leaking fuel tank Albin 27 '86

[vivant]

I have been noticing a slight amount of diesel discharged from my aft bilge periodically. The amount of fuel leaking is imperceptible on my dip stick fuel gauge. a slight amount (drops)of fuel migrates to the engine compartment after heavy rains. does anyone know of a solution short of the one I'm contemplating? i.e. cutting out the deck and removing the original 72 gallon tank.

Anyone else had a similar problem?

vivant

[jcollins]

Welcome to the group.
Have you ruled out a leaking hose?
Could it be an vent problem?
Don't know much about your boat. Is the fuel pump visible?

[vivant]

Thanks for your response.

There are no obvious leaks around any of the hoses. The problem is that access to the tank is limited to the sides by looking under the bench seat accesses and the limited views through two deck plate accesses. There is no way to view the tank since it sits between two bulkheads directly beneath the aft deck in the center of the hull.

Vivant

[jemfromystic]

this may be far-fetched - but, if you remove the step into the aft cabin-over the bilge pump-and look forward under the deck there is a laminated partition held in place with 2 strips of wood. each strip is screwed in, each to a side of this opening. at least that's how it is in my albin27. if that patition were removed, is there access to the fuel tank?

[jcollins]

Don,
Sorry if I sound like a broken record but you said you only notice it when it rains? Could it be that the normal intrusion of rainwater is "washing" it down to the bilge from a leaky old fuel line?

[rt11002003]

My A27AC has two 50 gallon tanks; one on each side under the bench seats.

Last year I put too much fuel into the port tank and created a leak around the sending unit. Fuel would come across the top and then down the aft wall of the tank.

Can you reach the top of your tank and feel around for the presence of fuel?

Taught me a lesson about fueling.

Gene