My buddy's '92 303 Formula is getting gas fumes in the cabin. He notices it when he takes the cover off and when they are sleeping in the cabin (with the cockpit cover on also). It's getting to the point where they don't want to sleep on it.

Any ideas as to what it could be?

Well,,,,, that doesn't sound good at all. Leaking gas tank is my first guess. I presume you guys have already checked the obvious stuff (gas line connections, filler neck connection, tank connections on top of tank, gas in bilge, etc).

If the smell is bad in the cabin but not so bad in the engine bay (or at least not worse in the engine bay), my guess is the fuel tank itself is leaking. Not a good thing, not an easy repair.

I had a problem with gas fumes this spring. Drove me crazy until I found the source. The glass face on one of my fuel pressure guages had cracked. The oil leaked out. I did not see the gas dripping from it until standing in the engine compartment with the engine running ... almost a steady drip.

Please have this leak found/fixed before using this boat again!!!

DEFINITELY get that issue resolved before using that boat again. That is a bad gamble.

I had that problem last year. I'd get gas fumes in the cabin and cockpit, but not in the engine compartment. After running one day, I pulled the inspection plate under the back seat which is directly over the fuel tank sender and saw gas pooled around the sending unit. There is a cork gasket around it and it had broken apart where a screw went through it to attach it to the tank. I cut a new one out of a sheet of gasket material from Murrays with an exacto knife and replaced the bad one and the problem was solved

I had to repair my gas tank after a hard run from grand haven to muskegon(lake michigan). It took me two days to do the whole job. The boat was an F311. Took alot of time, but not a complicated job. I needed a forklift to lift out that 160 gal. tank. Definitely find the source of those gas fumes & fix the problem. Good luck- Please don't look for the leak with a match.

He had to pull one of the motors a few weeks ago to replace the alternator. He thinks that he may have gotton some gas in the gunnel when he stuffed the gas line in there after pulling the motor. He is going to check.

Thanks for all the replies!

Hmmmmmmm, interesting. Never would have considered that source.

ThirdBird,

I always have the strangest things happen on my boats. Usual response from my resources is "Hummm ... we've never seen anything like this before!" Sure makes life interesting sometimes.

I must be missing something...

Is it that tight of a fit that you have to pull a motor?