Fuel tank.... What is this ?-gctid398149

[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

I had fuel in the bilge again. Its not the sending unit this time. I did see fuel leaking out of the black plastic plug beside the sending unit. It was happening slightly when the fuel was sloshing towards the back of the tank.Can anyone tell me what it is and how do I seal it properly.Thanks

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[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

I've tried searching the internet for what the black plastic part is but no luck

Anyone have an idea ?

[Guest Close Guest]

If there is ever a time to pay a professional to check something out, I think that would be it. And I am a die-hard do-it-yourselfer. Until then, you have your bilge plug out, hatches open, and your battery disconnected, right?

[JimMc Guru Find all posts View Profile Close JimMc]

I would not touch the battery cable with fumes present. Even disconnecting you could have arcing.

[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

wildman wrote:
If there is ever a time to pay a professional to check something out, I think that would be it. And I am a die-hard do-it-yourselfer. Until then, you have your bilge plug out, hatches open, and your battery disconnected, right?

bilge has been cleaned up and aired out. drain plug is in or the boat would sink. batteries not touched.

[Guest Close Guest]

The plug looks similar to the fuel pick up tube on my boat. When I unscrew that fitting, the fitting has a tube going to the bottom of the tank. I would seal it with a fuel resistant sealer, such a form a gasket. If you need a second pick up for a kicker, your set. Put a brass fuel barb in that fitting.

[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

Monterey10 wrote:
The plug looks similar to the fuel pick up tube on my boat. When I unscrew that fitting, the fitting has a tube going to the bottom of the tank. I would seal it with a fuel resistant sealer, such a form a gasket. If you need a second pick up for a kicker, your set. Put a brass fuel barb in that fitting.

Thanks, that was what I was thinking but wasn't sure. When you say you unscrewed the fitting are you talking about the plastic part ?

[SomeSailor Guru Find all posts View Profile Close SomeSailor]

That's a second fuel pickup tube port. It's probably just a plug, so I'd try tightening it up... AFTER I got in there with some Simple Green and got some of that residual gas out of the bilge.

[Guest Close Guest]

+1 on the extra fuel pick-up. The extra fuel pick-up on my boat came with a threaded aluminum plug in it.

[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

Got the plastic plug off tonight. It is a secondary fuel pickup, it had a pickup tube inside. The plug didn't have a gasket or a seal, it was just pressed on. Amazing that its not a common problem of fuel leakage. I used a threaded plug to seal it off, should have been done like that from the factory.

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[SomeSailor Guru Find all posts View Profile Close SomeSailor]

Another reason not to like plastic tanks in boats.

[joe440 Seasoned Member Find all posts View Profile Close joe440]

Nothing wrong with the plastic tank or the fitting on the tank. Problem was the plastic plug used to seal the fitting. Even if I had an aluminum tank the plastic plug would have resulted with the same problem.

[Guest Close Guest]

I don't believe that was intended to be used on the tank, I think it was for shipping only and someone forgot to replace it with a proper pipe plug.

Not sure what's wrong with plastic tanks rated for the proper alcohol, I'm glad I have plastic on the Wellcraft as the decks would have to come out to replace it!