Ethanol fuel problems

[RickK]

Hey Tailgunner - I did a quick read on the Elizabeth Islands the other day to see where they are and wanted to ask you if you are one of the 86 permanent residents they say live there?

[JimCt]

What puzzles me about all this ethanol bru-haha, is that there aren't lines of cars pulled off at the side of the road with fuel feed problems.

  From what I've read on the subject, ethanol appears to act as a solvent in a fuel system and puts any and all crud which is in the tank and lines into suspension.  Until all the crud is filtered out in the fuel filter/water seperator, the problem will continue.  Running without any filtration likely will foul-up jets and injectors.  Best plan, as explained above, is to carry several spare filters.  It's a nuisance having to change them frequently but the problem will go away after the ethanol has completed its mischief.

[Tailgunner]

Hey Tailgunner - I did a quick read on the Elizabeth Islands the other day to see where they are and wanted to ask you if you are one of the 86 permanent residents they say live there?

No. I am related to them but do not actually live on any of the islands. I do live VERY close though.

My Godfather lived on Cuttyhunk and was one of the few year round residents there. Always fun to visit him in Winter.

[JimCt]

Was you godfather a Tilton?

[Tailgunner]

Yup. AP Tilton in fact.

[JimCt]

Years & years ago I remember meeting Charlie Tilton... I think that was his first name.  Back then though, it was simply Mr. Tilton to me since I was about seven or eight years old.  Beautiful bass boats out there back then.

Is Norm still flying the hop from New Bedford to the inner pond?

[Tailgunner]

From what I understand Norm Jingrass (sp?) died and his son couldn't get it together. Every fly with Norm? Sick sense of humor. Leaving Cuttyhunk, he flew towrds those high pilings. "Not sure we're gonna make it.  Get ready to jump." with a very serious look on his face. Another time he flew me to Woods Hole. "Got anybody you want to impress? I can drop you off at Garbage Beach".

AP fed me lobster one night when I was 8. "How do you like those $500 Lobsters?". I asked him if they really cost him $500. "No, but if my brother catches you with them, they're $500 each." Wilfred was the Game Warden at the time.

I don't remember Charlie.

Good times for sure.

[JimCt]

Game Warden his brother?
How convenient.
 

I flew with Norm a few times and it was great fun.  But the most memorable of Norm's entertainment was performed in the pond. We'd be peaceably moored in our sailboat having drinks and watch him line up on us down at the end by Tilton's dock.  He'd come roaring up on the step pretty quickly but he'd hold the stick forward so he could execute one of his fabled snap take-offs right over the top of our mast.  Hell, you could count the rivets.  Some first-time guests we had aboard once were all set to jump overboard.  

For those who knew Norm, he was loved.  For others who simply saw him fly, he was feared.
  As you said, those were good times, for sure.

[laflelx]

Well, no luck this weekend.  The motor is still running rough and stalling out.  Now it's backfiring too.  Almost seems like too much fuel.  Everything from the gas tank to the fuel pump checks out OK.  Now I'm thinking it's either the fuel pump or the carb.  I don't know how to troubleshoot or fix either one.  I called to make an appointment with my mechanic.  He is swamped with boats with fuel problems and can't even look at it for two weeks.  I guess I'll continue to fish out of my kayak until then.  My buddy and I paddled across Woods Hole and fished around Naushon Island Saturday morning.  I didn't catch squat but my buddy landed a few nice stripers.  It was his first Nantucket slay ride.  As much fun as it is fishing out of the kayak, I WANT BY BOAT BACK !!!

[Tailgunner]

Sorry to hear that.

Just out of curiousity, who is your mechanic?

[laflelx]

I take my boat to Steves Mobile Marine in Grafton (near my house).  I know a bunch of guys that have used him for years and say he's really good. He also is reasonably priced (65 per hr).  I guess I'll find out how good he is.  This springs tune-up was the first time he has worked on it.  I would like to find a good mechanic down the Cape too.  The way gas prices are, I hate having to trailer it all the way home.

[JimCt]

Simple test to see if the carb float valves are seating properly is to squeeze the primer bulb 8-10 times with the engine not running.  If bulb firms up after several squeezings and stays firm, the float valves are good.  If the bulb does not firm up after several squeezings, you either have a fuel leak somewhere or there's debris in the float valve orifice preventing it from seating.  A fuel (air) leak likely will cause the engine to run lean and back-fire.  A bad float valve will cause the engine to run over-rich.  The carb that has the bad float valve will overflow gas.

Rebuilding carbs can be done in an hour or so.  All you'll need is the kits, basic tools and compressed air.  If no compressed air is available you can pick up a can of canned air at Staples.

[ddd222]

there was just a great article in a local fishing magazine about effects of ethanol. The author questions several mechanics on the issue, their biggest thing to notice was early deterioration and swelling of gaskets, fittings etc. much sooner than regular service intervals. What then? Since ethanol is not going away, the author concluded that newer motors were designed and tested w/ a 10% ethanol mix, so under ideal conditions it should not be TOO much of an issue. The problems will arise if an individual fill up location has a higher than 10% blend. AND the biggest enemy of the situation is WATER, ethanol, gas, and water separates much more than a gas and water mixture alone, that worse case situation the likely cause of catastrophic failure of the engine.
    So what to do? He suggests being confident w/ your source of gas, and the best water separation system you can afford. He mentioned the racor one w/ the clear tray on the bottom(of course the most expensive one) I almost forgot, he also mentioned an additive by starbrite, that not being too costly and very small amounts needed, can't remember the name but will look it up

[ralpht44]

Guys, I just read your posts and I am having the same exact trouble with my 175 Evinrude. Runs fantastic aside from when I put her under a load, she loses power and stalls out. I have to limp her home. I have tried evrything you folks mentioned and it seems better however I have nlt taken her out as of yet.

[John Jones]

He suggests being confident w/ your source of gas, and the best water separation system you can afford. He mentioned the racor one w/ the clear tray on the bottom(of course the most expensive one)

Racor filters are expensive but they are rated the best.  They still equal only 1 hour of a mechanics hourly rate.  I have them on my 222 and on my 15 footer.  Cheap insurance IMHO.