. . . . . lie both a food locker and the diesel tank. The latter had developed a leak, around the filler inlet, early on in the Zen Again cruise. Which was managed by a combination of keeping the tank level low; winding, frequently changed, rags around the leak point; and storing only tinned food, impervious to taint, in the locker.
All attempts at a DIY fix, by dismantling and resealing the threads on the fuel inlet pipework, failed to resolve the fault.
On our return home, I called Simon French, diesel mechanic extraordinaire. He made short work of removing the tank completely. Its contents temporarily decanted into a blue drum stood, on the cabin sole, up forward.
A pressure test, in Simon's Brighlingsea workshop, revealed that the leak was not coming from within the threaded joint. Instead, the thermal bond, between the threaded metal insert and the plastic of the tank top, had failed. Allowing diesel to escape around the outside.
It was time for some French Marine magic:
The leaking insert was skilfully cut away, without enlarging the hole in the tank (top picture). A modified insert was fabricated - longer and threaded both externally and internally. The internal threads to accomodate the original inlet pipework. The external threads to take two large additional nuts. One inside the tank, the other on top. These clamping down on nitrile-cork washers to create a seal.(Above picture.) Overnight, the 5 psi pressure test was repeated. Successfully this time.
