Close Call With Fuel Sender

hotajax

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Went out fishing the other day, and got a horrendous odor of gasoline in the cockpit. Checked everything, seemed tight. Then I pulled open the access panel to the fuel sending unit, and there was gasoline coming out of the top of the tank at the sending unit. and running down into the bilges. OK, not a whole lot, but enough to scare the sh** out of me if there were any sparks.

That was the only work I've done recently on the fuel system, replacing the sending unit I got from Isspro. Their directions said to use their gasket, and torque it down good, which I did. However, fuel still leaked out. Solution was to go buy some old-fashioned Perma-tex (non-hardening), and re-install the sending unit. The old original Perma-tex is impervious to gasoline, while their newer versions of gasket maker (blue/black/orange) are not. The Perma-tex held fine, and after two solid days of running the mid-Chesapeake, no more gas leaks. And definitely no more gasoline odors except from the oil burner hanging on the back of the boat. Spend the $4.00 and put your mind at ease the next time you do a fuel sender.
 

seasick

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Torque it down real good doesn't sound right to me. It is easy to over tighten sender mountings and distort the flange. I suspect that is what happened when you replaced the unit. If it is distorted, keep checking. I wouldn't bet my life on the permatex.