Strong smell of gas when I open the bilge hatch??

[twitch]

for a while now after I get home and straighten up the boat and stuff and prepare to put the chargers on ,when I open the rear cover I get a strong smell of gas .Don't see any leaks or anything have new lines and not wet anywhere. What should I check ? I leave the lid open when charging anyway but just curious where this smell could be coming from.

[Hair Jig]

Fuel fumes are always a reason to be concerned. You mentioned new lines ... did you replace the fill hose and the vent line also? That would be my first thought.

[OnTRAK]

Check the gasket to your fuel tank sending unit. If it hasn't been changed in 30 years, it may be dry and cracked. I replaced the gasket to mine, and it solved the problem.

[Bass Cat Boats]

Many places... inspect it thoroughly.

[bpicinc]

As stated above, gasket on fuel sending unit.

[Duckhunter250]

No way I'd drive that boat or charge it till I solved that problem.That's just me...….

[Steven H]

I had this issue and removed tank ( 2x) and replaced sending unit and gasket, still smelled. Gas cap cover got knocked off getting too close to a tree and when I went to replace it, fuel fill hose came out like an accordian... it had given way in the middle and was leaking every time I filled it up.

[EL Skeeter]

Possible crack at top of gas tank, too high to leak, but emitting fumes.

[twitch]

$ years ago I had to take the tanks out when I had some work done to the transom and we replaced or checked all hoses fill and vent and so on when we did that ,gonna try the sending unit gaskets for now will keep searching as I go hopefully can narrow it down.

[JCV73]

How old are the tanks? Some of the poly tanks permeate which add to the gas smell. I tried replacing my sending units and the inserts stripped out making the tank useless. Might get two aluminum tanks made because of the difficulty of finding an exact replacement of mine. Good luck.

[twitch]

original tanks on a 1990 Ranger ,while they were out we cleaned and inspected all looked good then .

[bassboat1]

When I changed my sending units, I acetone-wiped everything and used fuel-resistant RTV on the gaskets. No issues after a year.

[mactlman]

odors will leak through plastic fuel tanks if it doesn't smell like fresh liquid fuel it might be that?? if I leave all my lids shut for weeks, I get a hint of fuel odor but not a fresh fuel smell. leaving lids open a little cures all the issues

[Javelin389]

^^This^^

[ARK Ranger]

My 2000 522 always had gas order. A person from Ranger told me that my 2013 Z522 did not do that because they had changed the gas tanks they put in ranger. Apparently a problem back in the days.

[LTZ25]

Check the gasket to your fuel tank sending unit. If it hasn't been changed in 30 years, it may be dry and cracked. I replaced the gasket to mine, and it solved the problem.

THIS !!!!! Leak may only be visible while you are getting up on plane , as gasoline is forced against the sending unit when bow raises or when tank is FULL .

[Buckman]

I own a 2002, 1775 Lund ProV. I am 2nd owner bought it in 2006. Original owner told me that he always opened the back battery hatch, bow battery hatch, and center rod locker since day 1 because of gas smell. I had stored indoors without a cover up until the last 2 winters. I just leave battery hatches open when cover is on. Never been a huge issue, I just make sure all covers are open before plugging in chargers, which I would do regardless. Most every boat owner I know personally opens hatches after fishing in general, or before charging.
If you never had an issue before and do now, then of course you need to fix the problem.

[Rick H]

Does your setup have that big round rigging hose that encloses all the wiring, fuel line in one hard plastic hose from the boat to the motor?


My does and when I sealed it off it helped mine. Gas fumes will seek to go to the lowest point they can so they will travel from inside the motor cover to the boat via the rigging tube.