Forgot to top my fuel tank for winter.

[Mo]

I thought I'd just share a water in fuel experience.

Last fall I forgot to fill my tank. Here in Nova Scotia we get wild fluctuations during winter from plus to minus and there are many days that there's a 20 degree difference from the previous, one way or the other.

So I put the boat in it ran OK to move to the dock. Started down the harbour the next morning and I just couldn't get powered up. I was doing 4.5 kts when she should have been doing 6 kts. No missing, just a general malaise.

This past Saturday is was blowing 25 knts on the stern, rougher water flowing through the marina. Engine was running fine, went to back out and went about a boat length and it died...major scramble to get her back on the dock "right now", grabbed my hail mary line and all was well.

Started once I secured again but had to choke to keep it running. Decided I must have water and drained the separator...ran the engine for about a minute and it smoothed out again...off I went. Sailed for a few hours, and fired the engine up for about the last 200 ft to the dock, no issues.

Next day had the family aboard and we were motoring into the wind, again, lost power but no stall. I'd been motoring about 15 minutes when it started to sputter. Sailed it back to the dock, no issues.

So yesterday I brought my spare pump down to pump the tank out and it wouldn't pick it up. It was dead calm, first time in days, so I started the engine and shut it down after 10 minutes and drained the separator. I did this about 6 times for about a gallon of sorry looking watery gas. When my gas in the separator finally looked normal I stopped. I figured it had settled overnight in the calm waters.

Yesterday evening the wind piped up a bit and I took her out in the swell for a check, ran an hour like a champ, lots of power, no issues. A couple of days fooling around because I forgot to top up the tank for winter.

[sastanley]

Yep..About this time last year I had the same issue..Had a great day of sailing, but the engine quit after 40 minutes. Later in the day when I had time to futz with it, Racor separator full of water. Ran fine after that.

[Mo]

Thought I had it sorted out...today it's windy and the boat is rocking on the dock. Shook up the tank and I had to drain it again. I'm going to have to pump that tank out.

[Al Schober]

I learned to pump a gallon out of the bottom of the tank each Spring. Sometimes I'd get a few tablespoons of muck, sometimes a cup, once a quart! Good time to check the O-ring on the fuel fill.

[Mo]

Originally Posted by Al Schober

I learned to pump a gallon out of the bottom of the tank each Spring. Sometimes I'd get a few tablespoons of muck, sometimes a cup, once a quart! Good time to check the O-ring on the fuel fill.

Hi Al.
This is my first time making this mistake. I figure it had 1/4 tank, just enough to cause trouble and of course there's ethanol in everything these days. First thing I did was check the seal, it's in good shape. I'm going to have to suck the tank out, the gas even looks bad and I did add stabilizer to every can added. The fuel today, with the boat rocking looked pretty cloudy. That's water shook up in it. It's running again without choke after draining the separator but still sputtering ... enough is enough.

[joe_db]

Originally Posted by Mo

Hi Al.
This is my first time making this mistake. I figure it had 1/4 tank, just enough to cause trouble and of course there's ethanol in everything these days. First thing I did was check the seal, it's in good shape. I'm going to have to suck the tank out, the gas even looks bad and I did add stabilizer to every can added. The fuel today, with the boat rocking looked pretty cloudy. That's water shook up in it. It's running again without choke after draining the separator but still sputtering ... enough is enough.

2 points:
You may have a bad o-ring.
There is no "sucking the bad gas out of the bottom" with ethanol gas, it is ALL bad

[Mo]

Originally Posted by joe_db

2 points:
You may have a bad o-ring.
There is no "sucking the bad gas out of the bottom" with ethanol gas, it is ALL bad

Got it sorted out. I had two issues. Focused completely on the water issue and resolved that. After that it still wouldn't idle properly and was iffy on deceleration and gear changes...possibility of stalling was about 50/50. So I pulled the carb and had a partially blocked main jet and a damaged O ring gasket on the main jet bolt. Had another gasket and bolt from an old carb there I have apart. Changed it out and running like her old self...the world is right.

[Wisakedjack]

I have an exact opposite situation, but so far I don't have any serious issues. I filled the tank in 2019 when I put boat on the hard and added stabilizer. The boat did not get launched in 2020. It went in the water a week ago with same old gasoline. Engine started on the first try and run like a champ every time. I thought about draining the tank, but was concerned that gasoline would start spilling if I removed fuel hose on top or opened access port on top. I figured I will burn some and drain rest if I encounter any issues.

[Mo]

Originally Posted by Wisakedjack

I have an exact opposite situation, but so far I don't have any serious issues. I filled the tank in 2019 when I put boat on the hard and added stabilizer. The boat did not get launched in 2020. It went in the water a week ago with same old gasoline. Engine started on the first try and run like a champ every time. I thought about draining the tank, but was concerned that gasoline would start spilling if I removed fuel hose on top or opened access port on top. I figured I will burn some and drain rest if I encounter any issues.

I add stabilizer to every tank of fuel, each time I bring them to the gas station. I usually top up each fall and this year I forgot. With the warm winter we had, and temp fluctuations it was the perfect setup for condensation. I varnished my companion way doors on the 8th of January, or someone around there. It was 14 degrees C a couple of days later it was -14 C....that went on all winter. I don't know why I forgot to top the tank. I just thought I did it....off my game on that one. The bottom paint was done last fall, did some minor repairs and thought I'd done it. Blew that one.

[Mo]

OK, I'm impressed with this newer engine now. I just did a 48 nautical mile over-nighter on the boat. My wife had 2 days off and we generally stay around the area here but she wanted to take off...so we did.

There was little to no wind but considerable swell so I had the main up for stability but the engine was on and I held her at 4.8 knots. So the engine is working but not open full throttle.

After we arrived I figured I check and see how much fuel I burned. Engine ran 5 hours. I filled to neck of fuel tank prior to leaving. Topped my fuel upon arrival and it took a whole 2.5 gallons....that is wicked mileage and we did go through 6 miles of chop with wind on the nose. Checked oil and still on full.

Yesterday we came back because the young fella had a job interview. Again had to motor but the day started off calm and the wind built as the day came on. 6 miles back from home dock we noted we had to get a move on to be back on time so I throttled up and held 6.2 knts for 1.5 hours, otherwise we were doing 4.5 to 4.8 all the way back.

Dropped back to the boat to do checks following the interview and put the last 2.5 gallons in the boat....It didn't fill right up to the neck but I could hear it gurgling there...will grab more fuel this am and see. I doubt if it will take more than a pint to bring it full. An oil check this time had it almost down to the add line and I put some oil in it.

Had been checking oil all year and using without open wide throttle she doesn't use oil...this usage opened up shows she uses when open wide...OK now I know that and it's actually normal.

The fuel usage per hour is uncanny so I thought I'd point out what I do different.
1. Engine is raw water cooled and runs really cool. There is no T'stat and I have a by-valve that is open 50%.
2. NGK XR4 spark plugs.
3. 3 blade michigan prop 12 inch pitch is 7.
4. Boat is C&C 30, full load of fuel and water ...loaded heavy.
5. About 3 weeks ago I set the timing by ear while the boat was underway. My wife drove the boat at 5 knots and I got down in the lazertte and did the timing while underway. I usually stay in the 4 to 5 knot range motoring so set it there.
6. After doing the timing I started keeping track in the log of hours used and gallons added.
7. Oil is 15w40
8. Fuel is the supreme / high test.

I am so impressed. Prior to this year I never payed attention to fuel usage really. I did it this year because I was using more fuel earlier in the year and then found out I had a faulty plug. Following that I wanted to know what I was burning so started a quick log. I'm about to take on about an 800 nm round trip end of July and needed to be certain about my fuel consumption. Have to say though, my A4 engines always sipped fuel. The one that came out with a rusted thin block was real good on fuel as well, I'd just never was exact about what was going in and out.

Edit: went down to see how much more was needed to bring it up to the filler pipe and it gurgled and was right there...so 2.5 gallon on return.

Also carb setup is mixture screw backed off 1.5 turns...so another 1/4 after the recommended 1 and 1/4 turns.

[Mo]

29.8 engine hrs motor sailed north Atlantic...main up 10 to 15 kts wind on nose...used 15 US gallons of fuel holding 4 to 5 kts of speed. Yesterday 9.1 hrs in 20 it's on nose 9.1 hrs 5 gallons....same deal, motor sailed. Sat out today 3 meter seas...waiting for things to settle. Weather iffy, chipping at the breaks with alternates to duck in and hide.