Fuel issue resolved -265 Express

[Saltyone]

So from my original post last year of my first ocean run in my 265, I mentioned I was having a stalling issue when running on my main tank. Would happen pretty randomly. Sometimes pretty quick, sometimes after running a while. Would generally start out the day running on the main, and if it happened, would just finish the day on the Aux tank.

Replaced the fuel lines this off season and went out yesterday for the first time this season, and still had the same issue. Checked the Primer bulbs when it happened and both were sucked in. Pulled the main tank fuel cap off, no change. Switch the fuel valve to aux, bulb pumped up again. So figured there was a restriction somewhere.

I removed the brass fittings where the lines go into the tank, thinking they'd be anti-siphon valves, they weren't. Removed the 90 degree fittings that those brass fittings screw into on top of the tank. There is a pickup tube attached to the 90 degree fittings with a screen on the end. Think I found the problem.





The black stuff feels like silicone. It looks like the previous owner used some on the sending unit gasket and probably got a little overzealous and some got in the tank.

The 2nd picture isn't mine, but for reference The brass fittings and 90 degree fittings look similar.

Hopefully get it out in the next couple of weeks to verify it's fixed.

 

[Ky Grady]

Black and slimy feeling? Could be the inside of fuel fill hose deteriorating from ethanol. As you fuel up, you're washing the deterioration into the tank and the pickup is sucking it up. How old is the boat?

But if it's bigger chunks, very well could be silicone as you thought. Ethanol deterioration is smaller particles.

Zooming in on your pic, that looks like hose deterioration from ethanol.

 

[seasick]

I would guess that there is more of the gunk in the bottom of the tank. Yes, it could be the fill or even the vent hose that is breaking down.
Silicone is not a compatible sealant for gasoline applications, neither is RTV.

 

[Saltyone]

Black and slimy feeling? Could be the inside of fuel fill hose deteriorating from ethanol. As you fuel up, you're washing the deterioration into the tank and the pickup is sucking it up. How old is the boat?

But if it's bigger chunks, very well could be silicone as you thought. Ethanol deterioration is smaller particles.

Zooming in on your pic, that looks like hose deterioration from ethanol.

View attachment 34354

Now that you mention it and looking at it zoomed in, doesn't look like silicone, can see the angle looking pieces mixed in and on the side. Won't get into the whole ethanol vs non-ethanol argument, but could just be because the hoses are probably 25 years old, seeing as its a 2000 265.

 

[Ky Grady]

Yup,,, very good possibility. Change out all hoses and drain/clean tank to get all the particles sloshing around in there out.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Not saying it isn’t pieces of hose but I'm pretty sure alcohol rated hose has been the norm for 30 years. My deck drain hoses were disintegrated, and the only alcohol they ever saw was a spilled beer.

 

[Saltyone]

Yup,,, very good possibility. Change out all hoses and drain/clean tank to get all the particles sloshing around in there out.

Yeah, Im probably going to run the tank down as much as possible, so I dont need to figure out a way to store 130g of fuel. Then try to figure out the best way to get inside the tank to clean it out.

 

[Saltyone]

Well looking for some suggestions.

Took out a couple of compartments to gain access to the hoses. The hoses appear to be like the scupper hoses I replaced and have the wire coil in them.

With the scupper hoses I just used a dremel to cut through the metal wire coils to get them to "spring" open off the barbed ends, since they were basically formed around them. Obviously don't think it's a good idea to do the same around the fuel tank. Though I'm not entirely sure the neck off the tank is fully barbed like the scuppers. But I'm pretty sure the neck off the gas cap is, and also plastic.

What other ways would you suggest getting those hoses off?

Trying to route a new hose is also going to be the challenge. It comes off the neck and goes though a bulkhead, to behind and then under the waste holding tank and then towards the center.






I circled where it goes through and the red line in the 2nd picture is where it's underneath. It ends about 1.5ft to the left through another pie hole.

For that I'm thinking once the hose is off drilling a couple of holes in both the new and old hoses to tie them together so I can feed the new hose through as I'm pulling out the old one. Thoughts on that?

 

[Saltyone]

Well doesn't appear that it's an issue with the fill hose.

Looks like this all the way down.

Time to check the vent hose.

 

[Saltyone]

Vent hose appears to be good as well.

Maybe the previous owner changed the hoses at some point, and that's left over stuff. Hard to say at this point.

At this point, just going to run it. After each run, I'll pull the tubes out, since it's pretty easy access, until they come back clean.

 

[seasick]

If the tank is full or almost full, don't pull the pickup tubes, gas will pour out into the bilge.
I would pull the sender out ( with a half or less than of as) after the boat has sat for a few days and with a hand pump, pump out whatever you can from the bottom of the tank. Whatever clear gas you pump out can be put into the aux tank.
One thought I had a while back in the discussion was if it were possible that something got into the tank like the cap from a bottle of additive that over time disintegrated in the gas. Probably will never know.

 

[Saltyone]

Circling back to this. I'm sure I'll get some negative feedback for this, but it is a short term fix.

I removed the screens from the pickup tubes and installed an inline filter just outside the tank where the fuel line goes into the tank. Makes it easy to see the debris and a lot easier to clean vs removing the pickup tubes each time.

This was after the first run, after installing the filters.

Not sure what the grainy stuff is, almost feels like sand?

 

[seasick]

You are going to have to clean your tanks. Somehow that gunk got in there. Bad gas at the pump? Who knows but regardless it's not good.
Regarding the filters... Well you expected some comments.. Nevermind....

 

[Saltyone]

You are going to have to clean your tanks. Somehow that gunk got in there. Bad gas at the pump? Who knows but regardless it's not good.
Regarding the filters... Well you expected some comments.. Nevermind....

Tanks will be coming out after the season for sure.

 

[Saltyone]

Also, this is only on the main tank. Haven't had any issues with the aux tank

 

[seasick]

Also, this is only on the main tank. Haven't had any issues with the aux tank

Do you gas up both tanks at the same time?

 

[Saltyone]

Do you gas up both tanks at the same time?

Yeah, typically. But the aux gets most of the fuel since I haven't been able to put many miles on the main before it cuts out from the filters. The last run was about 30 miles on the main.

 

[seasick]

When I fist looked at the new clear filters I said to myself that the materials looked like broken down fuel hose linings. I can't explain the sandy particles. Since the new filters are close to the tank ( assume) the crud would have to be from the tank.
By the way, I was completely kidding in my fist post about having enemies I have seen disgruntled people do nasty things to boats.

 

[SkunkBoat]

You could open up the sender hole, use a transfer pump to take fuel of the top of the main tank and put it in the aux tank. Get down to the crud level and pump it off the bottom into portable tank to dispose.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Last year when we pulled the fuel tank of my RIB the shipyard had a cart with a battery, a special transfer pump and 3 Racor fuel filters to polish the fuel. We filled the fuel in jerry cans to reuse it but with two tanks you may just fill the polished gas in the other tank.
However, be careful what type of pump you use, you need a special pump for gasoline and second, the fuel will be polished but some of the dirt will remain in the tank hold more in front by the baffles. When you pull the tank to clean it and reuse it then inspect it very well and wash it severl times in different positions to catch all of the debris. Once clean you may inspect the tank with a bore camera to avoid that tank start to leak after a short time, and they will start to leak, the question is when.

Not sure about the "sand" use a lighter to heat it up to check it it burns and verify the smell, that may lead to what they are.

Chris