Missing diesel

[Keeping Up]

Always before the winter I top up my diesel tank to minimise the risk of condensation and associated problems such as diesel bug. This spring before setting off, as usual, I opened the drain cock to draw off some fuel from the bottom to check that all was well and was dismayed to find the presence of a small amount of the bug - no water but a little bit of black slime.

 

When I opened the filler cap to pour in some biocide I noticed that the fuel was nowhere the top. I cursed myself for forgetting to top up last autumn, and surmised that I must have had some condensation which had then been absorbed by the additive which I always put into the tank but presumably not before it had allowed some bug to take hold.

 

But I was wrong, because looking back in my log I see that I HAD remembered to fill the tank to the brim at the start of November, and from then until the end of March I had only run the engine for 4 hours (we have a shore line). This then begs the question, where did the other 50 litres of diesel go to? I know the tank must have been filled because it's the usual "in the counter" style with the filler just straight in at the top.

 

If it was leaking into the canal at the rate of 2 litres per week, surely it would have been very noticeable?

 

If it was leaking into the bilge, which is clean and dry, I'd have seen it.

 

If it was leaking into the engine, the oil level would have risen dramatically!

 

The only feasible conclusion, I think, is that it must have been stolen. But we have a locking fuel cap, which hasn't been forced, and the only other possibility seems to be the feed to the engine. I suppose somebody might have lifted the deck boards (it's a cruiser stern) and unscrewed the pipe to take 50 litres, but would they really have been so considerate as to replace the pipe afterwards, taking care to tighten the union to ensure that it was totally leak proof?

 

It makes me wonder, how secure are the locking caps? It's one of the type that takes a small key in the centre to unlock it before you can turn the cap, and I can see that it's a fairly simple key so could you pick the lock and turn it to unlock it (it's fairly stiff)? Even so after stealing some fuel surely you wouldn't take the trouble to lock it again?

 

It just doesn't seem to add up.

[Guest]

Surely theft is the only logical explanation?

 

Is it moored in a location where this would be feasible?

[Starcoaster]

If they plan to nick off you on a regular basis, presumably it would be in their best interests to leave as little sign of their presence as possible?

[Guest]

If they plan to nick off you on a regular basis, presumably it would be in their best interests to leave as little sign of their presence as possible?

And probably not realising they were stealing from someone who kept a log/record of when they topped up and not expecting it to be picked up.

[Keeping Up]

If they plan to nick off you on a regular basis, presumably it would be in their best interests to leave as little sign of their presence as possible?

Yes that would make sense.

 

There are people living on the boats either side of us, but with linear moorings you aren't necesarily aware of what is happening on the boats in front or behind you.

 

I suppose I'd better fit a lock on the deck boards, and perhaps a telltale on the filler cap.

 

I hope the culprits get blocked up with diesel bug! I wonder if the bug in my tank came from a contaminated syphon tube?

[nbfiresprite]

Is your tank vent fitted to the top of a bollard?.

[Alf27]

I have heard of fuel being stolen by removing the air vent & inserting a syphon pipe & replacing the vent fitting.

 

As above, posted whilst slowly typing !

Edited April 4, 2015 by Alf27

[Starcoaster]

Yes that would make sense.

 

There are people living on the boats either side of us, but with linear moorings you aren't necesarily aware of what is happening on the boats in front or behind you.

 

I suppose I'd better fit a lock on the deck boards, and perhaps a telltale on the filler cap.

 

I hope the culprits get blocked up with diesel bug! I wonder if the bug in my tank came from a contaminated syphon tube?

 

That would be doubly galling, wouldn't it; not only being stolen from, but getting diesel bug as a result of it!

[Keeping Up]

The vent, that's an interesting thought. It doesn't look as if it's been disturbed but if they'd used a proper spanner it might not show. It's not on a bollard, it cunningly uses the hollow tubing of the stern rail; it's certainly easily accessible. I guess it wouldn't be too hard to fit an anti syphon thingy in there.

[Boredrider]

Don't suppose you have forgotten about a Mikuni/Ebersplutter/Webasto thingy that might be using some fuel?

[cotswoldsman]

Still look on the bright side lot cheaper to fill up now paid 60 ppl last week

[Keeping Up]

Don't suppose you have forgotten about a Mikuni/Ebersplutter/Webasto thingy that might be using some fuel?

No the engine is definitely the only thing connected to the diesel! My memory isn't what it was, and I can't even remember what that was, but I'm sure I'd have remembered it I'd fitted a diesel stove (looks around at gas-heated central heating radiators and Little Wenlock stove to make certain)

[Arthur Marshall]

If you filled up before winter, and it's now April, have you not run the engine a few times over winter to keep the batteries up to charge?

[Guest]

If you filled up before winter, and it's now April, have you not run the engine a few times over winter to keep the batteries up to charge?

But I was wrong, because looking back in my log I see that I HAD remembered to fill the tank to the brim at the start of November, and from then until the end of March I had only run the engine for 4 hours (we have a shore line). This then begs the question, where did the other 50 litres of diesel go to? I know the tank must have been filled because it's the usual "in the counter" style with the filler just straight in at the top.

[Laurie Booth]

It's got to be theft. Horrid thing to happen as I had 25 litres stolen a few years ago at a "Secure" moorings in Birmingham.

What made me sad was the fact that it must have been another boater.

[Arthur Marshall]

 

If you filled up before winter, and it's now April, have you not run the engine a few times over winter to keep the batteries up to charge?

But I was wrong, because looking back in my log I see that I HAD remembered to fill the tank to the brim at the start of November, and from then until the end of March I had only run the engine for 4 hours (we have a shore line). This then begs the question, where did the other 50 litres of diesel go to? I know the tank must have been filled because it's the usual "in the counter" style with the filler just straight in at the top.

 

Too early in the morning and wrote before reading the whole thing. Oops.

[craftycarper]

It's normally someone that knows your habits that do these kind of things, like a neighbour, why not hide a little camera, make a very public display of filling it up, then tell anyone near you, your away for a week and see what happens

[Guest]

Certainly sounds like you have been dipped. Happened to us a few years ago. They got a whole tank off us, and I noticed that the rudder was showing when we attended the boat, which it doesn't with a full tank.

[Keeping Up]

I'm almost certain they didn't unscrew the tank vent. I've looked at it very closely and there are absolutely no scuff marks on the paint. Our neighbours did notice a tiny bit of diesel on the water about a month ago so maybe that was the result of a tiny spillage.

 

That only leaves the possibility that they used the actual outlet pipe and using a spanner on its brass fittings would leave no trace - but that still seems odd. I'm still wondering if they had some sort of skeleton key for the locking cap.

[frangar]

This might sound daft but do the locking caps actually have different keys?....has anyone tried the key from one cap in another?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Guest]

I'm almost certain they didn't unscrew the tank vent. I've looked at it very closely and there are absolutely no scuff marks on the paint. Our neighbours did notice a tiny bit of diesel on the water about a month ago so maybe that was the result of a tiny spillage.

 

That only leaves the possibility that they used the actual outlet pipe and using a spanner on its brass fittings would leave no trace - but that still seems odd. I'm still wondering if they had some sort of skeleton key for the locking cap.

I don't know anything about the commercially bought locking fillers, but you may well be right. Reminds me of the car that had a puncture outside my father in laws house and couldn't get the locking wheel nut off his car, because the key thing had rounded off. Along came the RAC guy who had a universal key and removed the locking wheel nut in a second. As a dedicated thief probably has such keys, made me wonder of the worth of locking wheel nuts.

This might sound daft but do the locking caps actually have different keys?....has anyone tried the key from one cap in another?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Good point. I have an engine of certain make, and all ignition keys are identical.

[Guest]

This might sound daft but do the locking caps actually have different keys?....has anyone tried the key from one cap in another?

Cheers

Gareth

Not daft at all I would say given the inherent weakness in the level of security offered by lots of Narrowboat ignition keys/barrels.

[ditchcrawler]

It's got to be theft. Horrid thing to happen as I had 25 litres stolen a few years ago at a "Secure" moorings in Birmingham.

What made me sad was the fact that it must have been another boater.

I noticed when the engine stopped half way up Hatton. First cruise of the year

[Laurie Booth]

I noticed when the engine stopped half way up Hatton. First cruise of the year

A lot worse for you

[Justme]

Could you have been short changed on the fill, IE it was not brim full?