The reason the boat won't run is? @#&*!!+

[Pilar]

Does anyone else here use a water separator on their fuel system? I guess mine works because when I dumped it out it was full of water.

Access to the flat ones was denied by weather Friday and on nice flat Saturday, denied by 8 ounces of water. I'm not really sure where it came from. I know a partially filled tank condenses water but 8 ounces. I think the 10,000 gallon tank under the gas station could condense gallons of water. Does anyone else here have any issues with bad gas? Yeah that would be gasoline all you Adam Sandler fans.

Check your fuel/water separator more often than I did or risk missing a great trip.

[WheresMyBobber]

I check mine once or twice a year, I've got the "expensive" (about $30 I think) kind that you can unscrew the drain and let the water out. I've never had much water to drain though....it sounds like you got some bad gas. (petroleum, not methane)

Another thing to watch for is batteries! For the first time ever, this year I got to the ramp only to find that my battery was dead. Stubborn as I am, I used my trolling motor to get to a closer fishing spot than where I originally wanted to go to. It wasn't a good feeling knowing I only had one motor, but luckily I was on the Columbia in a spot I'm comfortable with. We still got fish that day, but it was one of those reminders to always stay on top of these types of things.

[bait boy]

Ask Capin' Dan how many times it took for him changing his separator to finally get the expensive one. Been there done that got the brown pants..... images/icons/shocked.gif

[FishinMission]

I change mine once every 6 months...just to be safe. Some folks don't even know they have one. Went with a guy last year...and his motor crapped out on us. I asked him when the last time he changed his seperator was, and he said, "What's that??" His boat was probably at least 10 years old, inboard Alumaweld sled, and he never knew he had one. The time to really watch for moisture in your gas is from about October to March or so when the petroleum companies add Ethanol to gas to reduce emmissions. The Ethanol causes condensation, and future problems if not dealt with. Any way you look at it, having a seperator is a good thing...and KNOWING you have one is a better thing. images/icons/wink.gif

[Osprey]

Ouch Pilar.
word of advise,spend the bucks on a water seperator images/icons/grin.gif
I've been in Service Station maintenace business for 18 years,I've seen and heard it all,I don't care where you buy you're gas Texaco,Arco or some Ma and Pa station,of course an empty tank will draw more moisture but I've seen more than once the Station gets delivered the Crap,and wait till this fall when they start selling us that ethanol blended "batha fodder" (crap for you non-star wars fans) that stuff attacts moisture like you wouldn't believe,so every time it goes from 1 tank at the refinery it picks up the water in that tank, than to the bulk plant...more water again...than the tanker truck ....girgle girgle,and finally to you're favorite local station where it does it one more time, and finally it's sold to us consumers.....I wonder why all the tech's who work for me have installed additional filters and seperators on their boats and trucks..........Just be aware......Os

......No wonder I row a Cataraft images/icons/rolleyes.gif

[RJ]

bummer deal pilar I've been there myself with bad fuel and going too long between filter changes learned my lesson. I change em every 6 months also and carry a spare.the type filter with the drain **** on bottom and clear plastic bottom for viewing seem to work well as far as keeping track of filter condition.my gut feeling is halibut all depth is done for the year I guess in a few days we will find out if this is the case or they give us another day or two.

[NorthRiverS]

Pilar,
I too have had water separator problems. Several years ago I would check the separator frequently and it would be full of water! I blamed it on bad gas, but when I replaced the gas cap, the problem is now much less. I think the gas cap leaked, and every time it rained, it would leak water into the tank.
S

[urb]

I agree with the filler cap solution Ive got a racor primary and the spin on type secondary water separators. I end up changing elements ever 3 months at least. One thing I've noticed is the stations with new fiberglass tanks produce some kind of red paste .The 3 micron filters plug up very fast You can get more life out the 30 micron filters but all that crap is going thru the carb. The boat has a 200 gal. cap. so water making is a problem. Large temp. changes produce more water so it best to store the boat inside over the winter

[fishchaser]

At least you were able to find the problem. I had a friend of mine look at mine after we couldn't get it started at the Hammond Boat Ramp 4 years ago. He was an engine mechanic so I figured he would know what was wrong if he looked at it. Well he looked and looked and looked and looked couldn't find the trouble. Than he looks at the repair manual and follows a line on the schematic and said "DOES THIS THING HAVE AN EMERGENCY CUTOFF SWITCH?" images/icons/rolleyes.gif images/icons/rolleyes.gif images/icons/rolleyes.gif OOOPS!!!!! I think that says it all. images/icons/grin.gif

[Mr. Fisherman]

JohnBoy,

I had a similar problem. Waves over the stern and in through my vent.

Another likely culprit is leaving the tank half empty or anywhere less than full, causing condensation.

Another culprit is buying cheap gass from low volume stations.

I was with you Friday and would guess that some water got in through the vent. What a bummer.

I agree with that gut feeling that the Halibut season will be done for the year.

Capin Dan! and our crew brought back 246 puonds of Halibut for 4 fish images/icons/grin.gif.

We sure did miss you.

Later,

Ray

[Killertraylor]

I replace my fuel water separator every 2-3 months. At $8 each, it's cheap protection. I have a friend who ruined his 200 Merc. by not changing his separator frequently enough - he changed it once in 5 years. I keep 2 spare's on the boat. Pilar - be happy you're not the guy I met on Sunday who accidentally put diesel into his boat with a 50 hp Evinrude - towed back in from Buoy 10 by the Coast Guard.

[hustlerrjim]

buy a bottle of heet and put in about 10 cc each time you gas up has worked for 60 yrs. for me

[rags]

Because of this thread I went out and put a new water fuel seperator on my boat. When I took the old one off it was full of gasoline. I guess this is o.k.? At least it smelled like gas, I don't think it was water. I will be changing mine every six months. At $10 it is worth it.

[Capin' Dan]

As rick (Brown Pants) said I have had a lot of problems with mine. It was because the gas cap/fill spout was bad and every time It rained or I took a wave it wicked it down to the tank. I took a pump and pulled almost four gallons of water out of my tank. Every time my boat sputters I empty mine into a jar and look at it to see if I'm getting water. It was a hard lesson to learn.

images/icons/shocked.gif

[Pilar]

Where can I get this filter with the clear bowl and drain? I've seen them on boats and should probably get one. At least you could tell if you were having a problem without any effort. Any time my boat even sputters, I change the filter. There is always an ounce or less of water but never 2/3 full like this time.

The fill is new and I hosed the boat and watched for leaks before I connected the tank end of the hose. I always fill on the way home from the beach.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Pilar - I was at the Wilco farm store in OC a few weeks ago and saw the glass water/sedimet seperators. I am sure you can get them at a lot of places though.

I checked my battery for some reason last week. And it was almost dry. I have had maintenance free batteries for so long in my cars, I was surprised to see my boat battery had the caps you could pull off and add water. I looked at my fuel water seperator and see where I wrote 11/97 on it last time I change it. Maybe it is time to find another one and change it. images/icons/rolleyes.gif

Not enough water in my battery, to much in my gas. images/icons/confused.gif

[RJ]

Pilar you should be able to find that type filter at englund marine at least the one in newport carries them.I wonder if you are having same problem i had once with fill cap water was getting under cap and getting into tank I was able to remedy this by cutting a block of uhm plastic the same diameter as fill cap and building the cap up.I haven't had a lick of problems since what was happening at least on my sled was rain water was running down gunnels and seeping into fill thus causing me some big time grief.RJ

[Killertraylor]

Pilar - they have the separators with the clear bottoms at Fishermans in Portland and also at Boaters World at Jantzen Beach (where I get my $8 replacement filters) and at West Marine. I didn't get the one with the clear bottom as I think the replacement filters for that type are pretty expensive, and I'm kind of anal so I replace mine every couple of months anyway. My buddy who blew up his 200 merc replaces his monthly now.

[Tilla]

Racor, (Modesto, Ca.,Parker Hannifin Corp)makes the clear bottom type. Mine sits right under the tray under the 200 hp Merc where I can see it and remember to check it. Also my boat builder specified Texaco emphatically!

[Pirate]

Woah....
My brother had an injector on his 99 Chev clog up, I had 2 injectors clog (96 Chev)simultaneously after visiting my brother,a few months later and we had to rebuild the carbs on our 150 Yamaha all thanks to a TEXACO station in Gresham. Prior to this we ALWAYS had water and **** in the fuel seperator. images/icons/mad.gif
I won't run Texaco in anything I own.

[ 08-07-2001: Message edited by: Pirate ]

[NorthRiverS]

After reading all these posts about water separators, a question came to mind. A lot of you say you "replace" the separator instead of pour the water out of it. If I just put it back on instead of replacing it, am I asking for trouble? Seems awful expensive to replace it every few months. images/icons/confused.gif

[urb]

The clear bowl elements are not appoved for gas only diesel.