Water Intrusion?

[Nondeductible Expenses]

Hello all, Back again.

Some of you may recall my thread last year with the issues I had after getting water in the gas which caused my Ethanol gas to phase separate and gunk up my entire fuel system:

http://www.yamahaoutboardparts.com/f...s-th26015.html


Well, My boat's been running great, churning 5600 RPMS since that was all sorted out, until recently. Boat is a Sea Hunt Triton 220 with 2009 F200TXR.

Ran great all spring and summer (run it almost every weekend). I recently filled up after running the boat almost empty. After this fill up, I started getting surging issues again, I can't maintain RPM over 4k RPMS and it surges between 4-5k RPMS. Anything below 4k and I'm fine. After the first weekend it started doing this, I took the boat home, emptied the Sierra 10 Micron F/W Seperator into a jar and had it half full of water. Appeared to be fresh water (I run in salt water).

Ever since my issues last year, after they cleaned out gas tank completely, all I have run in the gas is Ethanol Free. Im glad, because if I had corn gas in there now with all this water in my fuel again, it would be a phase separated mess.

When I launch the boat now, I'll idle out of the harbor just fine, once I get out of no wake zone, it's like clockwork, I attempt to throttle up and it bogs. I turn off engine, dump fuel water separator and then off we go, but still can't get above 4k RPMS.

Here is my train of thought on what has happened, I'm about to work on it tomorrow at the house:

I'm thinking I got a bad load of gas with a lot of water in it. I normally fill up at the harbor with above ground tanks and fuel water seperators on the tank, but I filled up at a gas station this one time and that's when my issues showed up. What I'm thinking happened is the water filled up my Sierra filter (since there was so much in there) and got into my fuel system and may have gummed up my VST screen again (this is why I can't maintain RPMs over 4k).

I'm thinking when I let the boat sit during the week and take it out on the weekend, all the water has settled to the bottom of the tank, by the time I idle out of the harbor, the F/W separator has again filled up with water and this is why it bogs at WOT until I dump it. After that I've got most of the water that settled out and I can run the rest of the day and problem of no planning off wont happen until the next weekend, but since the VST is clogged I still can't get the 4k RPMs no matter how much I dump F/W Seperator.

This weekend, I'm planning on completely draining the gas tank. I'm also switching to a 2 micron Racor with clear bowl so I can see and drain any remaining water each trip. I'm going to go ahead and change the filter on the engine, the F Filter and crack open the VST and replace the screen. Then I'm going to put fresh gas in and hope for the best.

The only thing I'm baffled on is if this wasn't a bad load of gas, how am I getting water into my tank? Dealer already replaced the fuel fill cap assembly and I don't see how the new one would leak. Also, If I had a leak, wouldn't I have been getting water in the gas all spring/summer? I can't imagine I'm getting that much water through a gasket leak on top of the tank through the sending unit, etc - but I guess it's possible.

Any thoughts? I'm going to be a pro at removing the VST screen. I'm hoping the 2 Micron Racor will catch the crap before it goes downstream to the VST. I'm still baffled how water could crud up a VST screen, but I'm guessing its possible.

I think I'm having two issues: Classic VST clogging symptoms (loss of high RPMS) which was caused by water in fuel. If I Can only figure out how to stop the water from getting into the fuel....

[cpostis]

Here's a thought.
Could the water intrusion in your fuel be condensation? How long do you leave the boat with say, less than half a tank? With the right conditions, water will condense quite quickly on the sides of the tank and run down to the bottom.
Try to keep your tank filled while not in use for any period of time. Also, do you use any fuel treatment? Some are great (yamaha ringfree plus), some cause more problems than solve.

Just a thought.

I'm sure our friend Townsends will ring in.

[99yam40]

If you are planning to completely drain your tank, what is your plan on getting all of the water out?

water will be at the very bottom of tank and the pick up tube will not get it all.

If it was a load of bad gas there could be more than just water in it.

Make sure you drain and flush all tanks,lines,pumps, and change all filters.
monitor fuel pressures when you get it back running if there is still a problem.

might be a good idea to have injectors serviced if there is a bunch of junk in the vst

[Nondeductible Expenses]

If you are planning to completely drain your tank, what is your plan on getting all of the water out?

water will be at the very bottom of tank and the pick up tube will not get it all.

If it was a load of bad gas there could be more than just water in it.

Make sure you drain and flush all tanks,lines,pumps, and change all filters.
monitor fuel pressures when you get it back running if there is still a problem.

might be a good idea to have injectors serviced if there is a bunch of junk in the vst

The plan is to pull the fuel sender (which the gasket looks old and may be where I'm gathering water anyway), use a coat hanger to hold clear tubing to and go in that way to reach back/bottom of tank. Boat will be tilted up. Replace gasket on sending unit and put it back.

Hopefully what little I can't get out will be picked up by the Racor (which I'm now going to check the bowl religiously). Eventually it should all be out, I'd think?

Just picked up new VST screen, F Filter, filter for bowl on engine, and new Racor with clear bowl to replace my sierra F/W Seperator on transom.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Obviously do what your doing..

For the transom filter, get one with the clear bottom with the drain right there. You can drain water with no tools, etc.

Drain the VST regularly looking for junk water(its easy with the the drain screw right there. Just catch what comes out for inspection.

Re the water getting in, my neighbors older boat had the fuel tank surrounded in foam. That foam held water and rusted several small holes in the top of the tank and allowed some water intrusion. Sooo, inspect the top of the tank first.

Really the only other thing would be the filler to the tank. Perhaps yank it, then put water to the top of it and check for any intrusion again.

For NORMAL amounts (ie small) of water getting into the tank (condensation, etc) I've found K100 to work extremely well. It mixes the water with the fuel and that eventually burns off.. If you have a gallon of water, you need a gallon of K100 ( third video: Demonstration | Fuel Additive | K-100 ). I never collect any water in any of my filters in hot humid Florida with 2/3's a tank.

You can see the black spot at the bottom of the plastic which IS the drain. Any water, simply un-screw.

Just a side question, is it possible there's neighborhood kids, or.. screwing with your boat?

[pstephens46]

Why do they foam those damn tanks? To kill the sound of fuel sloshing around. If I ever order a new boat I will insist no foam please....

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Why do they foam those damn tanks? To kill the sound of fuel sloshing around. If I ever order a new boat I will insist no foam please....

It was an older, Mako 20' and change, CC. Very well made..

I'm sure all the foam was to make it un-sinkable and the foam would help strengthen / tie everything together..

Great idea when new, not so much if you have to find the fuel line, etc...

[pstephens46]

Yep. The old Makos were great boats. My boat also has a foamed tank. Foam I get, just don't foam the tank!

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Basically the same set up as my Angler 20'4" but so much smoother with the extra weight (and extra glass)..

[pstephens46]

The bass pro version is not even close.

[bajakeith]

MR. Townsend

Hi,few quick notes: #1 Outlet on W/s should be a 90 degree facing down. #2 Never,Ever use Teflon tape in a marine fuel system. or electrical tape on a boat... #3Never use a worm screw clamp on the exposed outboard fuel system..Oltiker clamps only !!!!!! #4 Black fuel line and black W/S heats the incoming fuel. Not Good in hot weather ! #5 clear bottom W/S are made for engine rooms only, Not outside in big time UV'S and get kicked,stand on,abused..No,No,No !! #6 Primer Bulbs work much better with the arrow pointing skyward... #7 most outboard fuel line is a light grey, SO tell me, Why O Why cant some one make a light color primer bulb ??? From a TOP SHELF MASTER MARINE MEC/TEC, that looked at the pic for a sec and saw ALL the same BS I sea daily !! G'Day Sir............quik edit...Is that a Mercury Primer bulb ??? Arrg !! Just Looked at your photo again..the f/lines to the primer bulb are what connectorS

[rodbolt17]

actually, plastic bowls are expressly prohibited in the engine box for gas engines by the USCG.

[marchmadness]

This might sound simple but
1 are you sure its fresh water and not salt.
2 how's the filler cap gasket? A lot of people say they get water intrusion there
3 drain the vst tank and on board filters and run motor from a separate tank
4 contact the fuel station company and see if there was other complaints of water.

[rodbolt17]

and it could be the VST filter simply clogged with brush dust.
it happens.

[marchmadness]

why is your water separating fuel filter and primer bulb and line sit in an area of the transom that is always wet??