I found a fuel leak the other day

[JDC]

We were at Dale Hollow Lake this past week and my fuel gauge was not acting right. I decided to visually check the level in the tank as the guy was filling it and compare it to the gauge.
When he got within 2-3" of being full, I saw fuel coming out from around the flange of the fuel pump module. At first I was in denial saying to myself, "where is that water coming from" , then I said STOP filling! I used a few rags and cleaned it up the best I could. I would guess a tablespoon or 2 leaked out.

I checked it after we were back on the water and it didn't seem to leak anymore. The same thing happened again at the next fueling. I decided to just fuel more often and not go over 3/4 full (visually) when filling. I pretty much left the blower on the rest of the time we were on the water just to be on the safe side.

I didn't know what type of gasket, or o-ring, or seal it had, but figured it was cracked or damaged in some way. I picked up a gasket at the dealer when we got home. It's a thick rubber gasket. When I took the module out, look what I didn't find!





The new gasket is now in it. I thought about replacing the fuel pump and filter while I was in there but the filter wasn't in stock and I didn't have the pump yet. I'll probably wait now and do that over the winter.

I'm still not sure how I had fuel coming out from around the flange when the fuel level was 2-3" below the top. Maybe the fuel foaming up in the tank was enough to splash around the flange and have it seep out?

I guess you just never know what you'll find when you buy something used.

[horseshoept]

You mean before you put a new gasket between the pump and the gasket, there wasn't even a gasket there?

[Cloaked]

Originally Posted by JDC

We were at Dale Hollow Lake this past week and my fuel gauge was not acting right. I decided to visually check the level in the tank as the guy was filling it and compare it to the gauge.
When he got within 2-3" of being full, I saw fuel coming out from around the flange of the fuel pump module. At first I was in denial saying to myself, "where is that water coming from" , then I said STOP filling! I used a few rags and cleaned it up the best I could. I would guess a tablespoon or 2 leaked out.

I checked it after we were back on the water and it didn't seem to leak anymore. The same thing happened again at the next fueling. I decided to just fuel more often and not go over 3/4 full (visually) when filling. I pretty much left the blower on the rest of the time we were on the water just to be on the safe side.

I didn't know what type of gasket, or o-ring, or seal it had, but figured it was cracked or damaged in some way. I picked up a gasket at the dealer when we got home. It's a thick rubber gasket. When I took the module out, look what I didn't find!

The new gasket is now in it. I thought about replacing the fuel pump and filter while I was in there but the filter wasn't in stock and I didn't have the pump yet. I'll probably wait now and do that over the winter.

I'm still not sure how I had fuel coming out from around the flange when the fuel level was 2-3" below the top. Maybe the fuel foaming up in the tank was enough to splash around the flange and have it seep out?

I guess you just never know what you'll find when you buy something used.

A perfect example of why I decided to move my battery from the confined space where the fuel cell sits. Another shout-out for using a blower each and every time you use the machine.

This situation had several opportunities for possible incident without any warning.

Glad you found the issue and resolved.

.

[mikeg205]

My battery in back as well by fuel cell... I think I am going to move it this winter..

[Stefan]

Why is "lake tested" the phrase that always comes to my mind when I see such things

On the tank it looks like there used to be one gasket outside the screw holes, on the pump it looks like there used to be one inside of the screws, maybe there were two gaskets there...

[JDC]

Originally Posted by horseshoept

You mean before you put a new gasket between the pump and the gasket, there wasn't even a gasket there?

Yep, there was no gasket! Someone (I'll say some idiot) took this apart at one point before I owned it and didn't put it back together with a gasket.
I didn't know (at the time) that you can see approximately an 1/8" of rubber around the outside of the fuel cell when it's installed. I'll bet I could see it from 30' away now, knowing what to look for.

Originally Posted by Stefan

Why is "lake tested" the phrase that always comes to my mind when I see such things

On the tank it looks like there used to be one gasket outside the screw holes, on the pump it looks like there used to be one inside of the screws, maybe there were two gaskets there...

There is only one gasket... under the flange. There are large captive washers with the screws. Maybe the color difference is from seepage. eek.

Originally Posted by Cloaked

A perfect example of why I decided to move my battery from the confined space where the fuel cell sits. Another shout-out for using a blower each and every time you use the machine.

This situation had several opportunities for possible incident without any warning.

Glad you found the issue and resolved.

.

Thanks.
I always use the blower. Quite often I forget to turn it off once underway and only notice it's still on when I shut it down. Of course I just have to turn it back on before we start again.

The only time I had ever smelled fuel was when I was filling it. I assumed it was just from filling. We never smelled fuel out on the water, or when I had the engine cover open at any time.