Fuel Lines and Ethanol

[mrmamiller]

I am ready to attack my fuel lines because of possible or potential ethanol contamination. I have a clear plastic inline fuel filter and the gasoline looks a bit darker than I think it should. My boat is 1986, engine is 110hp Johnson. I have inspected the fuel lines in the bat and find that the filler hose and vent hose are marked "Nautical #312 Type A USCG 1985 2385" and the hose from the tank to the motor is marked "Type A SAE 30R7". I am guessing that these hoses aren't compatible with ethanol laced fuel. Am I correct? Is it pretty much a "must" to replace the filler and vent hoses? Replacing all of my fuel system hoses will pretty much cause me to destroy the insides of the boat. Fuel lines run through flotation foam and run behind all sorts of barriers that must be ripped out. (Engine hoses have been recently been replaced). Thanks for your advice.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Fuel Lines and Ethanol

Not much help on the numbering on your hoses. I would think that the fill and vent hose would be ok, they do not remain full of gas at all times. As far as replacing your old hoses, I have used a splice barb and installed one end in the old hose and the other end into the new hose and pulled the new hose through when I pulled the old hose out. You can try the next size larger hose barb, might be hard to get them into the hose ends, but they should not pull out. Have someone push/feed the new hose in while you pull the old hose out.