[C320-list] Access to area between engine compartment and bilge - Update and learnings

[Brad Kuether]

Hey everyone,

Well despite my fears of essentially "ruining" my boat, the outcome was not as terrible as I thought it might be.  I got the large majority (if not all) of the fuel cleaned up; Any liquid I was able to still find is mostly, if not all "Simple Green" cleaner.  We took the boat out in heavy air with lots of waves last weekend, and NOTHING has passed through the bilge since the incident.  Also today after near 100 degrees, there was no hint of evaporated diesel smell anywhere in the cabin or the bilge.  I was very fortunate that fuel never made it to the lowest level of the bilge otherwise it would have gone forward and that's not easy to get to either, PLUS the possibility of pumping overboard.  I am a geographer by training, and yes I get "its the environment stupid...".

Here is what happened:
  a.. I had trouble with the clear plastic fuel bowl on the separator filter.  It wouldn't come off.  I finally had to take the packing nut wrench to it, to get it to finally turn. (A good 15 minutes)
  b.. After taking it off I was irritated, hot, and distracted.  I started cleaning the bowl because it had growth in the nooks and crannies.  
  c.. When I was done cleaning the "drain screw", I did the intuitive thing, I "closed it" righty tighty.  Wrong!
  d.. After spinning the FWS back on with a new filter I went back to turn the fuel back on.  I was by myself.
  e.. After climbing out of the rear compartment, by the time I reached the area below, a large volume of fuel had traversed through the filter and into the area behind the motor.  It was pooling and I rushed back to the rear compartment to turn it off.
  f.. I mopped up everything I could see in the area behind the motor.
  g.. Knowing there was likely fuel heading for the bilge I shoved the remaining paper towels into the bilge pass throughs, and ran to Wal-Mart for cleaning supplies.
Here is what I did...
  a.. Purchased "simple green", along with a brush with a handle, one that had a reservoir for dishwashing liquid.
  b.. Purchased an 8 pack of paper towels.
  c.. Purchased an 8 dollar electric screw driver. (Black and Decker!!!!)
  d.. Ran back to the boat and opened the bilge access panel.  As suspected and by design, the diesel was pooled there, on the 1st level "up".   I cleaned it up.
  e.. I opened the next level using the electric screw driver and found more fuel, quite a bit more.  I cleaned it up.
  f.. I knew where I had to go next and pulled up the screws on the port side for the floor board.  (pain!!!!)  I put that board aside.
  g.. The starboard board was harder because the table was screwed down to it.  I took the screws back as far as I could so that I could lift it.  This gave me access to the access hole.  Its not that big!!!!!
  h.. I put my arm down there and sopped up the fuel, until it was "dry".  (not pooling anyway.)
  i.. I mixed up some simple green and water in a bucket and poured it through the wick holes behind the motor.
  j.. I used the access hole to mop that mixture up which also displaced the fuel in the wick hole and who knows where else.
  k.. I did this three times, until I determined it was more "water and simple green" than diesel fuel.
  l.. I filled the brush with the same solution and maneuvered the brush back towards the engine compartment as best I could, squeezing fluid out to scrub with.
  m.. I wrapped paper towels around the brush to clean up what I could reach.
  n.. I squirted the simple green in one last time to get all the fuel off the surface.
Here is what I learned:
  a.. Don't EVER let this happen to you.
  b.. The drain plug on the separator bowl screws "down" not up.  Look at it.  It makes sense when you turn it and look at it.
  c.. Diesel fuel is not viscous.  It will drain in the boat very similarly to water, and subsequently go to the same place(s).
  d.. The area under the step ladder is relatively flat.  liquids tend to "spread out", and not head specifically to the bilge pass through.
  e.. Liquid will "pool" under the landing, towards the port side closer to the drawers.  This makes it hard to get to especially for a left hander.  I didn't take the drawers out.  But I may still yet, just to be sure.
  f.. Wear gloves that cover your arm.  The access port under the landing is raw glass and my arm is still irritated.
Here is what I will always do going forward:
  a.. Next time and all subsequent times I will always try to do this with someone else turning the fuel on, so I can see what happens.
  b.. I had built a catch, out of those big plastic coffee containers.  I didn't have it underneath when I let the fuel flow otherwise this may have been very minor.  Again, irritated and distracted.  It is your best opportunity to make stupid mistakes.
  c.. I am going to consider having the access port "opened up" for better access.
  d.. I may do a port like others on the list have, *or* will cut the floor boards such that I don't have to pull the entire sheets up to access the port.  I am thinking two small cuts at the narrowest area on both boards.
  e.. I will finish the sides of the port so the glass isn't raw and wear gloves that come up to elbows. 
  f.. I am going to learn how to remove the drawers so I can access the area where I indicated it was pooling.
If anyone has any specific questions, or further suggestions (camera I know) please forward on to me.

Thanks for listening.  It was good therapy for me.

-Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
"Independence"
2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
Middle River, MD   






----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brad Kuether" <bkuether at comcast.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2011 7:38 AM
Subject: [C320-list] Access to area between engine compartment and bilge


Had an accident while changing out the fuel water seperator, and fuel went through the wick holes behind the engine where the fuel water seperator is located.

It found its way into the bilge, but I was able to catch it before it got into the deepest well.

I took the bilge boards up and followed it back towards the engine compartment, and also took the floor boards up to gain further access.

There is a smaller hole cut out, and I sopped up what I could reach, but there is an area right under where the ladder sits that you just can't reach.

Any ideas on how to get under that area short of cutting a hole?  I was thinking maybe from under the sink, taking the drawers out that seems to be the closest access.

Any and all suggestions appreciated.  

Thanks!

-Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
"Independence"
2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
Middle River, MD