fuel leak in bilge

[g.spier]

I went out this weekend and returning to my mooring my wife smelled diesel fuel in the bildge. It appeared to be dripping from a fuel line near stern, possibly from a return line. It was not high preasure I think would have sucked air. But when feeling around the fuel lines seem to run close to pulley belts and could have chaffed. Used 10 pads to absorb all the fuel. Shut off fuel line and brought to Albin Dealer close by. Shut off bildge pumps. Not much room to work on with the Cummins.
Any suggestions??

[chiefrcd]

I'd wait to see what the dealer said. You might just have a lose line or after 8 years, one that has just deteriorated. I've changed quite a few lines on my 99 due to cracks etc. and have more that I will change soon.

[Mariner]

Check your hoses, replace as necessary. Check all hose clamps, replace or tighten as necessary. All hoses should be double clamped with stainless clamps.

[Veebyes2]

I'd start at the tank & follow the fuel trail. Somewhere between the tank & the injectors there must be the evidence of where the fuel is leaking. Just a tiny seepage will leave an odor. What is in the bilge could look far worse than what the leak actually is.

I have an ever so slow seepage on my Cummins. It is at the fuel pump. It is not worth the hundreds of $$$ it would take to fix at this time so it will get done when the engine is pulled for a good going over during the next year. Gotta a similar problem with my Perkins. One of the injectors. Just a very slow seep.The mechanic is affraid to try to tighten it any further. Doubt if it leaks more than a few ounces all day running.

[N4QC]

FWIW:

Had a similar fuel leakage problem with the high pressure line to the injector at the injector. Turns out that there were some metal shavings on the coupling. May have been deposited there if the fuel line had been removed for servicing of the injector or bleeding. Cleaned and smoothed out the coupling and injector connection point, and reinstalled – all ok.

Good luck,

[g.spier]

Albin dealer found a leak on the high preasure side, surprised the engine ran at all. Place chaffing gear on the new hose and all others. The 330 Cummins is the largest size engine placed in Albin 28, so it is tight to work around. The mechanic said that the chaffing hose should have come that way from the factory. Have not gotten a bill, but I think they worked on it for more than 1 day. Had to clean the bilge after the repair, even when they had already cleaned it.

G