Another lesson learned..

[Oldlaxer1]

Parade of lighted boats was last Saturday in the Baltimore inner harbor. We were all prettied up and everything was going great...until it wasn't. Just off the Pendry Hotel suddenly I hear over the music and cheering my low oil pressure buzzer going off. I check and sure enough, motor had died. Wouldn't restart. Dressed as Santa I do a quick check to see if there was anything obvious causing the shut down but don't see anything. We were lucky enough that a local tow boat company was on site to help any boats that needed it. I called them on the radio, (they were only about 30 yards away from us), they came over, hooked us up and asked what we wanted to do. I said "I guess just take us back to the marina." They said, "you spent all this time decorating, how about we tow you thru the rest of the parade route." That's what they did. We ended up winning 1st place in the small sailboat division. The took us back to the dock, we tied up and had a grand time at the party. I got up early the next morning, pulled out a new fuel filter, swapped out the old and voila...she fired right up. I typically change filters and impellers in the spring but I guess I'll change them just before the parade next year! I guess it was just one trip too many.

[alcodiesel]

Old; bravo on your first place. I'd mount the plaque in my boat if that happened to me.

[nyvoyager]

Congrats on your 1st place!
Maybe time to clean out the fuel tank?

[Oldlaxer1]

Maybe time to clean out the fuel tank?

I have no real access to the tank other than the fill tube and the vent. I'm not even sure how I would go about cleaning it. I'll check with other Tartan 30 owners to see how they have done it.

[Administrator]

The next morning, did you try to start the engine BEFORE swapping out the filter?

Bill

[nyvoyager]

John, for what it is worth, I went thru intermittent flue problems for 2 years.
Constantly cleaning the carb jet, burnt out a fuel pump and then removed the hose from the tank. It was clogged solid with a varnishy type of material - bad gas. Finally I removed the tank and had it cleaned. - this was 20 years ago and I suspect it is time to do it again. This is on a Pearson 30 and I managed to get the tank out thru the lazzarette after cutting away the cradle.
Hope this helps in some way.

I have no real access to the tank other than the fill tube and the vent. I'm not even sure how I would go about cleaning it. I'll check with other Tartan 30 owners to see how they have done it.

[TomG]

I have no real access to the tank other than the fill tube and the vent. I'm not even sure how I would go about cleaning it. I'll check with other Tartan 30 owners to see how they have done it.

I completely replaced my entire fuel system from the deck fill to the carb. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

[Oldlaxer1]

The next morning, did you try to start the engine BEFORE swapping out the filter?

Bill

yes, no luck.

[Oldlaxer1]

I completely replaced my entire fuel system from the deck fill to the carb. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

Nope, not what I wanted to hear at all.....

[Oldlaxer1]

John, for what it is worth, I went thru intermittent flue problems for 2 years.
Constantly cleaning the carb jet, burnt out a fuel pump and then removed the hose from the tank. It was clogged solid with a varnishy type of material - bad gas. Finally I removed the tank and had it cleaned. - this was 20 years ago and I suspect it is time to do it again. This is on a Pearson 30 and I managed to get the tank out thru the lazzarette after cutting away the cradle.
Hope this helps in some way.

This is the first time I've had any problem with the motor (other than a bad crimp connection on the power feed to the Facet pump causing intermittent problems that were hard to diagnose).

The other good news is as I removed the fuel filter with the absorbent blankets under it and a bit of gas spilled out, the sniffer alarm went off and the blower started. Startled me a bit as I had forgotten that I added the relay to start the blower automatically. Old age isn't easy.

[Oldlaxer1]

Congrats on your 1st place!
Maybe time to clean out the fuel tank?

I just went back to my maintenance notes and realized I did not change the filter last season as I had hip replacement surgery in the spring and must have just put it off. So I'm thinking that is two seasons on that filter.

[lat 64]

This is the first time I've had any problem with the motor (other than a bad crimp connection on the power feed to the Facet pump causing intermittent problems that were hard to diagnose).

The other good news is as I removed the fuel filter with the absorbent blankets under it and a bit of gas spilled out, the sniffer alarm went off and the blower started. Startled me a bit as I had forgotten that I added the relay to start the blower automatically. Old age isn't easy.

Nice!

So, can you detail this circuit and all the related equipment for a gas sniffer/blower?
I'd love to do that to my boat.

Russ

[Oldlaxer1]

This looks to be the newest replacement version of what I put in in 2016

https://www.amazon.com/Fireboy-Xintex-Xintex-Gasoline-Detector-Control/dp/B06XTTYPZS/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_rfvBRCPARIsANlV66NVqnbnGyb0uXO3LbMaX_FARTS4WNHy5wjU8Q_78O2NdVuWk8slWlYaAsz-EALw_wcB&hvadid=323458733915&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9007934&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=12950977590271411360&hvtargid=aud-837686656069%3Akwd-334867658773&hydadcr=9471_9891711&keywords=xintex+gasoline+fume+detector&qid=1575927929&sr=8-12

[Al Schober]

Should ask which T30 you have? With my side galley model, the bottom of the tank was accessible through the fill with a 6' length of 1/4" copper tubing. Don't know about the aft galley model (different fuel tank).

[Oldlaxer1]

Should ask which T30 you have? With my side galley model, the bottom of the tank was accessible through the fill with a 6' length of 1/4" copper tubing. Don't know about the aft galley model (different fuel tank).

I'm the aft galley model. The fill line makes a fairly sharp turn after coming thru the deck and unfortunately it attaches to the tank (under stb setee) in a virtually inaccessible spot without removing cabinetry. How did you pump out thru the copper tubing once you got it to the bottom of the tank? I do have access thru a street ell for the vent line (and fuel line to motor) that perhaps I could use. (these pics were taken when I first bought the boat so be kind, I've made a lot of improvements)