Suggested procedure for purging fuel system?

[NatySailor]

The vent for my fuel tank (a copper tube coming through the deck) snapped off and a lot of water got into the fuel tank. My mechanic said I should pump out the tank and purge the system up to the carb.

Any suggested procedures for doing this? I ordered a hand pump from Amazon and was hoping that would allow me to get most of the bad gas out of the tank from above through the fuel tank fill cap. Next I figured I could use the same pump from below and suck fuel through the system from somewhere before the carb.

As a final step, I was going to add some new gas and maybe some stabil to mop up any excess water.

I'm a bit of a newb to the A4 (and engines in general), so if anyone sees any problems or has suggested additions to this procedure, I'm all ears.

Best,
NatySailor (Tartan 27/ 1963 Atomic 4 near Baltimore, MD)

[Dave Neptune]

Naty, if you have not run the engine it is no biggie! The water will just sit at the bottom of the tank. What you need to do is just snake your sucker tube down the tank to the lowest point and suck out the water. Once you start sucking fuel instead of water all will be fine. The fuel will not mix in a short time to kill the fuel. A good way to get to the lowest point is to remove the "pick up" tube and go down there. The pick up tube will be at the deepest point of the tank but not at the bottom so it won't suck up water and or the bottom dregs. Your sucker tube will get on down to the bottom.

If you did run the engine check for water in the separator first and if there is a "BUNCH" check the carb by pulling the main jet plug and catching what runs out to inspect for water. You may of "picked up some water off the bottom" or it is still below the "pick up"~a very good thing.

Dave Neptune

[Administrator]

One caveat:

Don't confuse 100% fuel in the separator with 100% water, just because you don't see any phase separation.

DAMHIK.

Bill

[CalebD]

Naty,

I did mostly as you suggested when I pumped out the tank on my T27 (through the fuel fill in the cockpit).
You should also drain the fuel line up to the carb as you suggested.

Remember: the pickup tube at the bottom of your tank is not necessarily at the lowest point in the tank so don't count on getting the water out of your tank through the pickup tube.

To pump out through the fuel fill in the cockpit I taped the flexible hose for the hand pump I used to a rigid piece of wood I could use to hold the bottom of my "suck" hose at the bottom of the tank.

If you use an opaque or clear container to store the gas you suck out you should be able to clearly see the water/fuel demarcation line as the liquid settles in the container.

[sastanley]

Although slow, those silly orange hand pumps from the auto boutique or Walmart work just fine. Caleb's idea to get the hose attached to something rigid is a great idea and really helps to pull the worst part of the water/fuel mixture out first. I removed the fuel gauge sender and got my fuel out that way.

Your success with the water not mixing in with the fuel may vary depending on whether you have ethanol gas or not. I would also not count on Sta-bil mopping out any fuel. If the carb bowl gets water in it and the water gets to the main jet, the engine will shut down..rather quickly I might add..

The safest bet is to get all the bad fuel out before you put fresh fuel in. \

Oh, and NatySailor, welcome..is your username a nod to the official beer of Balmer?

[Al Schober]

Naty,
You're on the right track - clean the tank and the system.
I use a Jabsco hand pump. It has a brass tube and rubber seals, and works smooth if I keep it lubed with silicone grease. I use 1/4" cts PEX tubing, about 5/16 OD, which fits well to the pump and also to the 5/16" ID fuel lines. A 6' piece has the right flexibility to get in my fuel fill and to the bottom of the tank. I pump into a clear glass gallon jug (Gallo makes a good one), and put the upper phase back into the gas tank. Once the tank is clear, I pump on the line that I've disconnected from the carb to get clear fuel in the system. The hand pump will pull through the fuel pump just fine. Once all is good, I close the ball valve on the Racor inlet and reconnect the carb. Open the ball valve and good to go.

[NatySailor]

Clearing water from the carb... and thank you!

This is great information guys! Thank you. In particular, knowing that I can separate and re-use fuel not mixed with water solves the problem of what to do with the old gas.

To be clear, the engine was run. My mechanic actually took her out for a test run after replacing my water pump, conked out, and had to remember how to sail to get the boat back in. All this during the recent rains. Apparently it was quite the adventure.

With this is in mind, I suppose I need to take care to inspect the carb for water as someone mentioned above. If theres just a little water in there and the rest of the system is clean, shouldn't I just be able to run the engine until that bit of bad fuel works it's way through?

Someone asked about my username being a nod to Baltimore - yes! My boat is also named "Lenore," a bit more obscure reference you might recognize.

[Al Schober]

Naty,
As for water in the carb, the float bowl has a drain plug. Stuff an old towel under the carb, pull the drain plug and drain the carb, then reinstall the plug. Hang the towel over the lifelines. It will take a few seconds for your fuel pump to refill the carb with clean gas.

[sastanley]

Naty, as much as we'd like to hope..I have not had good luck "letting things work their way through". This motor was never intended to run on gasoline with corn in it...I have not found it very tolerant to water, or corn, in the fuel.

Do you have a water separating fuel filter? These are great, but they trap several ounces of water in their filter, but that is about it, and then you have to drain it or it will make it past the filter and into the carb.

edit - Also..mechanical fuel pump or electric??? Don't worry, we can help you with all these things if you don't know. A mech fuel pump has a small bowl that also serves as an old school separating device that lets the fuel skim over the top of water in the bowl...but it is orange juice glass sized..it captures only another 5 or 6 oz.

I do not know Lenore, but a quick Google search shows it as a particular housing style in Baltimore. My daughter is a Towson graduate, and I am an Orioles fan. Been to Baltimore once or twice by water and dozens by horseless carriage. I've been trying to get my boat to Baltimore since I've owned it, which was our first planned cruise in 2009, and have yet to bring the old girl in on her own bottom...yet.

[NatySailor]

Progress....

So I pumped out the bottom of my gas tan today, drained water from the carb,sediment cup, fuel lines and Racor fuel water separator filter.

After running my blower for a good long time (I spilled more than a bit of gasoline), I tried to start the engine and no dice. I could also see from the clear portion of the Racor filter that there wasn't any new fuel coming in. Did some quick Googling on my iPhone and read about having to prime the system by filling the Racor filter up with fresh fuel. I also read about some folks using a primer pump.

While I was at the boat, I thought I would try filling the Racor with fuel, but I could barely budge the bottom threaded (clear) portion of the Racor filter with my hand, and when I tried with a wrench it just seemed to spin. Could not get the upper (white) portion off either.

So... any ideas on this? Weather looking decent this week and I'm hoping to get this baby running so I can go for a sail! The label on the side of the filter says "S3240 10 Micron for Racor Model 120-R-RAC-01). I am also attaching a photo here (which is showing up upside down! please reverse in your head!). Finally someone asked about my fuel pump - it's mechanical.

----

"Lenore" by the way, is a character mentioned in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven."

"From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore."

[Al Schober]

Naty,
You're going to have to change that filter bowl. The plastic bowl is not USCG approved for inboard engines - you need a unit with a metal bowl. The filter itself is OK, just the plastic bowl has to go.
Last time I changed my filter, the lower bowl was very tough to remove. On reinstallation, I used plenty of silicone grease and didn't overtighten things.

[sastanley]

Naty,

with the mech pump (which I also have) you should have a bale that exercises the diaphragm and will pull fuel from the tank. I use this option often..if I used the boat a week ago it takes 3 or 4 or 5 cycles, and mine is in the same area as the raw water intake which I open/close every time I use the motor..If I have to pull fuel thru an empty/drained filter (Al is right..you need the metal bowl!!) it takes 30 - 40- 50 cycles...but it does pull it thru and prime eventually. The motion on the bale should change and you'll feel the fuel suddenly filling the pump/diaphragm and you can't move it so freely any more.

The Raven was the 2nd reference I researched..it's been a while reading the classics...

[CalebD]

Edgar Allen Poe did spend a portion of his all too short writing career as a Baltimore native.
I love the literary reference to your boat's name.

The guys on this forum will get your motor running and happy once more.

[Al Schober]

Naty,
Here's a link to the metal bowl:

http://racorstore.com/racor-rk10553-repl-kit-metal-bowl-assy-white.html

To prime my system, I use the same pump I use to pump out the bottom of the tank.

[NatySailor]

Got her running! (Now is my gas tank rusting?)

Thanks for all the help! Got it running yesterday and went for a spin before sunset.

That's frustrating about the Racor filter, as my mechanic installed that one after telling me what I had before was not USCG approved!

One thing I noticed while pumping bad gas out of the tank yesterday was a lot of black sediment in the gas. Wondering if this sediment is normal, perhaps from old gas, or if it means my gas tank is rusting (which would be huge pain in the neck, because I'd pretty much have to remove the engine to get the existing tank out)

Another day, another project..
NS