New Grady owner, introduction and question

[Stickbo]

Just wanted to introduce myself. I just bought a 2005 330 Express. It was repowered in 2020 with Suzuki 300s. So far running the boat has been great. A nice change from the 40' Ocean Yacht I used to have. I do however have an issue. We fueled up for a tuna trip and noticed a gas smell, mainly seemed to be in the cabin. This is the first time I have stuffed the tanks so was thinking it was just that and while fueling the wind was blowing from the stern. Anyway the smell seemed to dissipate over night and was hardly noticeable in the morning. on the run out we started noticing it when I switched from AUX to Main tank. Called the trip early just to be safe and ran home.

We pulled the deck hatch over the tanks and started checking all the lines. Nothing obvious except a dozen hose clamps were loose, the worst being on the fuel feeds to the engine. Those hose clamps were doing nothing, I could slide them down the line. Tightened up all the hose clamps and the sending units. The smell seems to have gone away (in fact we noticed no smell after the main tank got below half). I flushed the bilge with water and bilge cleaner a few times and now the cabin barely has a smell.

All that background said I know I am looking at possible leaking tank(s) but hoping we might have found the issue with the hose clamps. Think our hope could be true? haha

I have been a lurker for a while on this site and I have gained a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Fishtales]

All you can do is monitor at this point. I think the time for a tank leak. Is still down the road.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Yes, just monitor closely the fuel smell and if it become stronger then you have to investigate more seriously.
You may found the culprit with the loose hose clamps, it can be that the original fuel hoses slowly become permeable and start to "sweat" a bit.
As Fishtale wrote, a leaking fuel tank is unlikely as GW fuel tanks are very well built and las longer than others, but it's not to exclude.
I am doomed with leaking fuel tanks and replaced them on almost any of my boats, just did it on the RIB is sold to buy the Canyon. When you have a rather small pin hole developing then fuel smell is 24/7 to smell, more when you arrive at the boat and driving around it may become weaker as the bilge area is ventilated. I had a non already dripping pin hole on the bottom of the fuel tanks back wall and the fuel smell became very strong but no fuel in bilge water as the leaking fuel evaporated before it could drip in the bilge.

So you are either at the point where a pin hole is developing what would end in replacing the fuel tanks or you are lucky and it was the fuel lines or fuel sender what is possible too.
Just monitor the situation and when you feel that fuel smell becomes stronger and smell is of fresh gasoline (seating hoses have a different, more stale gasoline smell), particularly after filling up as the weight may press some fuel thru the tiny leak) then you should dig deeper.

Check and wash the top of the fuel tanks frequently with fresh water and verify that the access plates are watertight to avoid that saltwater drip on top of the tank and accumulate there. If there is a kind of salt and corrosion accumulation where the fuel pickups and fuel senders are then clean that with a stiff tooth brush to get rid of the crystals and rinse more frequently. You may replace the o-ring or the whole access cover to limit water intrusion there.

Chris

 

[Stickbo]

Thanks a lot for the responses. I’m going to be testing it out tomorrow. Fingers crossed it was all it was. I talked to my buddy who was helping me and said the sending unit screws were all loose. I didn’t realize that when we were checking. I’m confident these are the issues but we’ll see.

 

[PointedRose]

If you change out again at some point ideally use hose clamps with crimps rather than the screw in type (screw in type can dig into the rubber and will cause an earlier failure than the crimp type)

https://a.co/d/hLphT0a

 

[Stickbo]

Good call. I will do that. Thanks!

 

[Ekea]

If you change out again at some point ideally use hose clamps with crimps rather than the screw in type (screw in type can dig into the rubber and will cause an earlier failure than the crimp type)

https://a.co/d/hLphT0a

i would recommend scandvik style hose clamps. they are slightly rounded on the inside so they dont cut into the rubber. additionally, the screw engages in divots rather than slits so the threads dont score the rubber. make sure you get 316 ss.

to remove any doubt, you could have the tank pressure tested. keep in mind that at 19 years old, you are nearing the life expectancy of the tank.

 

[Stickbo]

Update. Found the sending unit gasket was junk ( as well as being super loose ). Replacing gasket tonight and will fuel up tomorrow.