Return to the home page...

Go Back   Moyer Marine Atomic 4 Community - Home of the Afourians > Discussion Topics > General Interest

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   IP: 68.126.195.251
Old 07-22-2010, 08:57 PM
domenic's Avatar
domenic domenic is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 467
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Update on ethonol in my fiberglass fuel tank

If you have been following the problem with ethonol fuel in my fiberglass tank...last week I open the tank, and drained all the fuel. Today I filled the tank with water, and floated the fumes out. With half of the water still in the tank I cut the top off...1/4" fiberglass...it cut like butter. The piece I took out bends like rubber.The tank was made with gel-coat on the inside. The condition of the gel-coat looked like paint on the outside of a two hundred year old house...rolling soft flakes.
I ordered a new plastic below deck tank, which I will mount in the lazaret.
The new tank will be above the fuel pump, but it is fitted with a stop flow. If the fuel line breakes, or the pump is not sucking fuel, the stop flow will not allow fuel to flow from the tank.
All I need do now is clean the fuel pump & carb. (I think.)
The area of the old tank, will be good for tools.

I want to thank all those who gave comment on the problem of my gas leak.
My A4 is a 1968...she's just a baby...I love that engine...thank God Moyer has parts...and this forum.

My rants may sound like I'm on a quest to remove ethonol from the boating world...I am not...just want to keep my A4 running.

Last edited by domenic; 07-22-2010 at 09:15 PM. Reason: to add a foot note.
Reply With Quote
  #2   IP: 96.241.74.194
Old 07-23-2010, 09:31 AM
keelcooler keelcooler is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: McLean Va
Posts: 282
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Blisterville

Many builders used fire retardant resins when laying up fuel tanks. Just think what the gas motor yacht owners of Hatteras and Bertrum are going through. Hundred gallon plus tanks mounted under cockpit and cabin soles turning to mush.

Some builders used fire retardant resins for hull lay up and blistered above the water line. Valiant and Uniflite come to mind.
Reply With Quote
  #3   IP: 64.203.32.52
Old 07-23-2010, 09:43 AM
Dave Neptune Dave Neptune is online now
Afourian MVP, Professor Emeritus
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Grove, Oklahoma
Posts: 5,035
Thanks: 711
Thanked 1,289 Times in 839 Posts
Thumbs down Tanks!

Domenic, the fuel tanks made of F/glass are "NOW"questionable at best! Some of the tanks made with tooling resin like the ones in an old Barefoot Centurion I keep at our river house are still in good shape. I had them out a few years ago to remount and they were still in good shape. I have heard of one story from a friend who is a marine diesel mechanic that his shop removed a set of glass tanks from an old something with a razor knife the resin was so soft. Here in So Cal I don't know how much etnenol is in our fuel but I have a few friends who still bitch that there GMC cars/trucks that were designed for E-10 fuel still haven't found any out here.

Dave Neptune
Reply With Quote
  #4   IP: 68.126.195.251
Old 07-23-2010, 10:33 AM
domenic's Avatar
domenic domenic is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 467
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
California requires 10% ethonol in all gas...some folks have used testers at gas statons to check the %...ethonal sinks to the bottom of tanks...some test have shown 80% ethonal.

I know water also sinks to the bottom of the tank...that is where our fuel pump pickes it up.

Ethonal takes water out of the air. I am messing around with an idea; "How to take the water out before it hits the tank."

I'm going to take a picture of the inside of my tank. The gel-coat that was inside the tank had all flaked off. I piled it up with my hand. It would fill two cups.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Experience Cleaning a Dirty Fuel Tank in Place BobA Fuel System 16 09-21-2012 09:02 AM
Engine won't start and I'm at my wits-end ChicagoNewport27 Troubleshooting 64 07-23-2011 12:47 AM
Fuel-Related Engine Shutdowns Don Moyer Fuel System 32 02-18-2011 04:36 PM
Facet fuel pump notes rigspelt Fuel System 3 01-03-2009 01:31 PM
Fuel tank flush? Fuel deliver problems. SimonP Fuel System 13 10-02-2008 05:22 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.


Universal® is a registered trademark of Westerbeke Corporation

Copyright © 2004-2024 Moyer Marine Inc.

All Rights Reserved