Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

[SeaingDouble]

I checked on my drydocked boat today and noticed both sides of the hull had some nasty stains running down the side below each tank vent. Sure enough, I looked at the vent(s) closely and could actually see fuel spewing out. This just happened with in the last week. The tanks were topped off in the fall. <br />My initial thoughts are that since we recently got a pretty nice warm spell here in the n. east this week, this somehow caused pressure to build up or something. Are my thoughts correct or on the right track?

 

[xltier]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

the warmer it gets the more the fuel will expand.u probably should try to burn some off.e.p.a. and all that stuff.

 

[SeaingDouble]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

Yeah, I hear ya on that, but I'm about a month away from launch so I'm stuck sitting there. Trying to get a lazy marina to do some work is like peeing in the wind. I was supposed to be wet April 1.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

Siphon some out and safe it..too expensive these days to let evaporate away

 

[jtexas]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

The volume of gasoline varies with the temperature. One gallon (231 cubic inches) of gasoline at 15 degrees farenheit expands to 242 cubic inches (1.05 gallons) at 95 degrees. If you bought 40 gallons at 0 deg, then warmed it up to 80, you would have 42 gallons. Hence the need for the vent. The trick is to trap the gasoline vapor & only vent atmosphere. I have no idea how to do that.<br /><br />Of course, the 42 gallons would weigh the same as the original 40 gallons. Do you have more actual fuel? Don't think so, but I don't know for sure.

 

[QC]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

No, you don't have more fuel. BTUs are BTUs i.e. the heat value of the fuel. That's what you are really buying.

 

[beezee28]

Re: Fuel flowing out of vent while in storage?

As the weather gets warmer, the gas expand and since you topped off the gas tank in the fall the tank is full. In the warmer weather there is no space for the gas to expand and the only outlet is the gas vent and that is why you have fuel spewing out of the vent.