Fuel leaking while Filling up.

[Bayliner1952]

Hi there,

95 Bayliner 1952 capri 3.0LX Alpha I gen II

I had the same problem last year and temorally fixed it with a little doughnut shaped spill pad that goes around the pump.

Every time I go to fill up my boat (I believe it is a 30 Gal) Fuel spills out of both the filler neck and the fuel vent. I try to pump as slow as I can, but it still comes out. Is there any way around this?
I heared there is something about the tanks having a flat top and causing "burps" is there any way to fix this? it's embarasing to be cleaning up fuel at the pump every time I fill up.

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

My boat does the same thing. In my case its the sharp bends in the fuel filler hose. I think I might start carying some type of funnel with a line that takes the fuel nozzel down past the bends. Takes way too long to fill up.

 

[shrew]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

a kink or sharp radius in the fill hose will cause it to fill slowly and backflow out of the fill. However, the fuel vent is on the top fo the gas tank. If were just the angle, route,or a kink in the fill hose it would not be coming out of the vent hose as well. Take a look at where the fill and vent connect to the tank. If they are both on the same side, see if shifting weight to the alternate side of the boat helps. Are you standing on the boat as you fill? I find I need to be on the dock and the wife needs to be standing on the opposite side of the boat (from where the fuel fill is located) to reduce this behavior. If the fuel dock you use gets a lot of wake traffic and is rough, try another fuel dock. sloshing fuel can cause this to occur as well.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

My older bayliner with the separate vent did that too, only way around it was to pump slow, never lock the pump and listen for the gurgling that would occur right before the fuel would come shooting out the vent.

Even on my newer boat with the vent integrated in the fill you have to be carefull not to fill the last bunch too fast or it'll puke. Happens even on the trailer.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

another thing to consider..... is it only doing it as it gets full or the whole time you are pumping? If only at the last then there is a product available to help. It is a whistle that goes in the vent hose near the tank.... while you are filling you will hear the fumes sound the whistle. As the tank becomes full the gas will start to enter the vent hose and the whistle will get quiet telling you to stop pumping.

If you are filling at a gas station with the boat on a trailer you can carry a wood block to pull the trailer tire onto to lean the boat a little

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

If you are filling at a gas station with the boat on a trailer you can carry a wood block to pull the trailer tire onto to lean the boat a little

Bayliner runabouts are centerfill - or pretty close to it. So the only thing that would help in that regard is to drop the tounge a bit.

 

[Bayliner1952]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

Thanks for the replies guys.
This problem occures wether I am filling a quater tank or a full tank. I have never gotten gas on the lake/ocean, always on the trailer at the station. I'll take a good look at the filler hose and vent hose this weekend.
I was thinking about getting some sort of backflow preventor for the vent. Although I am concerned that the vapor may close this flap and make my situation worse.
Maybe I will try blocking up one wheel on the trailer next time. (or dropping the tounge down)

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Fuel leaking while Filling up.

It isn't the location of the fill on the boat as much as the location on the tank that matters... If it is a long low profile tank it can be a prob if the tank is even a little off camber