Gas Leak
 

I was out in my 28 Pantera this past week and after gasing the boat up i smelled fuel in the cockpit when under power. I checked the bilge and it was clean. The fumes were up into the cabin and the in the cockpit area and were strong. I opened the access panel for the fuel tank to find gas leaking out of the center of the fuel sender. a very dangerous situation to say the least. I removed the sender to find that the aluminum tube was hanging by a thread and then it fell apart in my hands. I found out it was made by wema (not sure about the spelling). My shop called them and the guy there said something catastrophic had to happen to it or the gas tank flexed and broke it. He said i must have hit a big wave. I said no ****, it is in an offshore racing boat. They said they would not replace it but i could purchace another one, they are now made of stainless steel, geez I wonder why? I told them no mater what, it should have not leaked fuel into the boat. The piece looked like it was fatigued from the gas hitting it as if you kept bending an aluminum can until it broke, not something that broke in one shot. In all my running of this boat this summer not one thing has broke or come loose except this fuel sender. the piece was from June 2000 and the boat is a 2000 with 120 hours on it, so i assume it was put in at the factory. Joe might be able to tell me that. Anyway, If you smell gas or want to avoid the possibility of blowing you and your boat up check your sender and if it looks like mine did get the updated one or change to a different company. The scary thing is I had my 8 year old son on the boat with me...............

Good thing you caught it. Post the part number of the new part. I wonder if all the senders were the same from the factory in all the models?

Hopefully Jo will post on this.

I will definately keep you updated. I will try to take a pic of the broken piece for all to see. Whats amazes me is that it always has to be something the boat owner did, it just could not be part failure. The least they could have done was have me send the part to them so they could inspect it.

Could you please send the sender to me so I may inspect it.We have been useing the same gas tank builder for nearly 30 years now with no problems or complaint.We are very safety minded, especially gas tank installation.I believe you are the third owner of this boat and there is a possibility at one time someone could have replaced the sender on the tank.

We will definetely look into it.

Thanks, PEPE

Pepe, I will be glad to send it to you. the date on the sender is 6/00. I already ordered a new one made out of stainless steel. It just bothers me when someone blames the failure on the customer without even seeing the part..........when you get it, just so you know, the gas was leaking through the metal tab on top of the sender.........you will have it in hand next week..........Ricky.......

Thank You, I will look into it.

Regards,PEPE