HELP! I'm leaking gas from breather vent?!

[rocky97007]

OK, I noticed this last week and it's doing it again this week. I have a northriver inboard jet and my driveway smells strongly of gas. I look at the back and see it dripping (fast) from the breather vent. Aside from the environmental issues of dumping gas out on the ground, it's costing a small fortune for the boat to heat/cool every day!!

Any ideas why it would be doing this? If I open the fuel filler screw in valve there's a strong pressure build up in the tank. It seems to me that the vent hose must be down in the tank somewhere instead of venting from the top???? That doesn't make much sense but I don't know how else to explain it. Tank is fairly (but not completely) full. It was doing it last week too when tank wasn't as full (may have done it all winter for all I know). Anyone seen this before? Should I be backing off the fuel cap when I park it? I'd hate to create a water path to the tank but not sure what else to do.

I think the bow might be slightly (not dramatically) forward because of the slant of my driveway. I can't back it in otherwise but could go for dramatic blocks to raise it higher in the front if that could be the issue. Experienced advice welcome - thanks!!

:shrug:

[R Jackson]

You could have a problem with the way your vent line is plumbed but, if your tank vents out near the stern, I would try lowering the tongue of your trailer first. Gas can expand around 20% when warm.

[fish_on]

This is pretty normal when it gets warm, the fuel expands and pushes out the vent. You can try storing the boat with the tongue down as low as you can get it. The best bet is to fuel up just before you leave and store the boat less than full.

[Rogue Fisher67]

My boat does that too. Drives me nuts...gonna rain, jack it up...gonna be nice, lower it down.

RF

[namu mac]

Lower the bow down as far as you can. That should cure the problem.:twocents:

[Chromaflage]

This is pretty normal when it gets warm, the fuel expands and pushes out the vent. You can try storing the boat with the tongue down as low as you can get it. The best bet is to fuel up just before you leave and store the boat less than full.

:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat: exactly!

[MattPark]

I try not to fill it quite as much. Mine did burp over the side today, though.

[rocky97007]

My boat does that too. Drives me nuts...gonna rain, jack it up...gonna be nice, lower it down.

RF

:crazy:

I guess I'm sort of stunned at the lack of sophistication - man a little tiny bit of engineering here would go a long way to avoiding an absurd weather driven ritual!!? I'm already looking forward to that second happiest day in my life... :-)

Thanks for the help guys - I'm going to go crank it down during the heat of the day tomorrow and see if it blows pressure at some point out that valve.

[Fish4me]

It sounds like this is a problem to built in tanks. I recently purchased a Fish-Rite sled (20' with 150 Opti OB) and noticed a gas smell when I would pull up to a stop. I noticed gas on my trailer when inspecting. I have a vent on the side of the bow and on the side of the stern. It seems to leak out the front more. But maybe it spills out the back and I don't know it. Maybe that is why that guy on the motorcycle flipped my off...;) ...just kidding. I called Fish-Rite and they directed me to a guy that does repairs on Fish-Rite, Willies and one other that I can't recall. He suggested a gas/air seperator or back flow preventor....or whatever the term he used. It costs about $90.00 each and you install it inline on your vent tubing. Sounds like a easy fix but spendy. He can have them dropped shipped right to your house.
That will be my next purchase....just need to find a way to hide that from the wife...:smirk:
Steve

[fish_on]

Here is a great review of fuel/air separators in boats.
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/Findings/findings40/inlinefuel.htm

[rocky97007]

Here is a great review of fuel/air separators in boats.
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/Findings/findings40/inlinefuel.htm

Excellent! Thank you. It still strikes me as funny that you need to go after market for this. My ATVs, lawn mower, 4 cars, etc. don't leak fuel on the ground when it gets hot. That's reserved for my $30K+ boat. Sure seems like something the manufacturers would have dealt with in advance.

Thanks for the help - time to go shopping.