[C320-list] New member/basic question

[Doug Treff]

Jack,

One of the first things I had to diagnose was a fuel leak. It took me a while but I finally narrowed it down to the sender unit. On the C320, the tank is starboard side, and the sender is on the port end of the tank, towards the centerline of the boat. 

I noticed that when I was on a starboard tack - (port side low) - that was when the fuel leak as really bad. One day I had a long sail on a port tack and no leak. That's what finally clued me in to the sender unit being the source of the leak. It would also leak badly when the tank was filled up all the way until some fuel was used. 

So I pulled the sender and replaced the gasket under it. No more leak. You can get a replacement gasket from Catalina Direct. 

Here's the item:
https://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/4572/fuel-tank-sending-unit-gasket-replacement-kit.cfm

And if you need a new sender, they also have those as well.

--
Doug Treff
September Song - 1996 - #350
doug at treff.us

On Wed, Aug 1, 2018, at 8:21 PM, jackbrennan wrote:
> Thanks for all of the replies.
> 
> I plan to dive in tomorrow after I remove all of the bedding and 
> cushions for cleaning. 
> 
> Coming from an old CCA sailboat, I am amazed how Catalina tucks things 
> into out-of-the-way spots and still manages to make them accessible. 
> 
> On my Bristol, changing the shaft packing involved hanging upside down 
> over the diesel.o
>  On the other hand, the tank was open to inspection ...
> 
> Jack Brennan
> 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab®|PRO
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: David Prudden <dprudden at comcast.net> 
> Date:08/01/2018  7:42 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com 
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] New member/basic question 
> 
> Jack,
> Congrats on the new boat! 
> 
> Go to the C320 homepage, click on the discussion list tab, and then 
> click the Browse/Search Discussion List tab and search for Fuel Tank. 
> You’ll find LOTS of info on replacing a tank. Pay particular attention 
> to Jeff Hare’s thread-he has had a bigger tank designed that fits 
> (tightly, I hear). He (and many others) lay out all the steps they have 
> gone through to check and replace their tanks.
> 
> Good Luck!
> David Prudden
> #787-Teachers Pet
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> > On Aug 1, 2018, at 6:26 PM, Jack Brennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > 
> > Today, I brought home a 1998 Catalina 320 after selling my beloved Bristol 30. It needs a lot of work. As a boat ad I once saw said: Rare find! All original condition!
> > 
> > So here’s the dumb question of the day:
> > 
> > I have a mystery diesel leak into the bilge. It doesn’t seem to be coming from around the diesel or Racor fuel filter, so I’m guessing it must be the fuel tank. I’m also guessing the fuel tank is in the starboard cockpit locker at the stern.
> > 
> > Any tips on how to start investigating this? There appears to be a board over what I suspect is the fuel tank. Can someone clue me on the procedure for removing the tank? I tried searching previous messages, but didn’t find what I need.
> > 
> > Jack Brennan
> > Unnamed 1998 Catalina 320
> > Tierra Verde, Fl.
> > 
> > ---
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