Gas in bilge

[MuskokaJake]

Hoping someone can help me / give me some peace of mind.

I recently purchased a new to be 2005 Cobalt 200.

It was/is running great. 315 hrs.

In the rear of the ski locker there is a screw with epoxy. After a couple of rain storms the ski had a lot of water in it wouldn’t drain. So I removed the screw, thinking it would allow the water to drain out and to my shock gas start to stream in. I put the screw back in and cleaned things.

After cleaning out the bilge, I filled up the tank and notices a slow trickle of gas coming into the bilge area.

I don’t see any access to replace the tank. Can I small hole be patched?

Any guidance is appreciated.

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[Whippled263]

This is NOT normal. PLEASE DONT operate the boat until this is researched and fixed. I would be contacting the last owner immediately to try and find out any information. Its hard to tell from your picture but It looks to me like the the fuel cell was punctured and someone scabbed a make shift plug using a screw and some sort of sealant. Boat fires and explosions from fumes are real and extremely dangerous. Get the boat to a professional

[Whippled263]

Also the gas tank access is under the stern floor. There should be a panel you can remove. Shame on the previous owner. Id be beyond pissed that someone sold me a boat that could have put my family in grave danger

[Kate]

"This is NOT normal."

It might be. (Though hard to tell without more info.)

Done right, plugging a gas tank hole is a commonly used technique. It could be that when he replaced the plug, he didn't seal it properly. Apparently, the gas leak began only after he replaced the plug.

[Whippled263]

Kate what is normal about his picture and situation? A gas tank is a sealed unit. Putting a screw in the puncture and sealing it with super glue is a horrible idea and shady stuff

[Kate]

". . . his picture and situation?"

The picture and his description, alone, do not give enough facts to determine the "situation." And certainly not enough information to determine what caused the gas leak. That's why I added: "(Though hard to tell without more info.)" And I said it "might" be normal.

Please do not alter what I wrote.

"super glue"

Now you're just changing the facts of the situation. He wrote: "epoxy." Super glue is not epoxy.

[jhnmdahl]

I don't think Kate is trying to detract from the seriousness of a gas leak, but is pointing out that it might be a repair job instead of tearing out a gas tank enclosed below deck. It's not without significant risk, and I'd be tempted to leave it to a pro unless you have experience or training in such things.

John

[drtbar]

I think this is a situation where both people may be right. A leak in a gas tank can be a serious situation, but someone has to fix it, and just hiring someone else to do it does not mean they may not fix it the same exact way you would do it. As Kate pointed out, gas tanks are repaired, rather than replaced, all the time.

Regardless, you need to get some more information. Have a few repair people look at it, or ask around and get their opinions. More opinions that just a couple people on the internet.

At the very least, if you decide to have someone else fix it, you can be confident it was repaired the right way.

[Kate]

"I don't think Kate is trying . . ."

Precisely.

And that the gas leak might have been caused by the owner removing the plug (if that's what it is), then not replacing it properly.

The moral here is: Never ever insert or remove anything from the floor of a boat -- unless you are absolutely sure what it is, what it does, and what's beneath it.

[stifflkd]

Not sure I would sleep well if I patched a 20 year old gas tank. Even a 1 year old tank for that matter. If you were able to break the seal who's to say the constant pounding and vibration would not do the same over time. Definitely take it to a professional who specializes in this work for advice.

[MuskokaJake]

Just thought I’d share an update. The tank was repaired with a plug and seal-all. The only other option was either cut out the firewall or split the deck and replace the tank.

I’ve had it out the water a few times since the repair and there’s been zero leak or fumes.

I appreciate all the comments on this!

Jake

[Kate]

Thanks for the update.