Gas Odor in Bilge? Helpful Hint...

[Mark Hofman]

Call me a worry-wart!



I took the boat in to fix the timer on the livewell, and because I kept getting a whiff of gas when I opened up the rear deck bins. It wasn't over-powering, and there wasn't any gasoline collecting in the bilge, so I ran the lines to check for leaks. Seeing none, I brought it up at the dealer (Fishin' Hole) and asked them to look it over - as the expert.



For those of you who are buying your first boat with an installed fuel system, here's something to remember. On some models, the fuel tank will have a vent that allows air to escape as you fill the tank. That vent also opens with enough change in atmospheric pressure or an increase in the air temperature. Just like your car or truck tires will require more air if the temperature drops, and for you to release air as the days get warmer your gas tank will automatically relieve the pressure difference between the air inside the tank and the ambient air around the tank. When it does, the air that escapes will smell a bit like . . . . . . . GAS!



"No worries, mate."



Oh, and the 2001, 2002 models of the TV-18 do not have a recirculator on the livewell. It only has a timer that adds fresh water every now and again. Don't ask the repair shop to fix your recirculator if your timer switch doesn't work. They'll look at you funny.



(Yet another fact to store amongst all the useless facts in my head. Someday, I'll bring this up with my brother-in-law and he'll say, "Man, you know some s#@&!")

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Mark it should vent outside the hull though. Not inside.

 

[Mark Hofman]

Yes, but since it's stored in my garage, there isn't much air circulation to carry the gas odor away. Some of that air is getting into the space under the hatches, and can only escape when I open the lid. With all the bad weather we've been having, the vent has been working A LOT.



The chief tech at the Fishin'Hole ran all the lines and checked all the fittings and clamps. He couldn't see any leaking fuel at all. There's nothing collecting in the bilge (there was a bit of water there and any gasoline would have been floating on top). His diagnosis was that the smell was caused by air venting from the tank. I hadn't thought of that as a reason. Now it makes sense.



By the way, when I opened the bilge cover and reached down into the bottom of the boat, I recovered fourteen (14!) rivets, one nylock nut, two screws, and a bunch of aluminum shavings. The rivets I can't use, but I kept the screws and the nylock nut since they obviously are parts used in the boat!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Had that myself with the super-guide. Be sure to check often so you don't destroy your bilge pump impeller. That's one thing I wish Tracker did, is to better detail their boats after production before sending them out to sale. Be sure those rivets aren't integral!

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Hey MO...

I must have forgot to tell you about the pop rivets...

I think I fished about 7 out from my bilge...no screws or nylok, but I did find several aluminum 'cut-outs' and lots of aluminum shavings...

makes you wonder a bit...I rinsed the bilge quite a bit trying to get all the shavings out...didn't think my bilge pump would like them much...

So, you don't have a 'recirculator' on your boat?

I'm pretty sure mine does...It has two separate pumps...One to fill the livewell initially, then another to recirc...

Mine is a 2000...a-ha...looked back up at your post...none on the 2001 and 2002 models...



az

 

[Mark Hofman]

Andy: Yup, 2001. The tech said, "Yeah, they took the recirculating livewell off the 2001's." Felt kinda stupid for scheduling an appointment to fix something that isn't even on my boat. I only have one pump. There is a timer that pumps fresh water into the tank for three minutes out of every ten (I think). The excess (i.e. old) water is supposed to go out through the overflow, but if both of us are fishing off of the starboard side it tends to end up in the bilge.



Rob: Yeah, you'd think that they'd clean the hull out before installing the deck. The rivets are probably from when they installed the gunwales. They were new rivets, not bulged or broken, so I assume the guy doing the work had a bunch in his hand and dropped a few of them.



No kidding about keeping that stuff away from the bilge pump! It would've sounded worse than rocks sucked up by a vaccum cleaner!

 

[Mike Watson]

I get the gas smell on my Pro-V 16. Only in the compartments by the vent. I thought the smell was from the vent but I appreciate the actual explanation. Thanks. As for finding things in the bilge, I learned that from when I had my Pro-Angler and just expected it when I got the Pro-V16. I wonder how many bilge pumps get destroyed because of Tracker not cleaning out the hull? I just kept cleaning out those shavings until they finally quit appearing.



Mike