Forums › General Discussion › Diesel Leak or Spill

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    • #68406
      Hull152_Patrick
      Spectator

      When fueling up the other day we had an overflow at the fill and at the vent on the stern. (Way more poerful pump than I was used to). Not that much fuel spilled, but now there is some diesel dripping from the forward area of the tank and i’m not sure if its from a leak or the overfill event.

      I’ve crawled all over the lazarettes and the tank and all the fittings look fine and there’s no fuel on the top or sides of the tank.

      Do I have a leak or is there some other place the fuel could have squeezed out when we overfilled? Right now I’m hoping it just a clean up problem… 🙁

      Thanks,
      -p

      Owners no more...
      Thanks Dawn and Patrick!

    • #77563
      john stevenson
      Participant

      Patrick,
      Many of the aluminum tanks supplied by Pearson developed pinhole leaks.
      Hopefully this is not the case with your tank, but the hydrostatic pressure
      of the fuel overflow might have been enough to open a pinhole. I believe
      the pinholes were caused by electrolysis between the tank and the hold-down
      straps. Earlier 424s came with iron tanks, which did not have this problem.
      If there is no fuel evident on the tops and sides of the tank, could the
      fuel you see have been there before and you only noticed it because of the
      spill?
      Clean it up and see if any fuel comes back. Good luck.

      Regards,
      John Stevenson
      http://www.svsarah.com

      On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Patrick_DeepPlaya wrote:

      When fueling up the other day we had an overflow at the fill and at the
      vent on the stern. (Way more poerful pump than I was used to). Not that much
      fuel spilled, but now there is some diesel dripping from the forward area of
      the tank and i’m not sure if its from a leak or the overfill event.

      I’ve crawled all over the lazarettes and the tank and all the fittings look
      fine and there’s no fuel on the top or sides of the tank.

      Do I have a leak or is there some other place the fuel could have squeezed
      out when we overfilled? Right now I’m hoping it just a clean up problem…
      🙁

      Thanks,
      -p


      Deep Playa, #152 http://www.DeepPlaya.com

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    • #77564
      Lee Yonkers
      Participant

      John,

      I read your response to Patrick’s question and immediately put a magnet on the tank. It stuck! I have hull number 43. Do you know which hull number was the first 424 to have aluminum fuel tanks?

      Lee

      ________________________________

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    • #77565
      Hull152_Patrick
      Spectator

      Gave everything a good cleaning laid down fresh oil cloths and we have a
      drip, but its a very light drip (couple of drops today). I think we’re going
      to leav it alone and get to San Francisco as there doesn’t seem to be any
      options to fix it here in Newport, OR.

      -p

      —
      s/v Deep Playa | Pearson 424 Hull #152 | http://www.DeepPlaya.com | @DeepPlaya

      On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 11:29 AM, John Stevenson wrote:

      Patrick,
      Many of the aluminum tanks supplied by Pearson developed pinhole leaks.
      Hopefully this is not the case with your tank, but the hydrostatic pressure
      of the fuel overflow might have been enough to open a pinhole. I believe
      the pinholes were caused by electrolysis between the tank and the hold-down
      straps. Earlier 424s came with iron tanks, which did not have this
      problem.
      If there is no fuel evident on the tops and sides of the tank, could the
      fuel you see have been there before and you only noticed it because of the
      spill?
      Clean it up and see if any fuel comes back. Good luck.

      Regards,
      John Stevenson
      http://www.svsarah.com

      On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Patrick_DeepPlaya <

      wrote:

      When fueling up the other day we had an overflow at the fill and at the
      vent on the stern. (Way more poerful pump than I was used to). Not that

      much

      fuel spilled, but now there is some diesel dripping from the forward area

      of

      the tank and i’m not sure if its from a leak or the overfill event.

      I’ve crawled all over the lazarettes and the tank and all the fittings

      look

      fine and there’s no fuel on the top or sides of the tank.

      Do I have a leak or is there some other place the fuel could have

      squeezed

      out when we overfilled? Right now I’m hoping it just a clean up

      problem…

      🙁

      Thanks,
      -p


      Deep Playa, #152 http://www.DeepPlaya.com

      _______________________________________________
      maillist mailing list

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      Owners no more...
      Thanks Dawn and Patrick!

    • #77566
      joe shimkonis
      Participant

      mine is hull 78 and had to replace the aluminum leaky tank-many many pin hole leaks-everywhere on the bottom-not one or two.

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      Joe Shimkonis

    • #77567
      john stevenson
      Participant

      Lee,
      No, I don’t know when Pearson changed the tanks to aluminum. My new tank is
      aluminum, but the hold-down straps are isolated from the tank by cork
      strips.

      Regards,
      John Stevenson
      http://www.svsarah.com

      On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 8:24 PM, joe shimkonis wrote:

      Quote:
      mine is hull 78 and had to replace the aluminum leaky tank-many many pin
      hole leaks-everywhere on the bottom-not one or two.

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #77568
      Hull152_Patrick
      Spectator

      I think I like Pete’s 95 gallon tank below the salon floor…
      http://dublerfamily.com/Regina_oceani/Tank_project/SVReginaOceanFuelTankProject/index.html

      What did you do with the area under the cockpit sole, put in a third berth?

      -p

      Quote:
      On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 8:24 PM, joe shimkonis wrote:

      Quote:
      mine is hull 78 and had to replace the aluminum leaky tank-many many pin
      hole leaks-everywhere on the bottom-not one or two.

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

      Owners no more...
      Thanks Dawn and Patrick!

    • #77569
      joe shimkonis
      Participant

      Can someone send me the boat profile and strap positionings to insure a damage free haulout? Bottom paint way past due.

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      Joe Shimkonis

    • #77570
      Anonymous

      file attached : 424 profile & lift points.

      ~~~~ Capt. Bill Tice, aboard s/v CHARISMA ~~~~~


      Original Message


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    • #77574
      Hull152_Patrick
      Spectator

      Going to have a guy come downa nd take a look today… just talking on the phone he had an interesting suggestion of removing the fuel, and the old tank, throwing in an interim solution (bladder smaller pre-made tank) to get us down the coast while we waited for a new tank.

      Hate having to deal with this in a hurried manner… and its a holiday weekend too… yay!

      -p

      @Patrick_DeepPlaya wrote:

      Gave everything a good cleaning laid down fresh oil cloths and we have a
      drip, but its a very light drip (couple of drops today). I think we’re going
      to leav it alone and get to San Francisco as there doesn’t seem to be any
      options to fix it here in Newport, OR.

      Owners no more...
      Thanks Dawn and Patrick!

    • #77575
      kalinowski
      Participant

      As a naive aluminum tank owner (#135), why couldn’t bladder fuel tanks be utilized as permanent replacements? Sounds a lot easier than pulling the engine.

      Dan Kalinowski
      Jolly Lama (#135)
      Ko Olina, O’ahu

    • #77576
      john stevenson
      Participant

      Don,
      I can only guess at this, but reasons not to use bladder tanks

      1. Difficult to secure in boat
      2. Limited capacity compared to metal tank
      3. Coast Guard approved for fuel?
      4. Insurable?
      5. Difficult to attach fittings
      6. Short useful life compared to metal tank

      Regards,
      John Stevenson
      http://www.svsarah.com

      On Sat, Sep 3, 2011 at 10:58 AM, kalinowski wrote:

      As a naive aluminum tank owner (#135), why couldn’t bladder fuel tanks be
      utilized as permanent replacements? Sounds a lot easier than pulling the
      engine.

      Dan Kalinowski
      Jolly Lama (#135)
      Ko Olina, O’ahu

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    • #77577
      unabated
      Participant

      If the’re not secured properly, they WILL chafe through – from the constant motion in a seaway……
      alan

      — On Sat, 9/3/11, John Stevenson wrote:

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    • #77578
      quent
      Participant

      Flexible tanks come in all shapes and sizes. See link here to a flexible tank company that advertises in Professional Boatbuilder:
      http://www.atlinc.com/
      I’ve heard of some people who simply cut the top off the old tank then installed a flexible tank inside. Don’t know what a custom sized flexible tank would cost, probably plenty. This arrangement would probably address many of John’s concerns and would have the additional advantage of no air vent.
      We have an aluminum tant which I repaired by encapsulating it in fiberglass and West epoxy. About 8 years since and no leaks, kow!
      Quent
      Clairebuoyant, #132

    • #77583
      kalinowski
      Participant

      Tanks for the insights! (Had to do that.)

      No leaks yet on our boat. But Quent’s #132 is close to my #135 and I guess I better be prepared.

      Dan Kalinowski
      Jolly Lama (#135)
      Ko Olina, O’ahu

    • #77584
      quent
      Participant

      Dan-
      I suggest that you keep your fuel clean. Our tank corroded through from the inside. The outside was fine.
      Quent

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