Strange Odor...Need opinions

That would certainly make sense. I have used Hylomar on many applications. Works very well. Never gets hard. However, never used it in an enclosed space.

Perhaps I could have made a better choice for sealing screw holes in the sump area.

I am going to remove the sump, clean off all the sealant, and let the area sit open for a few days to see if that is the source of the fumes. Since the boat is sitting on a trailer at my house, it is the perfect time to figure out this mystery.
Along with that you might also want to try one of those deodorizers in a container that you leave open.
 
I can pretty much guarantee the hoses running from your head to holding tank are permeated - they are 19yrs old. What most people don't do is use enough water when they flush - this leaves the waste (#1 is worse than #2 for smell) in the hose and it eventually permeates the hose - replacing the hose is the only option at this point. Another good practice is to flush a head bowl full of freshwater before leave the boat and when pumping the holding tank, pump it out, fill 1/2 full with water and pump again.
 
I can pretty much guarantee the hoses running from your head to holding tank are permeated - they are 19yrs old. What most people don't do is use enough water when they flush - this leaves the waste (#1 is worse than #2 for smell) in the hose and it eventually permeates the hose - replacing the hose is the only option at this point. Another good practice is to flush a head bowl full of freshwater before leave the boat and when pumping the holding tank, pump it out, fill 1/2 full with water and pump again.
Excellent advice. I'm bad about trying to conserve fresh water supply. But like all things, balance! Water is needed to move waste away from the head.
 
Ok. I got the smells figured out. First, thanks for the excellent advice from everyone.

The smells in the well for the shower sump have not been gasoline, but have a petro-ish flavor. When I first got the boat, no smells. For a few months after, no smells.

This winter, I pulled both engines, replaced the transom assemblies, water heater, engine room lighting to LED, and did a LOT of scrubbing and cleaning to a 19 year old bilge where the engines have been leaking oil (I fixed that too with new oil pan and valve cover gaskets.)

So, for two months, the fuel lines were open with a bolt in the end, the bilge was constantly bombarded with degreaser, Dawn, Simple Green, more degreaser, occasional drip of gasoline, little fiberglass resin in the screw holes, engine oil changes, you name it.

I thought the engine room was completely sealed from the galley by the bulkhead. 100%. I was wrong.

I noticed the sump pump wiring running up an looked like they turned starboard under the deck. Upon further inspection, they turned aft through the bulkhead above the fuel tank. No biggie, if the hole is sealed.

This morning, I pulled the deck plate over the gas tank in the midcabin to discover a 1 inch drilled hole right above the fuel tank with the sump pump wires running through. The hole is open. No sealant.

Since the fuel tank is wide open to the engine room, all the various vapors of the cleaners and degreasers have been drifting into the sump area.

No doubt. This hole is my source of smells.

My question - was this wiring a mechanic rewire or a factory route? Should this hole remain unsealed for some type of ventilation for the sump well area? Since I cannot normally detect the odors with the garbage can in and step closed down, is this how Sea Ray intended the install? Usually, an engine room is not polluted with the volume of various cleaners and solvents this one has had for months.

Howerver, an engine room can possibly get CO - my biggest worry.

What should I do? Easy to seal. Not sure if it should be sealed.
 
All of the wires, cables, etc on my 280 are run through a hole in the upper rear (starboard side) bulkhead and completely sealed with a huge glob of silicone. You can easily see that access from the ER. So this was definitely an 'after factory' route. Good thing you found it as gasses/fumes from the ER could have seeped in while people were on board. I'd definitely seal off that hole.
 
A photo from the bilge side directly over the fuel tank. The wire runs directly into the sump well under the steps.

Tern yer’ fones upside down to c it rite cus I’m ijgit.
 

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That's scary. Did you have the boat surveyed before purchase?
 
That's scary. Did you have the boat surveyed before purchase?
No. Hubris kicked in.
I had a good friend and long time boat owner (43 ft Viking) go with me to survey it. His mission, I told him, was to find a reason for me not to buy this boat. Obviously, after two hours, he could not find a reason.
So far, this is the only thing unexpected. I am very satisfied with the boat.
 
Seal that up. The wire loom will allow vapors to travel along it through the hole. Consider removing a section of the loo where it passes through the hole and fill the entire gap with silicone. It will hold the wire in place and provide chafe protection.
 
Seal that up. The wire loom will allow vapors to travel along it through the hole. Consider removing a section of the loo where it passes through the hole and fill the entire gap with silicone. It will hold the wire in place and provide chafe protection.
Will do. Great suggestion on sealing inside the wire loom. I would not have thought to do that.
As simple as this task is, I am dumbfounded the mechanic did not do this. The wiring is very well done otherwise. This is what happens when people don’t get instruction from the CSR community.
 
So...as a project next winter season, I think I will reroute that sump pump wire away from the fuel tank. I can run it on the port side, behind the main power panel, under the step leading into the midcabin, and into the sump well. I would feel better keeping amperage-drawing wires from laying on a plastic gas tank.
 
I thought I read once where old hoses can allow odors to seep through.

Is there a way to test them? Seems like a pretty daunting task to get to the ones under the head.
I replaced the hose from the head to the tank on my 2001 Regal 3780, not a fun job at all, but it solved my odor problem.
 
A photo from the bilge side directly over the fuel tank. The wire runs directly into the sump well under the steps.

Tern yer’ fones upside down to c it rite cus I’m ijgit.
WTF. This is unconscionable on the part of the mechanic.
 
Update on the sump odors.

As discussed above, I discovered someone had drilled a 1 inch hole from the gas tank/engine compartment into the sump area under the stairs to tuna wire. The hole was not sealed.

various vapors from cleaning agents, fuel, oil, etc were drifting into the sump area.

I sealed the hole with a liberal amount of clear silicone. After giving it a week and good ventilation to off-gas, the silicone smell is gone.

There are no odors in my sump area now. Completely odorless.

Thanks again CSR community for helping me fix this old boat and make it safer.
 
I thought I read once where old hoses can allow odors to seep through.

Is there a way to test them? Seems like a pretty daunting task to get to the ones under the head.
Try changing the filter on top of the holding tank. It is supposed to be changed often. I didn’t know andbb CB I had an awful smell ever time we flushed. It was a 10 minute fit that cost about $100 for parts and anyone can do this without tools.
 
If you have the cylindrical style filter, you can refill them with activated charcoal from the pet store for a couple bucks. Cut in half, clean out old charcoal, fill with new and use a rubber coupler from the hardware store to connect the two sections. I do mine every year.
 

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