Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors...

[SS194]

Hello. I have a 1976 Slickcraft SS194 with a Mercruiser Ford 302. I have been trying to trouble shoot why the carb was not getting fuel. Well, I found the problem to be that the fuel line back near the engine is a corroded copper line. Why copper was used, I have no idea. Anyway, the fuel line appears to travel under the wooden floor boards up the left side of the boat. What do I do? I do have a couple of soft spots in the floor near the cut out for the engine, but I really did not want to rip the entire floor up.

Any ideas? What about snaking a new line under the floor. I have no idea if that is even possible, it's just a thought.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Windykid]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

Is the copper line corroded through? Or is it clogged?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

you may well have found yer problem. however, just lookin at it assumin it's the problem.....well.......have ya run it on a remote fuel tank? that eliminates anything behind the fuel pump. ie. fuel line, anti siphone valve, fuel pickup sock, water in the fuel, fuel tank vent.....

if that copper line is drippin fuel. stop operating the boat till repaired.

as for fishin a new line.......if you have the room.....keep in mind that there are rules to abide by, set by the uscg.

http://www.uscg.org/CoastGuard.aspx?tabid=54

look under regulations, then follow boatbuilders handbook...

some more info provided by dons sounds approperiate here too...

http://www.iboats.com/bbboard/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=24;gtid=1107009

have you tested yer fuel pump for proper operation? it should be 3-6 psi....

have ya replaced the fuel filters?

btw, my 72 trisonic had copper fuel lines....

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

Hello. I have a 1976 Slickcraft SS194 with a Mercruiser Ford 302. I have been trying to trouble shoot why the carb was not getting fuel. Well, I found the problem to be that the fuel line back near the engine is a corroded copper line. Why copper was used, I have no idea. Anyway, the fuel line appears to travel under the wooden floor boards up the left side of the boat. What do I do? I do have a couple of soft spots in the floor near the cut out for the engine, but I really did not want to rip the entire floor up.

I would rip the floor up all the way to the fuel pick-up, most boats have a cutout for this.....
Mine does not either, but, dependind on the size of your tank, if you follow the angle of the line, I'll bet the pick-up is located towards the back of the tank.......
The reason I say find the pick-up is that if you have a fuel restiction, it is more likely the pick up than a clogged fuel line.....
It might be corroded on the outside, but I'd wager that it is clean on the inside........​

Any ideas? What about snaking a new line under the floor. I have no idea if that is even possible, it's just a thought.

I doubt that you will be able to snake a new line if the original was properly insatalled......​

Thanks,
Steve

Before you go ripping your floor apart, there are tests to isolate fuel delivery issues.......
One is the portable tank.....
Here is the rest, courtesy of Don S........
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167561​

 

[SS194]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

Sorry guys, I kinda forgot to mention a rather important part.

The fuel line is corroded in half. So I'm assuming the rest of the line isn't in great shape.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

HMMMMM......
Well that does change things a bit......
All the reason more to track it to its source, IMO.....
Welcome to iboats, btw........​

 

[ziggy]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

sounds like ya did find the fuel delievery problem..... that's good....

also sounds like yer either gonna be fishin in a new line or cuttin up yer boat to get to it to replace it........ hope ya get away with fishin....got any pics. don't know if that'd help, but at least folks will see what yer up against......

 

[SS194]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

Yep, I can safely say I found my fuel delivery problem. I'm going to try my hardest to fish a new line through the hull. I do have some parts of the floor that I need to replace anyway, so maybe I can some how combine replacing parts of the floor with fishing a new fuel line.

Here are some pictures. I love this boat! Best part is the torque! She'll do 50 MPH whether its just me or 4 people, a cooler, and a bunch of other stuff.

Here they are.

OK, this last picture is really the only one that I have of the engine. You can see the fuel line run from the carb to the fuel pump, then to the filter/seperator and then goes to a cloth covered rubber line to a fuel shut off valve, then starts the copper line.

You can't see much of it, but that's all I have. Anyway, that copper line runs straight back to the transform then it goes under floor and runs up the left side.

Thanks again guys,
Steve

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Help me find a way to replace my copper fuel line without ripping up the floors..

DO you have a bow tank?
I don't understand why you want to know where the old line went. You can run a new one anywhere you want.
All 3 of my Slickcraft hulls have/had them run up the side of the boat- never went under the floor.