# Any good diesel smell solutions



## teflongeoff (Jan 10, 2011)

Does anyone have a good solution for the constant smell of diesel fuel in the boat? I've checked for leaks and scrubbed the bilges and storage areas. Am seeking advice about good cleaner, deodorizers that work with salt water. Thanks


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Mine had the infamous pin holes in the bottom of the tank and the plywood supporting it was saturated.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

If you've scrubbed all the hard surfaces, and the smell persists then either you've got a continuing (albeit unfound) leak such as Denise suggests, or the odour has permeated the upholsterv and/or the headliner fabric, if present.

Does the odour get stronger when running, or is it just generally there all the time? If it varies then chances are you've got a leak somewhere on the pressure side of the fuel system - the diesel may well evaporate eventually and be difficult to spot (eg a soft return line hose, or a poorly fitted injector line fitting...)

If you haven't already, take all the upholstery out of the boat, scrub it (the boat) all down and see if the smell moves with the cushions.


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## teflongeoff (Jan 10, 2011)

wow that is a really fast response...Thanks denise and faster ...I will check out the aluminum fuel tank in my 25 year old boat that is held up on a peice of plywood for diesel saturation....today


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Hope it's not the tank.. but then old tanks don't hold up to hope very well. good luck hon.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Another option: ditch the diesel and get an Atomic 4!
I kinkda like the smell of gasoline and napalm in the morining!!!


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

teflongeoff said:


> wow that is a really fast response...Thanks denise and faster ...I will check out the aluminum fuel tank in my 25 year old boat that is held up on a peice of plywood for diesel saturation....today


Ah...The magic words, ",,,old aluminum fuel tank" and "pywood" [support]. There's your problem old son. The solution is an "old-tank/plywood-ectomy". Been there, done that...


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

svHyLyte said:


> Ah...The magic words, ",,,old aluminum fuel tank" and "pywood" [support]. There's your problem old son. The solution is an "old-tank/plywood-ectomy". Been there, done that...


Actually, I had the same problem with an old mild steel tank (Mr. Young was right, "Rust Never Sleeps").

Teflongeoff, I would replace all the fuel hoses (unless they are brand new), whether the tank proves to be the primary source of the smell or not. The permeability standard for fuel hoses has been rather substantially upgraded recently, and old hose tends to get little cracks in it anyway.


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## Silvio (Nov 10, 2010)

All the above are really good suggestions. I will add that once you have any leaks fixed and if there is a persistent diesel odor I would suggest using some of the waterless orange hand cleaner. I have had good results using a bit of the hand cleaner on a shop towel to clean up spilled fuel from changing the primary filter. 

Good luck!


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## sawingknots (Feb 24, 2005)

i've operated/worked on heavy equipment for many yrs,i hardly even notice diesel smell any more[what don't kill you makes you stronger,maybe]also not much danger of fires/explosions as with gasoline inboards,besides the oder keeps most of them pesty women away


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## MacGyverRI (Nov 14, 2007)

Put some Coffee grinds (1/2-1" deep, new/un-perked) in glass or treated (Teflon etc) pie plates and set those anyplace inside the bilge area and it will absorb and remove basically any odors present. This works as an air freshener in the cabins also.

p.s. Find the leak as others have said.


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## RichP (Jul 20, 2008)

Mop up the spillage area with bucket of soapy water with bleach added.
The bleach seems to make all the difference in curbing the smell


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## captflood (Jan 1, 2011)

*smelly boats*

Ive had sucsess by cutting some onions intwo and leaving them on the boat they suck up the pong and you bin them on the way home hope this works (it also works when painting) plesant boating enjoy the fresh air


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## captflood (Jan 1, 2011)

have you checked your venting pipes are they in good order


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## DelmarRey (Aug 25, 2001)

I use to maintain fuel sites and found that Windex works real good at removing wet diesel. Once it's dried/hardened, steam is the only way to get it off with todays environmental controls. 20 years ago there were chemicals that would melt the stuff off like it were dried syrup.

Simple Green and TSP are fairly good for the sticky stuff but it takes a lot of elbow grease too.


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## teflongeoff (Jan 10, 2011)

wow...thanks for all the responses (15)...looks like coffee grounds and onions to absorb the smell and orange hand cleaner, bleach or windex or tsp to clean up the residue of fuel, however eliminating the source of the leak is primary of course and expensive. (but less than a therapist)
many thanks


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## arf145 (Jul 25, 2007)

A product called Kids N Pets has done a good job of getting rid of diesel smell for me. Found it at WalMart. Works on fabrics and I would guess it works on hard surfaces too.


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## captflood (Jan 1, 2011)

If your still smelling the deisel your not eating your greens its not to windy in the cabin a good stout beer will cure your boat of the deisel smell for good you wount even notice the deisel any more


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

White vinegar!! We had the scenario Denise described - pinholes in 25-year-old tanks, saturated plywood. New tanks ($$$) + white vinegar on the wood (cheap) = no problem. Might take a couple of iterations with the vinegar to get all the residual out, depending on how long the tanks have been leaking.


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