fuel leak help!

[Fishaholic Ty]

I have a 98 viper 188D, I recently had a shop put carpet in the boat and just got it back on the water today. I didn't remember how much fuel was in it so I swung by the gas station and put 15 gallons in. Prior to this it had no smell of a fuel leak. Once I got to the ramp and launched all I smelled all day was raw fuel. I checked the hose to the motor/bulb and and everything was fine. Boat ran fine, never acted like it wasn't getting fuel. Fired right up every time all day. I did turn the bilge pump on and had some stuff come out that left a slick on the water.

After I got home I put a garden hose in the floor drain and took the plug out, once it was flowing out I stuck my hand in the water coming out from the bilge and it smelled like pure gasoline. I have no access to the fuel tank that I know of. I can see about 2 feet of the fill hose and nothing else. The bilge has a little platform built for the batteries to sit on, with a little removable wood cover. I removed that but couldn't see anything.

The only thing I can think of is when the carpet shop was reinstalling the trim or seats they maybe drilled into the fuel tank? There is a piece of metal trim that runs below the seat, all the way across, that they drilled out the rivets from to get the trim piece off.

Other then that does anyone know how to access the fuel tank? Its all fiberglass under the seats, and the ice chest under the center seat.

[Rick H]

I don't know anything about your boat but sound like you answered you own question. I hope you can get some assistance from the place that installed the carpet. Good Luck!

[Fishaholic Ty]

update: Talked to the carpet shop, sounds like i have one or more holes in my fuel tank from drilling out the rivets from the trim piece. Not sure on what to do next, try to cut out the front face of fiberglass, patch the holes and hope all is well? or remove the tank?

[Rick H]

update: Talked to the carpet shop, sounds like i have one or more holes in my fuel tank from drilling out the rivets from the trim piece. Not sure on what to do next, try to cut out the front face of fiberglass, patch the holes and hope all is well? or remove the tank?

Seems to me it should be their problem.

[Fishaholic Ty]

Looks like trying to find a tank for it will be difficult..might have to cut out the ice chest and go with a rectangle shape instead of the C shape...

[Rick H]

Sorry this happened to you.

There are fuel tank repair kits for metal and plastic tanks. I have used but types from NAPA but I'm not sure they are "approved" for marine use. It is a SAFETY ISSUE! Even if you repair it and sell the boat and the fix fails and someone gets killed it could come back on you. Be careful here please!

The place that did the work pretty much totaled the boat. They should have insurance. OR they should buy the boat from you. It is their problem now.

If it were me I'd be figuring out what the fair market value of the boat is. Fuel in the bilge of a boat can be deadly. Enclosed area a spark from a pump or switch BOOM!!!!!!!!

It happened to a friend of mine a long time ago now. He pulled up to the dock in a new to him boat. The idiot on the dock didn't read the label on the cap that was marked water. There was a leak in the tank the new owner didn't know about the 30 gallons filled the bow. Everything was fine till he left the dock and pushed the throttles forward and all the fuel went to the stern and they think the engine backfired and boom. The explosion buckled the deck and threw his future wife into the water and broke both of her legs and throw his future mother in law into the cabin. She died.

Sorry but you have a serious problem now!

[Fishaholic Ty]

Yea a new tank is in the works... i have a quote on the fiberglass work just need to find a replacement tank.

[Rick H]

Good luck let us know how it works out. There are a couple older deals here I'll check with them to see if the have a 98 viper 188 . I know the one has some older bass boats just sitting there.

[Stropp]

There are many aluminum tanks out there. I would think you could patch what you have with have. Either tap and thread or epoxy like jb weld

[Fishaholic Ty]

Think a Plastic weld or basically soldering it would be a permanent repair? Get it pressure checked after.

[Stropp]

Pretty sure that tank is plastic. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...4226&FORM=VIRE

[Fishaholic Ty]

yea it is plastic, the only problem is getting access. Either pull the tank still and make sure there's not more then one hole, and solder, pressure check or try and hole saw out around the one rivet that for sure has a hole behind it and try to solder it in place, would still need a pressure check..

[Missouri Jay]

I have a 96 201d and it has stickers on the decking under the seats that says there is a fuel cell below "do not drill".

[Fishaholic Ty]

Yea mine does too, he didnt lift the seat up before drilling the trim.

[riverrat29]

Is the carpet shop absorbing the cost ?

[Fishaholic Ty]

I hope so, I haven't got a price for a tank and labor yet. I don't really want a patch job tank...fiberglass work at a good shop was quoted for about $1200