Fuel Odor in Bilge

D

dkmoore

Recruit

Joined

Mar 17, 2006

Messages

5

• Mar 18, 2006

• #1

I have a 01 Searay with the 230hp merc(305 efi,serial#om067433)That i have changed all the fuel lines to the motor (fill,vent,line from tank to motor)Still smell odor down near fuel cooler is there something that i should look for first.

 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus

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Aug 31, 2004

Messages

62,321

• Mar 18, 2006

• #2

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

If you can smell it, there is a leak. Find the leak and fix it. Every fitting, connection or piece in that system is suspect.<br />The only way you are going to find it is to start it and watch for leaks. Run the blower and keep the engine hatch open and don't light that cigarette till you fix the leak.

 

flashback

Captain

Joined

Jun 28, 2002

Messages

3,695

• Mar 18, 2006

• #3

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

what is a fuel cooler?

 

KnottyBuoyz

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Mar 6, 2006

Messages

712

• Mar 18, 2006

• #4

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

I'm suspectin' he means fuel filter. We used to use "fuel coolers" on race cars back in the 70's. They were cans with a fuel line coil and we filled them with ice. Idea was the colder the fuel the more dense it was and the more fuel you could get into the engine the more horsepower you could make. First one I saw came on a 1964 Comet Galiente that was an original Ford factory race car.

 

Don S

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• Mar 18, 2006

• #5

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

It's a gawd awful mess Mercruiser invented for the sole purpose of making it impossible for a tech to get at the fuel pump, pressure regulator, hoses, fittings, coolers etc. <br /><br />

 

KnottyBuoyz

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Mar 6, 2006

Messages

712

• Mar 18, 2006

• #6

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

Holy Sh*t! Good thing I got a Volvo Penta.

 

ziggy

Admiral

Joined

Jun 30, 2004

Messages

7,473

• Mar 18, 2006

• #7

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

so DonS, what was the suppsosed (other than to make the techs life miserable)advatage of this fuel cooler?. i've not heard of these either....from the pic it looks like just a junction of in and out fuel, in a heat sink perhaps...cool fuel? does that do something for ya? tell the computer to atomize it differently maybe????? i'm just guessing in the dark, can ya enlighten me? i'm just courious like usuall...

 

Don S

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Messages

62,321

• Mar 18, 2006

• #8

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

To be honest, I have no idea why they do it. I just can't get there engineers to get my permission for anything <br />Volvo doesn't seem to need it because they have a low pressure and a high pressure pump. Merc only has the high pressure pump unless you have problems, then they have another pump you can install. Guess keeping the fuel cooler was a way around using another pump.<br />The cooler (#8 in the pic above) has raw water running through it from the drive to the rest of the cooling system. The coldest water you can get.

 

B

beezee28

Master Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Jun 3, 2004

Messages

804

• Mar 18, 2006

• #9

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

You would have to keep looking for that fuel leak. I have a similar problem with my 3.0L mercruiser and found the leak on the fuel line to the carb. The end was loose and cannot get it tighten so when and bought a new fuel line to replace it.

 

D

dkmoore

Recruit

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Mar 17, 2006

Messages

5

• Mar 20, 2006

• #10

Re: Fuel Odor in Bilge

Thanks I will keep looking. I think that i will get some leak detctor and try that. The leak must be very small I only smell gas when I first open the engin cover. I think that the fuel needs to be cooled because the fuel is heated when the gas is run through the regulator then back to the filter. I cant see that it would heat up that much but merc must think so.