OMC Bad Gas

[CaptnKingfisher]

So I'm having some issues with a friend's boat that I'm wrenching on. Ran great I'm the driveway on muffs took it to the lake and it idled fine, then I put it in gear, that went fine, but once I start to throttle up it dies. Diagnosed a bad coil, resistance in the primary was 0 ohms. Carb is freshly rebuilt and out of curiousity I took the water/fuel seperator off and dumped it into a glass jar and this is what I found.

I never had a water fuel seperater before so I assume it's supposed to hold onto water that comes through it, but I dumped it yesterday so all this water and dirty fuel pictured was in the seperater after half an hour of run time. What do I do about this?? I got a full tank of lousy fuel and I'm frustrated. I was hoping I could help my buddy out without too much headache but I'm starting to get overwhelmed. What are the next steps?

 

[Lou C]

That’s a LOT of water I think the only way is to pump that tank out or at least keep at it till you don’t see anymore water coming out!
Then make sure the gasket on the gas fill is not leaking. Here’s what mine looks like every year, original tank 33 years old!

 

[dingbat]

Remove sender from fuel tank and siphon the bad stuff off the bottom of the tank.

The other option is to have the fuel polished or make a polisher of your own using a small pump and water separating filter

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Remove sender from fuel tank and siphon the bad stuff off the bottom of the tank.

The other option is to have the fuel polished or make a polisher of your own using a small pump and water separating filter

Thanks I like the idea of polishing the fuel, I'm thinking I can park my truck next to the boat, run a line from the tank, through a water sperating filter and into my truck. Any recommendations on what to use to pump the fuel? I got almost a full tank, probably like 15 gallons unfortunately. I was going to get a primer bulb inline like you see on outboards, hopefully I don't need to pump it the entire time? Just a couple pumps to start the flow?

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

So this is what I decided to get. Gonna try polishing the fuel and burning it in my truck. Next will be figuring out how the hell do much water got into the tank

 

[dingbat]

I was going to get a primer bulb inline like you see on outboards, hopefully I don't need to pump it the entire time? Just a couple pumps to start the flow?

You may get lucky, but I doubt you’ll get enough head pressure to siphon through a filter.

All you need is a small, 12 volt universal fuel pump. Amazon has a number of them under $15

 

[kenny nunez]

Take a close look at the fuel tank vent, did it somehow get re positioned so that water can get into it? Does the vent hose have a “hump” in it where it is connected to the out side vent? What about the fill cap?

 

[bruceb58]

You need to get all the old fuel out of the tank and dispose of it.

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Take a close look at the fuel tank vent, did it somehow get re positioned so that water can get into it? Does the vent hose have a “hump” in it where it is connected to the out side vent? What about the fill cap?

I'll check this out this week. That's where I was thinking water came in, the vent is in on the starboard side near the stern and this boat sits pretty low in the back, wouldn't take too much of a wave to get up near the vent.

You need to get all the old fuel out of the tank and dispose of it.

Any suggestion on how to dispose of 15 gallons of bad fuel? Should I just call around my local garages for advice on that?

 

[Lou C]

Or your local town recycling center

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Or your local town recycling center

Thanks Lou I'll do that! Really didn't want to put bad stuff in my truck

 

[hugh g]

Thanks Lou I'll do that! Really didn't want to put bad stuff in my truck

I wouldn't put it in my truck. Most town recycling centers will get rid of it for you. I bought a battery powered pump from Harbor you know where to drain my boat tank but I only got one use out of it before it quit. Lol.

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Well, took a look at the tank today . Tank is deformed, water is pooling on it, drowning the sender. I just spoke with the owner on the phone and he said he tried to take the tank out last year but couldn't get it out the boat. Said the tank was glued in. told me it was leaking fuel last year, they determined it was the sender and made a gasket out of whatever the blue stuff pictured is. Gonna pump the fuel out later this week at a hazardous waste center. Once the tank is empty I plan to plug the hoses and pressure test it with a hand pump. He wants to try to salvage the tank if possible. I got a 6 gal portable tank on the way just so I can show the owner that I've got the boat running well again and all it needs is a new tank (and a new floor).. hopefully that will inspire him to invest a little money into fixing the boat up right

 

[dingbat]

The 15/3/2017 fuel lines are OK, but you might want to convince him to change out the 1989 (32 yro) fill hose while he's in there

 

[kenny nunez]

Am I seeing right that there are only 3 screws holding the sender in place?

 

[CaptnKingfisher]

Am I seeing right that there are only 3 screws holding the sender in place?

It's hard to tell from the picture but there are 5, two of which are completely annihilated by rust. I don't even know if I'm going to be able to remove them. My first attempt will be with an impact driver

 

[Lou C]

That tank has gotta go!

 

[hugh g]

Well, took a look at the tank today . Tank is deformed, water is pooling on it, drowning the sender. I just spoke with the owner on the phone and he said he tried to take the tank out last year but couldn't get it out the boat. Said the tank was glued in. told me it was leaking fuel last year, they determined it was the sender and made a gasket out of whatever the blue stuff pictured is. Gonna pump the fuel out later this week at a hazardous waste center. Once the tank is empty I plan to plug the hoses and pressure test it with a hand pump. He wants to try to salvage the tank if possible. I got a 6 gal portable tank on the way just so I can show the owner that I've got the boat running well again and all it needs is a new tank (and a new floor).. hopefully that will inspire him to invest a little money into fixing the boat up right
View attachment 346971

Not sure how you can salvage a deformed poly tank, leak or no leak.