors into the sponge - really doesn't smell much itself. Our diesel tank is right under the galley's dry storage locker. You have to go thru the locker to access the tank if you run out. Uh oh. Yup, ran out of fuel & had to get to the tank thru the locker. PEE UUUU! A couple of things that were in the locker were so permeated with diesel fumes they were inedible. I put the air sponge in there & it sucked it right up. LaDonna
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Jim Cook
Another possible odor source
When I bought my O'Day 27, it smelled just fine even though it hadn't been run for 2+ years. Ever since I started the engine, I have had a persistant odor in the cabin when left closed for a few days. I am in the process of changing the fuel line which I believe has become permeated with the odor since the line now has diesel in it again. If your lines ar 5+ years old, consider changing them. Jim Cook "Dream Chaser"
When I bought my O'Day 27, it smelled just fine even though it hadn't been run for 2+ years. Ever since I started the engine, I have had a persistant odor in the cabin when left closed for a few days. I am in the process of changing the fuel line which I believe has become permeated with the odor since the line now has diesel in it again. If your lines ar 5+ years old, consider changing them. Jim Cook "Dream Chaser"
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Jim Logan
Diesel odor
I agree with the previous writers, get rid of the exposed diesel fuel, you get rid of the odor - one source of odor with an older boat is the amount of fuel that has "dried" on the engine and mounts froom years of small amounts of spillage during repair, filter change, etc. Get a good engine cleaner, like "Gunk" and apply to a warm engine after protecting electrical connections. If you do this after making sure your bilge is clean, you will remove most of the odor unless you have a leak. It doesn't take much diesel to smell on an enclosed boat.
I agree with the previous writers, get rid of the exposed diesel fuel, you get rid of the odor - one source of odor with an older boat is the amount of fuel that has "dried" on the engine and mounts froom years of small amounts of spillage during repair, filter change, etc. Get a good engine cleaner, like "Gunk" and apply to a warm engine after protecting electrical connections. If you do this after making sure your bilge is clean, you will remove most of the odor unless you have a leak. It doesn't take much diesel to smell on an enclosed boat.
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