# Fuel Issues  Please Help



## hntr2k (Jun 14, 2010)

Long story short....

I have been using regular unleaded fuel from the gas pumps all last fall, winter, and spring.  I used the appropriate measures of blue Sta-Bil every tank.  Then, two weeks ago I took the boat out and it fired up, sputtered, then died thirty feet from the dock.  I called a buddy over to tow me around while I changed the fuel-water seperater.  She fired up and ran well all that day.

Next tankfull I switched to the ethanol free Marine gas at the local Shell station on Hwy 17.

Yesterday, Same dang thing.  Two full water seperators in two weeks.

So, the question is, is there a chemical I can put in the gas tank to help dry out the fuel?  Does Seafoam help?

Is there another method recommended to get the water out of the tank?

I would rather not have to dump an eighty gallon fuel tank if I can help it ($3.00 a gallon)


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## Doyle (Jun 14, 2010)

Keeping the gas tank as full as possible helps prevent water buildup due to expanding and contracting pressure.  

You could also have rain water getting in.   Many years ago, my boss had the same issues.  Turned out to be a crack in the filler neck letting rain water in.


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## tcb294 (Jun 14, 2010)

What kind of motor?  A few yamaha owners, including myself, have been having the small filter in the vst tank clogged with ethanol. Carb cleaner from a small tank may help.  I went through about 5 filters before figuring out my problem.


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## Ol' Gobblero (Jun 14, 2010)

Sta-bil is trash. Star tron by star brite works much better.


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## Nautical Son (Jun 14, 2010)

First off Sta-Bil is not trash....they have been around longer than any Starbrite....

Secondly, you likely have a filler neck/cap issue allowing water into the tank, I had the same problem until I raised the fill cap 3/4", water from rain,washdown was leaking into the tank and filling my separators....you can always dump water out of a separator and reuse it if it was brand new.


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## jonkayak (Jun 14, 2010)

TGattis said:


> First off Sta-Bil is not trash....they have been around longer than any Starbrite....
> 
> Secondly, you likely have a filler neck/cap issue allowing water into the tank, I had the same problem until I raised the fill cap 3/4", water from rain,washdown was leaking into the tank and filling my separators....you can always dump water out of a separator and reuse it if it was brand new.



A lot of Sea Chaser and the Carolina Skiff Elite Models have had issue with water getting into the tank via the gas caps. They have built in vents and when the water puddles around them the water seeps in. To the O.P. I would guess you are getting most of your water from and external leak in the fuel system and not from the gas. Thats to much water to come from the gas alone. If it was coming from the gas then I would think everyone filling up there would be having issues and not just one boat owner.


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## PaulD (Jun 14, 2010)

I'll look at the tank for ya. I hate to tell ya but if you got water in there best option is to drain the tank before you start doing damage to the motor. Also, if you're changing the fuel water seperator out like that you need to change the built in filter on your motor too. I recommend sea foam with ever fill up, regardless of water or no water. Keep using the sta-bil or star tron. You may have gotten a bad tank of gas and your dealing with it now. The old school of thought was to fill your tank and store it full, as it prevents condensation in the tank. The new school of thought is store empty as it keeps condensation down and also prevents ethonal break down. With ethonal gas you can be looking at 1 gallon of water forming for every 10 gallons af gas in your tank. That's pretty ugly numbers!


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## hntr2k (Jun 15, 2010)

Doyle said:


> Keeping the gas tank as full as possible helps prevent water buildup due to expanding and contracting pressure.
> 
> Thank you.  I have not done this religiously, so that will be one of my next steps, to ensure I always keep the tank full.
> 
> You could also have rain water getting in.   Many years ago, my boss had the same issues.  Turned out to be a crack in the filler neck letting rain water in.



I don't know if there is rainwater getting in through the tank directly, but PaulD (see below) is willing to help me look for it, so thanks for that tip too!



tcb294 said:


> What kind of motor?  A few yamaha owners, including myself, have been having the small filter in the vst tank clogged with ethanol. Carb cleaner from a small tank may help.  I went through about 5 filters before figuring out my problem.



Thanks for the reply.  I have a 1997 225 Merc EFI OB.  I don't know what a VST tank is, so I wouldn"t know how to check it.  As for Carb Cleaner, I think SeaFoam is a cleaner and a fuel drier.



PaulD said:


> I'll look at the tank for ya. I hate to tell ya but if you got water in there best option is to drain the tank before you start doing damage to the motor. Also, if you're changing the fuel water seperator out like that you need to change the built in filter on your motor too. I recommend sea foam with ever fill up, regardless of water or no water. Keep using the sta-bil or star tron. You may have gotten a bad tank of gas and your dealing with it now. The old school of thought was to fill your tank and store it full, as it prevents condensation in the tank. The new school of thought is store empty as it keeps condensation down and also prevents ethonal break down. With ethonal gas you can be looking at 1 gallon of water forming for every 10 gallons af gas in your tank. That's pretty ugly numbers!



Yes, those are terrible numbers.  I have not yet changed the engine fuel filter, but I will get a new one this week.

PM sent...


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## Capt. Richie Lott (Jun 15, 2010)

If you arent running the fuel through the engine regularly, stay on e-free fuel... Like Paul said, you could end up with a bunch of water. 

I have run over 4 thousand gallons of fuel through my Yamaha 250 4-Strokes using both types... No problems, but the fuel is getting used and not sitting for long periods. The Contender before this one, same deal. No problems and used ethanol about 99% of the time.


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## Bryannecker (Jun 15, 2010)

*Ethanol 101*



hntr2k said:


> Long story short....
> 
> I have been using regular unleaded fuel from the gas pumps all last fall, winter, and spring.  I used the appropriate measures of blue Sta-Bil every tank.  Then, two weeks ago I took the boat out and it fired up, sputtered, then died thirty feet from the dock.  I called a buddy over to tow me around while I changed the fuel-water seperater.  She fired up and ran well all that day.
> 
> ...



_*Check out my post titled Ethanol 101.  You may find something there to help you.  Well, I hope so.*_


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## ryanwhit (Jun 15, 2010)

This is what a surveyor told me to do if there is water in the tank:

The fuel pick up is most likely in the back of the tank.  jack the tongue of the trailer up so that the water will settle in the back bottom corner of the tank.  then disconnect your fuel line at the bulb (or move your bulb to the line before the water separator) and use the bulb to pump gas into a bucket.  Pump a gallon or so and check for water.  Discard gas/water mix until you get clean gas. 

Then find out how water is getting in.

Good luck!


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## seaweaver (Jun 15, 2010)

A lot of good suggestions here. 



the one missing is jacking up politicians.....


also, the crystaline crap that forms and chokes filters seems to occur in small volumes...in the lines. Run the engine dry each time is what I'm getting from my Yam Mech.s in Brunswick and Sav.

Pay the money and buy the filter w/ the clear bottom w/ the petcock to drain off water.


Jack up your politicians.
When 10% gas is replaced by ethanol...which gas is not part of the blend?
the most expensive gas....



who makes that?

we do.

why?

Our gas is regulated to death thus it costs more.
Politicians cater to corn growers and stump huggers. 


thus our intake of foreign fuel is higher than ever.

cw


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## CAL (Jun 15, 2010)

Can't recommend this for an outboard but on the farm when water is a problem,I have poured alcohol in the gas.It will mix with water and burn it out!


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## hntr2k (Jun 16, 2010)

*Thank you!*

Thank you to everyone who replied to this with all the tips and advice.  I really appreciate it!

How long would it take for the water to settle to the pickup?  an hour?  A few hour?  Days?


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## Doyle (Jun 16, 2010)

The biggest part will settle out within an hour or so.  Did you find your leak yet.  Like somebody else said, that's too much water just to be from aspiration alone.


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## sodbusterman (Jun 16, 2010)

CAL said:


> Can't recommend this for an outboard but on the farm when water is a problem,I have poured alcohol in the gas.It will mix with water and burn it out!



Make sure tou use 91% alcohol because 70% has already absorbed all the water it can. This is good for just a little water in the tank.


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## Nautical Son (Jun 16, 2010)

jonkayak said:


> A lot of Sea Chaser and the Carolina Skiff Elite Models have had issue with water getting into the tank via the gas caps. They have built in vents and when the water puddles around them the water seeps in. To the O.P. I would guess you are getting most of your water from and external leak in the fuel system and not from the gas. Thats to much water to come from the gas alone. If it was coming from the gas then I would think everyone filling up there would be having issues and not just one boat owner.



Jon, you are correct...mine was a SC 175rg....fixed it myself for 30 minutes of my time....



ryanwhit said:


> This is what a surveyor told me to do if there is water in the tank:
> 
> The fuel pick up is most likely in the back of the tank.  jack the tongue of the trailer up so that the water will settle in the back bottom corner of the tank.  then disconnect your fuel line at the bulb (or move your bulb to the line before the water separator) and use the bulb to pump gas into a bucket.  Pump a gallon or so and check for water.  Discard gas/water mix until you get clean gas.
> 
> ...



This will work for removing the largest portion of the water without draining the entire tank....



And just so everyone realizes what happens when a fuel/water separator gets full...I will enlighten you.....

sizzzzzzzlllllllleee  sput sput sput clunk....as the water passes on thru the filter it hits the piston chamber at whateevr RPMS you running at and depending on how hot the motor is determines the size of the hole you will have in the top of your piston.......mine was about an inch diameter....


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## BriarPatch99 (Jun 16, 2010)

If you decide to use  alcohol to dry the water out get... HEET... it is 99.5% alcohol, get it at any auto parts store.

Jim K

This is a good read on water treaments:
http://www.goldeagle.com/UserFiles/file/Ethanol 411/Gold Eagle eGas Article PSL.pdf


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