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Topic: Coach will not start & a diesel leak (Read 1284 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #21 –
Quote from: The Soft Boulders –

We found the source of the diesel leak and it's not in a good spot.  The fuel tank itself is leaking along one of the welded seams.  There is no visible crack in the weld but fuel is seeping out in at least two spots along the seam. 

Anyone ever had that happen and or know how to fix it?

I would pull the fuel tank and have it rewelded.  You're going to be living with that tank for a long time.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #22 –
Until fixed, be sure to catch 100% of the diesel so it doesn't get down in the basement structure.

If nothing else and it is just seeping, tape paper towel "diapers" just above floor level to catch it.

If really leaking, see if you can use tape and aluminum foil or other to form a channel to divert the fuel to a container.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #23 –
But the fuel leak in the side of the tank is not going to cause the engine not to start. You have another problem with air getting in the fuel system. I suspect it's back at the engine. If you recently changed fuel filters, I would start looking at them.

Pierce

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #24 –
Quote
Did you remove and  replace the small center gasket on the filter housing?

Just want to make sure you removed the old gasket. Sometimes it gets stuck on the engine side and you have to pick it out. If the old one is still in there, it could be sucking air into your system.
jor

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #25 –
Quote from: jor –
Just want to make sure you removed the old gasket. Sometimes it gets stuck on the engine side and you have to pick it out. If the old one is still in there, it could be sucking air into your system.
jor
I pulled the water separator and fuel filter off yesterday and checked for gaskets. 

This morning after about 10 hours of setting the engine fired right up and ran excellent.  I don't know what's going on haha

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #26 –
Quote from: The Soft Boulders –
I pulled the water separator and fuel filter off yesterday and checked for gaskets. 

This morning after about 10 hours of setting the engine fired right up and ran excellent.  I don't know what's going on haha

That part about not knowing what's going on?  Welcome to adulthood.  The older you get the less you know.

That part about the engine firing up?  You pulled the new fuel filter, compared it to a different brand, saw that the different brand looked like it would seal better and lo and behold! It did.  I agree with Mr. Haygarth in that you probably missed a different o-ring in the packaging the first time around.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #27 –
Quote from: The Soft Boulders –
We found the source of the diesel leak and it's not in a good spot.  The fuel tank itself is leaking along one of the welded seams.  There is no visible crack in the weld but fuel is seeping out in at least two spots along the seam. 

Anyone ever had that happen and or know how to fix it?
If you look closely at the first 2 pics in your first post, it looks like the the mounting angle, weld nut, and mounting screw are bent. If that is so, you should remove the tank, investigate what caused that (possible impact from below?), and correct any structural damage before reinstalling the tank. If the mounting angle is bent, it may be leaking there, also. The close proximity of the mounting angle to the noted leak indicates that possible issue may be related to the obvious issue. Regardless, IMO, you would be better-off, in the long run, pulling the tank and having it welded. Weld a few inches beyond any visible cracks, as cracks in aluminum are typically a fair amount longer than what can be seen. Maybe David will chime in ... I think he's a welder.

Good luck,
Greg

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #28 –
If you do pull it and get the repair, get a new filler neck, you'll never fix that bent part.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #29 –
The aluminum tanks  are prone to work harden next to the weld. As your driving down a road and fuel is sloshing and bouncing around it is flexing the tank. I have one aluminum tank in a one ton work truck I repaired several time till I replaced. Tanks now are bent around the corner and welded a inch inside on the flat. Less stress, double layered. Our coach tanks were welded in the corners. Stop leak epoxy, Heck even think Ivory soap bar will slow it down. Needs to be removed and repaired eventually possibly including rapping the corners on verticals. Not saying they couldn't crack on the horizontal seams. I've always repaired the bottom third of the tank in vertical welds.
Scott

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #30 –
If you're going to remove the tank for welding, it would be prudent to have it Non-Destructive Inspected at all the weld joints and then again after each repair. This will give a better knowledge of what condition the tank is really in. Just an opinion.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #31 –
Quote from: dsd –
The aluminum tanks  are prone to work harden next to the weld.
Scott

Aluminum and most non ferrous metals will age harden if allowed to cool slowly after heating.  The solution is to reheat the area and quench with cold water. Exactly the opposite of ferrous metals.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #32 –
Quote from: MisterEd –
you should remove the tank, investigate what caused that (possible impact from below?), and correct any structural damage before reinstalling the tank.
I can tell you what the structural damage is..  it's that the isn't much structure left hahaha.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #33 –
Difficult to heat for a hour and quench in under six seconds. Under perfect conditions with a drop floor furnace and quench tank  it's still difficult. I wish I had the skill set, but sadly I don't have a drop floor furnace and quench tank.
Scott

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #34 –
Quote from: dsd –
Difficult to heat for a hour and quench in under six seconds. Under perfect conditions with a drop floor furnace and quench tank  it's still difficult. I wish I had the skill set, but sadly I don't have a drop floor furnace and quench tank.
Scott

Turn down the oxygen until you have a sooty flame.  Cover the heated area with soot.  Reset the torch and burn off the soot.  Soak with a garden hose.

We can't go to work with the tools we want, we have to work with the tools at hand.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #35 –
 If you pull it and weld it. I would build a steel rack for it to set on and support the entire  bottom of the tank. Not just the corners.

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #36 –
How much fuel is in the tank ? If below fuel pickup you will never get it started.  I know, This should be obvious but sometimes the obvious is hard to see.
 

Re: Coach will not start & a diesel leak

Reply #37 –
Our fuel level dropped below where it was leaking from allowing us to clean the spot and patch with jb weld. We've since refilled the fuel and drove a couple hundred miles without any leaks.