Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

[TWFisher]

I have water and trash in my fuel cell and naturaly the boat was bulit around the tank. I really dont want to run on a plastic tank so Im thinking of completely filling and flushing the tank with a water hose and pumping it back out with an electric fuel pump. I plan to repeat this until trash stops showing up in the electric pump filter. Then Ill pump out all the water I can but I know I won't get all of the water out. What to do? Is there a chemical that I can use to evap the remaining water out? Or should I fill it w/gas and go ahead and run but install a water seperator? Any thoughts?

 

[john from md]

Re: Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

Siphon out as much as you can using a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch hose. It would be a better idea to make a swab with a long piece of fence wire or couple of coat hangars and some rags and try to swab out as much of that stuff as you can. Then, instead of water, shoot kerosene through one of those pump type deck sprayers. Again, swab out as much as you can.

When you put gas back in, only fill it partially at first and take several fuel filter canisters with you. Go for a run and change the filters out as they clog.

It is never a good idea to introduce water into the fuel system. The only way to get it all out is forced draft for several days, and that is if the humidity stays down.

Regards,

John

 

[TWFisher]

Re: Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

The swab idea is good, I'm going to try that. What does the Kerosene do, help break down the gunk in the tank?

 

[john from md]

Re: Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

It acts like a low flammable cleaning agent and the residue will mix with gasoline with no unwanted effects. Try and get as much out as you can with the swabs though.

John

 

[pnwboat]

Re: Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

Startron makes a product specifically for cleaning tanks. Never tried it before. I've used their gas stabilizer with good results.

http://www.boatfix.com/shop3/store/listitems.asp?hotDeal=&orderBy=descr&strSearch=74-93664&idSupplier=&user1=&user2=&user3=&idCategory=

 

[TWFisher]

Re: Water in Fuel Cell! -Help!

Ok, good! This has me going in the right direction?

Thanks,

Ill tell you how I found out I have water in the fuel cell.

Second time I took this boat out. I stopped at a gas station and filled the truck and boat. I launched the boat, warmed it up and took off and the engine died about 5 seconds later. Would not fire back up. Very disapointing, the enging ran solid the first time out, never died out and very easy to start. I got a short tow back to the dock and called the mechanic. I pulled the plugs to have a look and they were all wet. So we figured the plugs were fouled. I ran all over looking for plugs to no avail. Finally, four hours or so later, I loaded the boat up and drug it home. This ate at me and ate at me. I woke up the next morning and drug the boat to the mechanic. He dropped the bowl on the top carb and it was full of water, the second the same and finally some gas in the third. Sooo...at this point were thinking blown gaskets or something to that effect. Since I filled up the truck and boat at the same time with the same gas, I seriously doubted water in the gas, the truck was running fine. I was about to disconnect and leave the boat with the mechanic when we decided to pull a sample from the tank. The sample was about 15%water and full of trash. I was really glad to see the water in the tank. Didn't want to have to get back into the engine. I don't think the water came from the gas station, we had about two days of heavy rain and it must have leaked in some how. Either the vent or the fill cap. All is being replaced now I just need to clean the tank.

Thanks again for the suggestions,

TW