# gas tank leak??



## just add water (Jan 4, 2008)

Purchased a used 23' proline about a month ago and am planning a trip down to pensacola to go fishing. Thought I would fill up the tank today(55 gal.) trying to save money before it goes up again. When I got home I could smell a little gas, so to play it safe I pulled off the gas hatch cover in the deck. Could see about a cup or two of gas gas on the hull floor. Checked the tank for any visable leaks but could locate any. I then took a hose and and washed off the inside of the hull and let it drain out. I hooked it back up on the truck and drove about 2 miles to see if I could detect any moregas leaking.Could not find any.. The question is do boat tanks haveany type of over-flow valve on them? Also when I filled the tank from the pump I filled it on the fast flow from the nozzle, could this create an over-flow? I put in 50 gallons so i should have hadsome extra room in the tank. Any help would be greatly appreciated--Thanks


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> do boat tanks have any type of over-flow valve on them?




Not inside the hull. The vent should overflow out the side of the hull.



It could be a leaking tank. It could also be a leaking hose or the sending unit gasket.





It's nothing to play with. Until you find the leak and repair or replace the tank your trip is Shot.



You can replace the boat, but we sure wouldn't want to read about you in a burn ward or worse.


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## just add water (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks, have been outside checking over all the hoses and fittings.


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## The Maintenance Shoppe (Nov 5, 2007)

We use a petrolium based leak detecting dye that helps find the leak.


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## just add water (Jan 4, 2008)

Tightened all the fitttings and drove around with boat on trailer and found no more gas in hull, but if it happens again I will try the dye--thanks


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## sailor (Oct 29, 2007)

It could be a pin hole in the tank and you dislodged it when filling up but maybe it gummed back up. If there was visible gas then you NEED to find the leak before you take the boat out again. Any small spark (such as a bilge pump float switch coming on) could cause a massive explosion. Find the leak or double your life insurance policy for the misses.


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## The Maintenance Shoppe (Nov 5, 2007)

You don't have to worry about the bilge pump sparking.

You have to worry about the bilge pump and float switch MELTING AND NOT WORKING...



Check any plastic parts in the bilge for deformation.


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## sailor (Oct 29, 2007)

> *TMS (3/24/2008)*You don't have to worry about the bilge pump sparking.
> 
> You have to worry about the bilge pump and float switch MELTING AND NOT WORKING...
> 
> ...




I was only using the bilge pump as an example. Do NOT overlook the importance of finding a fuel leak....regardless if your bilge pump can or can't actually produce a spark.


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## H2OMARK (Oct 2, 2007)

I had a very similar problem on my Proline. What I found was when I filled the tank to the top, it leaked around the spade terminals on the fuel sending unit. Keep in mind now that it was not the gasket leaking but the terminals that the wires hook to. Only did it when the tank was totally full. I changed the sending unit before using the boat again. Hope this helps.


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## Hot Dog (Dec 14, 2007)

Adding dye to your tank will only work when the tank is leaking. Go top the tank off again with some one watching the tank for leaks. If you don't find it call some of the larger automotive shops and find one that can pressurize your tank. That will find your leak, that is how they do it in cars now. If it leaked once it will leak again.


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## just add water (Jan 4, 2008)

changed the sending unit gasket, and finished tightening all fittings. Will go up in a few days and top off the tank and see if there is still a leak-----Again thanks for the information u guys provided


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## flipjohnson (Apr 14, 2008)

I had the same problem a year ago. Yeah Pin Holes in the bottom of the tank. It broke my heart to see a huge hole in the floor of my boat. But the guys at Cape Horn help out alot and my hat is off to Scott and the guys Thanks Cape Horn for all your help)


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

Ok, this sounds strange,, it has a 55 gal tank on a 23' offshore boat ? sounds small ??


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