[C320-list] C320-list Digest, Vol 1987, Issue 1

[Jeffrey Kapec]

Hello Amrko:

I had the very same experience three years ago on my 320 - 
hull 718  -2000 vintage.  It was on the day we were taking 
the boat in for the fall haulout.  Exact same spot where the 
fuel was migrating.

The source was the fuel tank.  Another owner later reproted 
he had the same issue.  I looked carefully at the forward 
section of the tank and saw it was leaking fule one drop at 
a time from the lower seam.

I had to remove and replace the tank.  It is a project.  I 
can give you some pointer if you ascertain that this is the 
problem but I think it most likely is

Jeff Kapec
Petite Suite hull 718



On 3/10/2014 3:03 PM, 
c320-list-request at lists.catalina320.com wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
>     1. Winter surprise (Marko Jamnik)
>     2. Re: Winter surprise (Rick Sulewski)
>     3. Re: Winter surprise (Marko Jamnik)
>     4. Re: Winter surprise (Elizabeth Schwartz)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2014 23:49:33 -0400
> From: Marko Jamnik <markojamnik55 at gmail.com>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Winter surprise
> Message-ID: <9F3CEF6D-D2CB-4481-908B-380DEEB0628E at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> As we come out of the coldest winter in some time. We wonder what surprise winter will leave with. As I inspect the inside of my boat I realized a diesel smell as I entered the cockpit. I noticed diesel in the well below the engine and also more fuel located aft below the transmission and the stuffing box area. It does not appear to be coming from the primary fuel filter but leaking somewhere on the engine and setting behind the engine. The engine is a 30B Westerbeke. I look forward to anyones input regarding this fuel leak.
>
> Marko Jamnik
> Marquesas 304
> Lake Ontario
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 08:30:24 -0400
> From: "Rick Sulewski" <rsulewski at bex.net>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Winter surprise
> Message-ID: <000301cf3c5c$8352c050$89f840f0$@bex.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>
> Marko,
> I also have a Westerbeke and am familiar with the fuel system. You may have
> a leaking fuel line, leaking fuel fitting, a leaking fuel pump or a leak at
> the on-engine fuel filter/retainer. It is also possible that fuel is leaking
> from the fuel tank or lines/fittings from the tank migrating into your bilge
> area from under the liner.
>
> The fuel may be leaking because the fuel lines, filter and fuel pump are at
> a level below the  fuel level in the tank, which is higher than the source
> of the fuel leak.  The fuel leak can be gravity fed and fuel can escape at
> that breach point in the system. That is why you are seeing fuel under the
> transmission and in the engine oil bilge area. If fuel leak is nearest the
> engine, then the fuel is likely running down the fuel line or even the
> engine block and dripping into that immediate area under the fuel pump and
> is then captured by the oil bilge.
>
> You are looking for any evidence of fuel being dripping from the highest
> point of the fuel pump down to all of the areas below on both sides of the
> fuel pump due fuel since gravity feeding the leak.
>
> Using a several pieces of paper towels, begin by tracing the fuel leak by
> starting from lower regions of the engine fuel leak  to find where it is
> coming from. Begin by first checking the fuel hose leading from the
> fuel/water separator to the fuel pump area as there could be a crack in a
> hose  and even near, or under, the spring clamp where the fuel line coming
> from the fuel/water separator filter is attached to the fuel pump. The fuel
> pump is located high up on the engine tucked under the water line hoses and
> it has some wires leading into that small square like box which is the fuel
> pump. Also check the fuel fittings on the fuel pump for evidence of a leak
> as well as the fuel line leading from the fuel pump to the on-engine fuel
> filter. Then check the bottom of the on-engine fuel filter so If by chance
> you recently changed the on-engine fuel filter, the fuel could be leaking
> from that area due to a misaligned fuel filter retainer or seal.
>
> If there is no evidence of fuel leaking from the back side of the engine,
> check for fuel leaking into the area from under your liner in the event the
> fuel tank area is leaking. A large amount of fuel leaking from the  tank
> could cause some fuel to enter the bilge area under the transmission and
> under the stuffing box because there is a hole in the liner located at the
> lower region of the liner adjacent to the fuel/water separator location
> where a water line fitting emerges from under that liner that feds water to
> the water pump from the aft water tank.  The fuel tank or fuel tank
> hoses/fittings could also be the source of the fuel leak, but given the fuel
> under the engine, if the fuel is not leaking from the fuel pump area, then
> it would take a large amount of fuel to leak into the area below the
> transmission and into the engine oil bilge.   Check your fuel gauge to
> determine if a large amount of fuel was lost from the leak.  The fuel may
> have migrated from under the liner into the aft bilge area where the liner
> is closest to the hull. If you have a much lower fuel gauge reading, then
> the fuel tank area may be the source of the leak, if not, check the fuel
> lines or fuel fittings from the tank area The gravity feed will stop when
> the fuel in the tank reaches the same level as the leak which would result
> in about a 1/4 of a tank.
>
> Please let me know what you learn so I am also prepared to check my fuel
> system. I am going to replace all of my engine cooling hoses and engine fuel
> hoses this spring so your info would be helpful. Thanks.
>
> Rick
> My-Ria 1995 C320 Hull # 277
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Marko Jamnik
> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 11:50 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Winter surprise
>
> As we come out of the coldest winter in some time. We wonder what surprise
> winter will leave with. As I inspect the inside of my boat I realized a
> diesel smell as I entered the cockpit. I noticed diesel in the well below
> the engine and also more fuel located aft below the transmission and the
> stuffing box area. It does not appear to be coming from the primary fuel
> filter but leaking somewhere on the engine and setting behind the engine.
> The engine is a 30B Westerbeke. I look forward to anyones input regarding
> this fuel leak.
>
> Marko Jamnik
> Marquesas 304
> Lake Ontario=
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:19:04 -0400
> From: Marko Jamnik <markojamnik55 at gmail.com>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Winter surprise
> Message-ID: <D80EC2DE-0894-417B-954D-0E8D150A5F49 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Thank you Rick for your in-depth reply. I will trace the fuel leak as you have indicated. I have cleaned up the fuel a couple of times this winter. Nothing is ending up in the bilge yet because the stern is sitting lower than the bow on my cradle. I have place  a couple of pads, one under the engine and the other one back of the engine where most of the pooling has happened. I didn't notice any sign of fuel aft of the fuel/water separator so my initial search will be with the fuel pump/filter area. I will check in a couple of days to trace the pooling and keep you posted.
>
> Thanks again
>
>> Marko Jamnik
>> Marquesas 304
>> Lake Ontario
>
> On 2014-03-10, at 8:30 AM, Rick Sulewski <rsulewski at bex.net> wrote:
>
>> Marko,
>> I also have a Westerbeke and am familiar with the fuel system. You may have
>> a leaking fuel line, leaking fuel fitting, a leaking fuel pump or a leak at
>> the on-engine fuel filter/retainer. It is also possible that fuel is leaking
>> from the fuel tank or lines/fittings from the tank migrating into your bilge
>> area from under the liner.
>>
>> The fuel may be leaking because the fuel lines, filter and fuel pump are at
>> a level below the  fuel level in the tank, which is higher than the source
>> of the fuel leak.  The fuel leak can be gravity fed and fuel can escape at
>> that breach point in the system. That is why you are seeing fuel under the
>> transmission and in the engine oil bilge area. If fuel leak is nearest the
>> engine, then the fuel is likely running down the fuel line or even the
>> engine block and dripping into that immediate area under the fuel pump and
>> is then captured by the oil bilge.
>>
>> You are looking for any evidence of fuel being dripping from the highest
>> point of the fuel pump down to all of the areas below on both sides of the
>> fuel pump due fuel since gravity feeding the leak.
>>
>> Using a several pieces of paper towels, begin by tracing the fuel leak by
>> starting from lower regions of the engine fuel leak  to find where it is
>> coming from. Begin by first checking the fuel hose leading from the
>> fuel/water separator to the fuel pump area as there could be a crack in a
>> hose  and even near, or under, the spring clamp where the fuel line coming
>> from the fuel/water separator filter is attached to the fuel pump. The fuel
>> pump is located high up on the engine tucked under the water line hoses and
>> it has some wires leading into that small square like box which is the fuel
>> pump. Also check the fuel fittings on the fuel pump for evidence of a leak
>> as well as the fuel line leading from the fuel pump to the on-engine fuel
>> filter. Then check the bottom of the on-engine fuel filter so If by chance
>> you recently changed the on-engine fuel filter, the fuel could be leaking
>> from that area due to a misaligned fuel filter retainer or seal.
>>
>> If there is no evidence of fuel leaking from the back side of the engine,
>> check for fuel leaking into the area from under your liner in the event the
>> fuel tank area is leaking. A large amount of fuel leaking from the  tank
>> could cause some fuel to enter the bilge area under the transmission and
>> under the stuffing box because there is a hole in the liner located at the
>> lower region of the liner adjacent to the fuel/water separator location
>> where a water line fitting emerges from under that liner that feds water to
>> the water pump from the aft water tank.  The fuel tank or fuel tank
>> hoses/fittings could also be the source of the fuel leak, but given the fuel
>> under the engine, if the fuel is not leaking from the fuel pump area, then
>> it would take a large amount of fuel to leak into the area below the
>> transmission and into the engine oil bilge.   Check your fuel gauge to
>> determine if a large amount of fuel was lost from the leak.  The fuel may
>> have migrated from under the liner into the aft bilge area where the liner
>> is closest to the hull. If you have a much lower fuel gauge reading, then
>> the fuel tank area may be the source of the leak, if not, check the fuel
>> lines or fuel fittings from the tank area The gravity feed will stop when
>> the fuel in the tank reaches the same level as the leak which would result
>> in about a 1/4 of a tank.
>>
>> Please let me know what you learn so I am also prepared to check my fuel
>> system. I am going to replace all of my engine cooling hoses and engine fuel
>> hoses this spring so your info would be helpful. Thanks.
>>
>> Rick
>> My-Ria 1995 C320 Hull # 277
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Marko Jamnik
>> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 11:50 PM
>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>> Subject: [C320-list] Winter surprise
>>
>> As we come out of the coldest winter in some time. We wonder what surprise
>> winter will leave with. As I inspect the inside of my boat I realized a
>> diesel smell as I entered the cockpit. I noticed diesel in the well below
>> the engine and also more fuel located aft below the transmission and the
>> stuffing box area. It does not appear to be coming from the primary fuel
>> filter but leaking somewhere on the engine and setting behind the engine.
>> The engine is a 30B Westerbeke. I look forward to anyones input regarding
>> this fuel leak.
>>
>> Marko Jamnik
>> Marquesas 304
>> Lake Ontario=
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:15:25 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Elizabeth Schwartz <schwartz781 at optonline.net>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Winter surprise
> Message-ID: <38a9304b.326f0.144ad34d8af.Webtop.35 at optonline.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed; delsp=no
>
> I had a 1988 c 30, and had a leak in a weld on the aluminum fuel tank
> last year. Had to replace it......I now have a c 320........I'd like to
> install a maserator, and a thru hull for it.??If you have one on
> yours,?I'd love to see exactly where it is
> located......Thanks.....Joe???????????? ?
> ?
> ?
> ?On Sun, Mar 09, 2014 at 11:49 PM, Marko Jamnik wrote:
> ?
> ?> As we come out of the coldest winter in some time. We wonder what
> surprise winter will leave with. As I inspect the inside of my boat I
> realized a diesel smell as I entered the cockpit. I noticed diesel in
> the well below the engine and also more fuel located aft below the
> transmission and the stuffing box area. It does not appear to be coming
> from the primary fuel filter but leaking somewhere on the engine and
> setting behind the engine. The engine is a 30B Westerbeke. I look
> forward to anyones input regarding this fuel leak.
>> Marko Jamnik
>> Marquesas 304
>> Lake Ontario
>
> End of C320-list Digest, Vol 1987, Issue 1
> ******************************************
>


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TANAKA KAPEC DESIGN GROUP, INC
Strategic Product Development + Industrial Design