I have a question. We have just got this season a 1998 Hunter 376 and love it. But after it has been closed up all week when we get on her there is what my wife calls a diesel smell. It is not a strong smell but very very mild, we noticed closes we had on the boat had the same very very light smell. Once we open hatchs the smell goes away but if the boat is closed up it is there. The boat had a new fuel line put in two years ago top of the line fuel hose. I leave the A/C on over the week, our system has a program designed for periods of when the boat is closed that you can set, it comes on based on humitity level in the boat. There are not any signs of any fluid under the engine, transmission shaft, or in the fuel tank area that I can see. I cleaned the boat at the first of the season under all these area so I could see if anything was being leaked out and it is still very clean. The fuel tank is original equip it looks fine and the area around the tank seems o.k. (it is hard to see). I have put stuff out to absorb the smell with little luck, any thoughs?V
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Smells (and taste) are difficult to diagnose
over the Internet, Joe. I suggest that you open up everything and find the leak. There should be NO diesel fuel smell, ever. Only YOU can trace each and every hose connection and check under the fuel tank to see if there are any pinhole leaks. You didn't say how old your boat is, but anything over 10 could be a tank leak. Good luck.
over the Internet, Joe. I suggest that you open up everything and find the leak. There should be NO diesel fuel smell, ever. Only YOU can trace each and every hose connection and check under the fuel tank to see if there are any pinhole leaks. You didn't say how old your boat is, but anything over 10 could be a tank leak. Good luck.
She is a 1998 376. I will try to run the hoses again this week end. I did that with a paper towel to see if I got anything but nothing but some dust showed up. There was a few places I could not reach so maybe I can remove something and redo it. The tank is a good call I try and get around it, the thing fits so close on all sides it is hard to get around it (located port aft storage under aft seats). The smell is so light I was wondering if it was just because we run the engine some but sound like that should not make the smell either.
Check over your diesel engine bleed screws, etc.
I had a smell like that when I bought my prior boat and it turned out to be a miniscule drip down the side of the engine from a bleed crew. Never even showed on the pad under the engine. I put a new washer on that bleed screw, wiped down engine and smell was gone.
I had a smell like that when I bought my prior boat and it turned out to be a miniscule drip down the side of the engine from a bleed crew. Never even showed on the pad under the engine. I put a new washer on that bleed screw, wiped down engine and smell was gone.
Clean all other bilge areas too
There may have been a past leak that is causing your odor problem so clean out the entire bilge as soon as possible to eliminate that as a possibility. I also like the 'bleed screw' idea and just re-checking all the fuel hoses and tank. Or it could be the head/holding tank.
There may have been a past leak that is causing your odor problem so clean out the entire bilge as soon as possible to eliminate that as a possibility. I also like the 'bleed screw' idea and just re-checking all the fuel hoses and tank. Or it could be the head/holding tank.
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