Fuel starvation

[Jimhanley01]

Looking for ideas. I have been fighting a fuel starvation problem for a year. After 10 minutes at cruise, the starboard engine cuts out. Switch to port tank and all is fine. I cut in a filter between the fuel pickup and antisiphon valve which fills up with crap and stops clogging antisiphon valve. Obviously need to clean out tank. Any idea where this crap can be coming from? It is a 91 32 Montego. Pulled the fuel sending unit out and tank bottom looks clean.

[bud37]

What does this crap look like?.....is it opaque gooey stuff...if so,sounds like maybe ethanol is cleaning your tank...have you made a recent fuel source changeover??

How is your fuel fill hose looking on the inside ? Anti siphon valve is right at the tank fuel outlet fitting....how did you get a filter in there.

[390Express]

If you've had water separation in the past, the alcohol likely dried out and ate the inside of your gas lines. The debris you're seeing may not be coming from the tank, but rather, from the rubber lines themselves. Mine were doing the same. I pulled and replaced my supply and feed line. Well worth the $120.

[Jimhanley01]

Thanks for the feedback. We just purchased the boat last year but from talking to people this had been an ongoing problem. The previous owner only used the port tank. I probably put in 70 gallons of fresh gas last year before I realized the problem.

I suspect there was about 30 gallons of very old heavily varnished gas. I replaced the filter a couple of weeks ago and started the engine and what was collecting in the new filter looked like an orange tinted slime. The boat sat for two weeks and I pulled out 10 gallons that looked perfect. Orange tinted at first while the leftover gas in the filter was replaced but then perfect. It cleaned out the see through filter. I have been running that gas in the car with no issues.

I think the thing to do is pull the pick up tube and suck out fuel/sludge from the very bottom of the tank and throw away. I think operating the boat puts the crap in suspension causing problems.

Thank you all for your help and insight. I will look at hoses next.

[390Express]

Source of the post Thanks for the feedback. We just purchased the boat last year but from talking to people this had been an ongoing problem. The previous owner only used the port tank. I probably put in 70 gallons of fresh gas last year before I realized the problem.

I suspect there was about 30 gallons of very old heavily varnished gas. I replaced the filter a couple of weeks ago and started the engine and what was collecting in the new filter looked like an orange tinted slime. The boat sat for two weeks and I pulled out 10 gallons that looked perfect. Orange tinted at first while the leftover gas in the filter was replaced but then perfect. It cleaned out the see through filter. I have been running that gas in the car with no issues.

I think the thing to do is pull the pick up tube and suck out fuel/sludge from the very bottom of the tank and throw away. I think operating the boat puts the crap in suspension causing problems.

Thank you all for your help and insight. I will look at hoses next.

You may have better access from the sending unit. You can't pull from the pickup tube, because the pickup tube doesn't reach the bottom of the tank (I made this error). Unless you have a $500 pump laying around, you're going to have an issue finding a cheap gas rated pump. Don't use the cheap bullshit a/c pump from Lowes/Home Depot. It has a rubber impeller that isn't fuel compatible, and you'll only get about 5 gallons out before the pump takes a shit on you (I made this error as well). This pump here works, but make sure you watch it, it's a hellva pump, but it needs a fusible link on the power supply:

Orion Motor Tech 12V Bio Diesel Kerosene Fuel Transfer Direct Current Pump Kit Nozzle Dispenser ($38 on Amazon)

I had something get stuck in one of the veins and it almost melted the power cable and would have likely burned the damn boat to the ground.

Another option is a Mytivac, which is what I wish I would have used from the beginning:

Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus ($97 on Amazon)

It's great for oil changes as well. It only sucks out 2.3 gallons at a time, but I think you'll be surprised as to how little gunk or bad gas you have. It all settles to the bottom, which is equal parts good and bad. Makes it easier to suck out, but when you're trying to run, it's the first gas your motor gets. Good luck!

[tomschauer]

Do not use an electric pump that is not rated for gasoline!!!! You may have a whole new set of problems and we may never again hear from you on this forum.

If you are in the water, in a marina, you may want to ask them to schedule a fuel polishing company to clean the tank if you have 70 gallons. I know if one of my neighbors started to pull gas out 2 gallons at a time on the dock, they would get shut down quickly. We don't want any explosions, fires and most of all injuries!

[1992330aftcabin]

I had a fuel issue with my boat due to what I think was ethanol. Boats don’t like ethanol, it eats rubber hoses swells plastic and attracts water. I ended up putting a gallon of sea foam in each tank and replaced the separators on both motors, runs great now, I have about 10 hours with no issues. Just my thoughts hope this helps you out.