Gas smell- now what?

[Scoot]

I'm trying to figure out why my boat stinks like gas so dang bad. I was told I've got a leak or venting issue and that by far the most likely place for this to occur is right on the tank. So, I took off the main floor panel and hoped to find a spot where there was gas leaking somewhere. Here's what I found:

I couldn't find any damp spots and I looked very closely at the places where anything was going into or out of the tank. Nothing appears to be goofy or suggests a leak or problem to me. The smell seems a teeny tiny bit worse towards the back of the boat, but that might just be in my head...

One thing that might be worth mentioning is that the boat hasn't been run since last Oct. So, I wonder if a leak was in this area, maybe I wouldn't even see it unless I was getting some fresh gas leaked out in there? Heck if I know.

Any suggestions or info would be appreciated!

[Surface Tension]

We've seen this complaint of smelling gas many times here.

IMO some tank materials leech the gas smell and the tank is fine.

Where is the vent located and is it possible that is where the smell is coming from.

Of coarse check all the hoses for a possible leak and connections.

Check the sending unit for leaks.

It wouldn't hurt to pull the tank and check it for areas that might have chaffed.

Last I would unhook the vent and plug the gas fill, and fuel line to outboard and vacuum leak down test the tank through the vent line.

A vacuum break line bleeder would work there and are inexpensive.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

What boat do you have?

[Scoot]

It's a 2000 Skeeter 1770.

Thanks ST- I appreciate it!

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

My Alumacraft has the same issue. Even had it down to the factory and they never found anything.

[SkunkedAgain]

Does your boat stink badly like gas right now, or did it stink like gas last year while using it? If it's the latter then you may need to run the motor to build up pressure and see where the leak/spray might be coming from.

[Meat-Run]

Is the smell stronger when fueling or all the time? Maybe theres a leak under the actual tank, can you syphon the gas and remove the tank and start from zero and see if there might be some small crack underneath, just an idea.

mr

[Scoot]

Thanks again for the replies, fellas. It does smell some now, but not at all like it does when I run it. I'll run it and see if I can find something... If not, maybe Meat-Run is on the right track.

Thanks guys!

[TooTallTom]

Scoot, something to think about is what chasing this down will cost in terms of time and aggravation, and what a new (or good used) tank from one of the online sites will cost after installation. You could go with aluminum or stainless if you want to.

If it's a pinhole or two, those could be real tough to run down. And you might find after spending time chasing the problem down that you have to replace the tank anyway. Just a thought...

[LightningBG]

Would a pressure test be a reasonable way to test for leaks?

[SkunkedAgain]

Scoot, something to think about is what chasing this down will cost in terms of time and aggravation, and what a new (or good used) tank from one of the online sites will cost after installation. You could go with aluminum or stainless if you want to.

That's a good point, but only if you're 100% sure that it's the tank. What if he buys a new tank, installs it, only to find out that it's a bad connection or hose fitting close to the tank? Figure out where it's coming from first. Also remember that gas may leak from a spot and run along the underneath of hoses and the tank before leaking onto the boat bottom!

[TooTallTom]

Yeah, I suppose replacing the tank will only solve the problem if the problem is the tank...

[herm]

Scoot, I have the 2001 version of that boat. I bought it used about 5 years ago and immediately noticed a gas smell - mostly when stored in garage. (and probably not as bad as your explanation.) I talked to a few smart people and shops about it. Of the many answers, I followed the suggestion to fill it super-FULL with gas just before I knew I would not use it for at least a week or more. Then, when ready to use again, check the tank to see how much gas has gone MIA. (I used a "dipstick" before and after - and it revealed virtually no loss/leak. That convinced me it was not worth time and treasure to pursue getting rid of the smell. The guy suggested this because he said there was NO easy/cheap way to ID the problem. (And it was only a problem if engine wasn't performing or a leak was posing a safety issue.) Hope this helps. Here's to no odors!

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I resorted to putting oder erasers in the storage areas. Feet has them in the housewares department. They are called oder air magnet.

[wastewaterguru]

Would a pressure test be a reasonable way to test for leaks?

No.

Don't pressurize a fuel tank for obvious safety reasons. A vacuum test as previously suggested is the way to go.