Elbow with fuel filter screen and anti siphon valve

[SPYKEKPT]

I have a 1988 20' 204C walk around with a 2000 200hp. Yamaha. I had a problem two years ago where my engine would cut out after running at high RPM for a while. The dealer ended up fixing it and said it was the screen in the gas tank pick-up tube was getting clogged with a paper towel that was floating and would get sucked up after running a while at high RPM's. It seem to fix the problem last year but returned this year. I unscrewed the anti siphon valve and that was clean. I took the tank sender unit off and looked in the gas tank and that looked clean from what I could see. I tried to get the elbow on top of the gas tank off to clean it but I cant budge it. Does anyone have experience with this? Any ideas? Thanks

 

[richie rich]

you need elbow grease for that elbow :lol: the elbow is probably bronze or stainless and the tank is aluminum so you got some corrosion between the two holding on hard after 20 years....whatever you do, don't use heat or a torch as I'm sure you wouldn't, but just in case it pissed you off to the point you'd go OJ on it, don't. Spray it up well with WD-40 or any penetrating oil of your choice, let it sit overnight and use leverage like a pipe extension or breaker bar and it will come loose. If you are trying to get a stuck thread loose with a pair of pliers through a 6 inch access cover with a bad angle, you're gonna be swearing all day long with no positive results except a possible broken part or at least some scuffed up knuckles. If you have to, remove the hatch cover to get full access to the part. And use a good fitting tool with the tightest tolerances possible so it won't round off......it will work....as far as junk in your tank??? 20 years gone by and it may be time for something new....my 88 tanks were found to have a ton of little holes and metal debris...it was time to go.

 

[richie rich]

PS, just because the anti-siphon valve was clean, doesnt mean it was functioning properly....the little ball becomes stuck over the years and you really cant fix it. It it doesnt rattle easily, just replace it.

 

[BobP]

If the dealer found a paper towel on the screen, then he was able to pull the tube out, the screen is near bottom end of the tube, up into tube, not top, I would say.

This is a lesson for not getting paper towels into the tank, how that one happened is a YouTube post waiting to happen.

Hope whatever clogs tube stays in tube so uou can get it, and doesn't fall back out.

You may want to haul around a small portable tank as a spare until problem doesn't reoccur.

 

[richie rich]

Bob, if that year tank is anything like mine, the screen is actually on top of the tube. As you pull off the elbow, its just wedged into the tube like the screen on a smoking pipe.....just pop it off with a small screwdriver and you can snake a plastic line or coathanger right to the bottom of the tank. The papertowel?? that is definitely a you tube video....someone probably spilled some gas while refueling and it somehow went down the shoot.......but those tanks are getting a bit aged.....Spy may get into something unexpected when he pokes around a bit....

 

[BobP]

On my (former) 1988 204 C, the screen was down at the bottom of tube, and the entire tube screwed out - not just the top fitting, which is all that comes out of my 252G. Don't recall seeing a screen in my 252G, got rid of antisiphons, they were collapsing squueze bulbs/loss of power on hammer down, (I found two of the four valves already removed under previous ownership).

At least that's my recollection on the 204C, first the legs go, then the memory goes, etc, etc.

 

[richie rich]

my 252G had the tubes welded in place, hence the screen needed to be on top for access to cleaning....I guess they had several tank builders using slightly different methods......

 

[SPYKEKPT]

Thank you for your input. I know how the paper towels got in there. I have a cheap friend who put gas in my boat with an old 5 gal gas tank with the top tube missing so he would just stuff paper towels to stop the gas from coming out. It was my fault for letting him use the boat. My owners manual shows it has an elbow at the top. Do you think it could be the anti siphon valve? It seem fine but if its not letting enough gas get to the engine over time thats when it starves it and it cuts out? I didnt want to take the hatch off but I might have to. I will try and WD40 it and get it off that way before I do. Thanks for your help.

 

[richie rich]

Spy, the anti siphon valve is like $10bucks...change it or remove it anyways....if you want to check if the tube below the elbow is plugged, thread in a blank pipe or tube, connect a clear line and try and siphon out the gas....if it comes out easy and flows well it may be clear.......try the WD though...peace of mind

 

[richie rich]

PS tell your friend....Thanks!

 

[BobP]

The antisiphon valve is on the motor side of the screen, so the screen sees the paper first. I was thinking the paper would disintegrate by now, I guess not.

The antisiphoin valve is the hose nipple itself, screwed into the 90 deg fitting, I suspect you have.

When your motor acted up, at the exact moment in time it did, the squeeze bulb should have been found collapsed, was it ? Take note next time if you didn't notice, get back there to check immediately when it occurs.

 

[SPYKEKPT]

Rich I thank my friend all the time. If its only $10 bucks I will change it. And great idea with the clear tube I will try that. The dealer suppected thats what was happening but it could be something else. All I know it didnt happen last year. Bob it is an 90° elbow. I will check the bulb next time it happens. If the bulb collapses that means it is getting starved right. If it doesnt collaps its in the motor? I know the bulb is new I replaced it when it happened last time. Thanks again.

 

[BobP]

Correct.

If it doesn't callapse, it means it's not on the tank side of bulb.