[C320-list] Winter surprise

[Rick Sulewski]

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=