Mikuni my30 diesel heater

frogster

New member
Joined
28 Apr 2024
Messages
1
Visit site
Hello,
New to this forum, so hello,
Iam looking for some advice about why my heating on my cruiser smells of diesel and its quite bad that when you go home you notice your clothes wreak of diesel.
I have only just brought the boat and not very savvy when it comes to knowing whats what.

The heater has had a good run but still has not cleared the system.
The engine does not give off any fumes when running, only when the heating is on.

Can any one give me any advice, this concerns me with health implications and not to mention the odour.
Kind regards
Shaun
 

vyv_cox

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
25,460
Location
France, sailing Aegean Sea.
coxeng.co.uk
Welcome to the forum.
Diesel heaters comprise two totally separate circuits, combustion and heating air. Ideally combustion air and exhaust are taken from outside the boat, with heating air drawn from inside the boat or well away from the combustion exhaust so that fumes cannot be drawn in to the heating circuit. This is the first thing you should check.

If the smell is definitely diesel and not exhaust it would seem there is a leak inside the unit. I suggest you strip it and replace whatever is necessary (gauze, gaskets etc as I do not know the unit). Manuals for most equipment are available somewhere on the internet.
 

RunAgroundHard

Well-known member
Joined
20 Aug 2022
Messages
1,472
Visit site
Are you sure it is associated with the Mukuni heater? The reason I say this is that when I bought my boat, diesel from the heater had been spilled by the previous owner, maybe during repairs or replacement of the standpipe and fuel line from the tank (which was new when I bought the boat). It took a lot of cleaning to get rid of it and the smell still lingered for a long time. Check for spills. Soak up and spills, clean with a degreasing agent and then wash with hot soapy water a few times. Test for lingering diesel by spraying on fresh water and checking for a sheen.

In my case it was in the bilge area, to the side of the main diesel tank where the standpipe was fitted.
 
Top