Oil in fuel

[Nfratino]

Hello all,

I currently have my 86 22-2 osprey at the shop for a re-power 19' DF150. I received a call today that i had "green fuel" which is supposedly oil in my fuel tank and that it should be drained (@10$/gal). My tank was new last year and i never used premix/any additive that would turn the fuel green. I understand the shop wants to cover themselves but i should have around 50gal in the tank and the wife is going to love another $500 hit. My 01 johnson two stroke went boom from a lack of oil but i cant imagine the fuel would backflow into the tank ......any experience with this in the past?

[theFunsmith]

I would tell all your friends to bring their gas cans and syphon it out yourself for lawn mower gas or fire starting. $10 a gallon is a lot of money to dispose of something people will gladly take for nothing.

[wingtime]

What kind of engine was on it?  Unless somehow oil/fuel was siphoning back to the tank taking more oil with it (from a bad VRO?) I don't see how the oil would get back to the tank.  And besides a little oil in the fuel is not going to hurt anything.  What are you repowering it with?  Unless by green fuel they mean it has gone bad.  Even still $10 a gallon is kinda spendy.  I'd go get a 55 gallon drum and transfer the fuel into that.  Then add a little of the fuel to your car or truck at each fill up.  Or as mentioned give some to your buddies.

[Nfratino]

I agree fellas. I did not understand how it could be showing oil. I dont know how it could be bad fuel since i filled up last month.

[RickK]

Back in the day you could purchase pre-mix fuel from the marina - I rarely buy from a marina - maybe 2-3 times in 30 years, so I'm not sure if they still offer it.  If so, is there a chance you filled up with premix?

[fitz73222]

A DF150 is a two stroke Suzuki I believe. So, understanding similarities in oil injected older outboards, there is typically a check valve that keeps oil from gravity feeding from the engine mounted oil tank back into the incoming fuel from the tank. This was a common problem on older Mercs. The oil would either back feed into the fuel line and eventually make it past through the primer bulb check valves ( I've seen it) and back into the fuel tank or flood the bottom carb or lowest point and flood the block full of oil in the bottom cylinders and start running out on the floor through the exhaust (seen that too). Other than some smoke, run the engine on the oil ridden fuel since you no idea what the ratio is to run another 2 stroke engine without destroying it.

[boatnamesue]

20 years of operating 2 stroke motors of all types, the only colors I've seen of 2 stroke oil is blue and green.  Process of elimination...you were running a 2 stroke motor, new fuel tank....safe to say nothing wrong with the tank.  Fuel is green cause the oil.  Problem in your scenario is from what i know it's impossible to know the fuel-oil ratio of your remaining fuel.  So even if you were to siphon it out for your or someone else's use, you'd be a fool to run the fuel through any engine w/out knowing the ratio. 

However, if you do know the max volume of oil that could have entered the fuel system (max volume of onboard contained oil) and you know the max volume of fuel capacity of tank, you could then know the lowest possible fuel-oil ratio. 

[Capt. Bob]

First,
Have you seen a sample of this "green fuel"?
If not, can you yourself siphon off a small sample to physically see it?
If the fuel is contaminated beyond use, will the shop let you drain the fuel?

My tank is set up with a separate fuel line for draining purposes and I removed 18 gallons (in 5 gallon containers) prior to installing a new motor. Normally, I drain into a 30 gallon drum at my house but since the boat was in the shop, the 5 gals. made transfer by one old guy much easier. You can (assuming the shop will allow it) remove this fuel at a much reduced cost by DIY but first, if it were me I would want to see some of this fuel in a glass container.

My fuel, while treated with a stabilizer was MUCH older than than yours and my son burned every drop in his truck without a hiccup.

Good luck.

[wingtime]

I'd personally go get a look at said fuel.  Something doesn't sound right to me if you just filled up recently.  If it is oil in the fuel I'd agree with what Fitz said about oil flowing backwards to your tank from the oil injection pump system.

[Nfratino]

*****UPDATE

Soooooo, i picked up the boat last night and turns out my fuel was fine. They pulled the fuel/water filter and found oil in that so i guess they thought i had premix in the tank. Once they pulled the sending unit off they found the fuel in the tank was fine. So maybe when the old Johnson let go it back-fed into the separator? I have no clue but that motor did not run once it seized. In other news the new DF-150 is a dream. Thanks for the input fellas.

[theFunsmith]

The real question is, did they figure this out before or after you told them you weren't going to pay them another $500 for the task?

[Nfratino]

I said i needed to see this green fuel before we could talk prices.

[RickK]

Glad it was something easy.

[Nfratino]

Shes Back!