Gas Tank Crud...Anybody?

[Islandtrader]

See pictures below.


Until my 21 gets done I have been running a 17' Whaler that has a 1997 115 Yamaha.

Just lately my fuel filter has been plugging up with crud. When the stuff is wet it is like paste. When it dries it is like brown talc.

The gas in the tank has always been marine gas. Except the last 50 or so gallons that I put in when the boat was on a trailer for service. So that was a 10% ethanol blend. Gas tank is aluminum.


Filter wet...



Crud in bottom of canister...



Any ideas...oh yea that filter has only one month on it and 6 hours.

Do you think I will need a gas tank flush or will changing filters take care of it.

[Tarpun]

What kind of tank do you have? If it's one of the fiberglass tanks (Pate) ethanol will slowly break it down.

[Islandtrader]

I edited my post to answer your question...tank is aluminum.

[BA17]

Ethanol in the fuel. Been seeing it in lots of boats. That is what it tends to look like. How long ago did you put that 50 gallons in the boat? The longer it sits the worse it seems to get.

[Islandtrader]

Ethanol in the fuel. Been seeing it in lots of boats. That is what it tends to look like. How long ago did you put that 50 gallons in the boat? The longer it sits the worse it seems to get.

nyway, my best guess is that the ethanol (with 1,800 miles of agitation to aid the process) disolved some or all of the varnish that had accumulated in the tank over the 19 years since I bought the boat.

I think the problem is identified. I put that gas in last November and did not burn it out till March.

The previous owner always used non-ethanol gas...but never ran the boat off shore. So I guess all my bouncing around has stirred up the dissolved varnish. Like gofast said maybe two or three more filter changes will do the trick.

Engine runs strong and then like some one turns on a light switch and bam...

So an extra filter on boat at all times and change at the first sign of trouble or check every 10 hours.

[gofastsandman]

I edited my post to answer your question...tank is aluminum.

After last years switch, I had problems. @30/40 hrs and the racor was loaded w what looked like raw untreated sewage.20 yr old tank. Happened again @ 50 on the new one. Good so far, but I carry a spare and a strap wrench if I`m going to run and gun. I usually just fish the reefs. Tomorrow, hopefully, we can go run.
Cheers,
GFS

[FireEscape]

I spent my winter vacation filtering crap like that out of my poly tank. I had been able to run non-ethanol since re-powering in '08, up until I brought the boat north to do some tinkering last summer. Found that it would not pick up a prime, replaced the bulb, still no go, went to a local gas station (ethanol only up here) and pumped in a whole tank full, seems that someone else needed the gas I added before putting it into storage! Anyway, my best guess is that the ethanol (with 1,800 miles of agitation to aid the process) disolved some or all of the varnish that had accumulated in the tank over the 19 years since I bought the boat. After a couple of months use and several sets of filters, the bowl on my Racor looks clear again. Along with the brown filters I had my first "running" issues (after 320 trouble free hours) with my efi 4st merc. Occasional lack of power and intermittent cutting out at trolling speeds. I don't know if they are related to the "stuff", I was hoping that the 3 filters took care of that before it got to the engine but.... Need to drive down to BPK soon and get the boat, haul it home and see if my local dealer can get it fixed.

Bruce

[DonV]

Yes Sir.....Same old story....over and over with this ethanol crap! The really "good news".....NOT.....is the government wants to go to 15%......jeeeeez! I'm lucky that in most cases I can buy non-ethanol gas, however if you can't and add up the cost of additives like "startron", whatever additive you prefer to combat the ethanol the cost per gallon goes crazy!!!! I now run the carbs on my old Yamaha empty of gas when I flush my engine. I've already rebuilt them once and I'm a fast learner on this issue. My neighbor is in the process of a SMOOTH $1000+ expense to replace/repair his injectors on his 225 Yamaha four stroke because of the ethanol issue. Ain't this fun?

[nail24]

My Seafari has a 50 gal aluminum and since I put it back into service I have had nothing but problems with the old varnish and sediment clogging up filter after filter. I am looking for a pre-filter settling bowl to let the big chunks settle out and not clog the filter during high demand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Old'sCool]

Last Oct I pumped my tank dry, changed filters, and am on 120 gal. tank #5 of non-ethanol. Not a hiccup! I drained the bowl after 4 tanks and had ~ 2 tablespoons of water.