# Check you fuel lines!



## Skunkedagain (Apr 10, 2004)

If you have grey fuel lines on your boat that do not say on them that they are ethanol resistant, check them soon. I have always run stabil and quicklean in my gas and been running the marine stabil the last couple of years. Saw a post on walleye central which made me check mine. This is what i found. The pile of junk is the eaten away lining from just one foot of fuel line.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

you wouldnt think alittle alcohal would cause that much damage, would you?? that stuff would be good enough to drink for moon shine before they put it in our gas,LOL.
sherman


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

I changed all my fuel lines over last yr made a world of difference in how the motors started and ran.


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## Skunkedagain (Apr 10, 2004)

I replaced all my lines from the T to my kicker all the way to both motors. And both fuel filters. Cut filters open and they were still fairly clean. Think I took care of it just in time.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Good reminder!!

At the recommendation of the great guys at Knox Marine last fall I replaced my lines as well. I had no issues at the time but as they mentioned you could have problems caused by junk like that in your picture. You don't want any of that making its way in to your carbs.


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## Skunkedagain (Apr 10, 2004)

Or to a fuel injector on an optimax! Can you say blown powerhead! Only 7000$ to repair one.


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## BassinBullet (Apr 13, 2012)

The shelf life of gasoline is less than 28 days then if faze seperates even with stabilizer in it. Changing fuel lines to the new alcohol resistant and flushing the fuel system is reccomended for any boat that has sit for a long period with fuel in the system


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

BassinBullet said:


> The shelf life of gasoline is less than 28 days then if faze seperates even with stabilizer in it. Changing fuel lines to the new alcohol resistant and flushing the fuel system is reccomended for any boat that has sit for a long period with fuel in the system


Can you provide some factual data to back up these claims? I agree with the alcohol resistant fuel line. Thank you.


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## Flippin 416 (Aug 18, 2005)

I have read allot about the fuel issues. It can begin phase seperation in less than two weeks. I haven't had my fuel do it....but I know it's possible. There is allot of info on Bass Boat Central if you want to look for it.

Also if you are replacing lines...make sure you get a new bulb and on the bigger engines such as the optimax engines a pulse pump rebuild might be helpful. Also change the fuel filetrs. The new ethanol resistant fuel lines have blue print on them.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Flippin 416 said:


> I have read allot about the fuel issues. It can begin phase seperation in less than two weeks. I haven't had my fuel do it....but I know it's possible. There is allot of info on Bass Boat Central if you want to look for it.
> 
> Also if you are replacing lines...make sure you get a new bulb and on the bigger engines such as the optimax engines a pulse pump rebuild might be helpful. Also change the fuel filetrs. The new ethanol resistant fuel lines have blue print on them.


I could see that maybe if it were greatly exposed to the air. Which our fuel systems generally are not. Posts on forums can be pretty far from factual data.


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## BassinBullet (Apr 13, 2012)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> I could see that maybe if it were greatly exposed to the air. Which our fuel systems generally are not. Posts on forums can be pretty far from factual data.


What do you mean our fuel systems are not exposed to air? What do you think the vent does?


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Not to mention on carburated engines, the fuel will drain back into the tank when it sits. Thus the reason to prime the carb. before starting. 

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

BassinBullet said:


> What do you mean our fuel systems are not exposed to air? What do you think the vent does?


Right but not in the amounts you would need to provide as much moisture as you would need to foul 10-20g of fuel in a couple weeks time I wouldn't think. He said less than 2 weeks. I dunno, maybe I'm crazy. How long do you think the shelf life is on E10? Whats your gas routine?


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## Flippin 416 (Aug 18, 2005)

I'm not sure if there is a shelf life per say....not that I am aware of anyway.
I have a 57 gallon fuel tank and I usually keep 24 gallons or less in it....the rest is as mentioned air....and ethanol draws moisture...especially in plastic or non metal containers. I use 1oz of Quikleen, 1oz of marine formula Stabil and 1oz of Seafoam for every 6 gallons of gas I put in my tank. It helps with phase seperation and helps aid in carbon build up as well as keeping the injectors clean. I have a 225 OPtimax Pro-XS and I follow the advice of Don Weed of European Marine in Greenville SC. He has a wealth of knowledge abour Mercury engines as well as general motor maintenance. The mix I use comes straight from him and my spark plugs look great at the end of a full season.


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## BassinBullet (Apr 13, 2012)

Flippin That mixture you use is the correct way of doing it. It is a shame that 95% of boat owners refuse to do any kind of preventive maintenance and those who dont are the ones who scream and cry the most when they get charged for repairs to their motors. Keep up the good work and that opti will last you a long time


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## ovlo (Jul 3, 2007)

I dont really buy into all the fuel additive bs. seems like a waste of money to me. I have a 50 hp 2 stroke and a 9.9 4 stroke on my boat. all I do is put gas in them (and oil in the one tank) to winterise my rig I back it in the garage and leave it there nothing else. 

I have been doing this for 8-9 years now with my boats havent had a problem yet. things wear out and break but I wouldnt say any of it was caused by fuel problems

I do agree with the point of changing old fuel lines not rated for the ethanol in todays fuel.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Face it, todays gas is not what it used to be. Im sure there are plenty of guys out there that do nothing to their motors and have no problems but some of us do all we can do to keep our motors running the best we can. Go price a 150 to 250 hp outboard and you will see why we buy into the additives and short shelf life gas has today. Talk to the guys who do the work on outboards in the last few years and a lot of their problems have been fuel related. So change those fuel lines and use the additives, what more can you do because gas without ethanol is not easy to find.


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## BassinBullet (Apr 13, 2012)

OVLO
You will buy into the so called bs when that old 50 hp stops running and smokes a piston when one of the carbs clogs up from a piece of fuel line stuck in it. I had to pay 1200 for a sonic cleaner just to clean the carbs on the small 4 strokes because you cant clean them like the 2 stroke carbs. The passages in the 4 stroke carbs are too small to get anything thru to clean them. 45 mins in the cleaner and they look like new


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## ovlo (Jul 3, 2007)

BassinBullet said:


> OVLO
> You will buy into the so called bs when that old 50 hp stops running and smokes a piston when one of the carbs clogs up from a piece of fuel line stuck in it. I had to pay 1200 for a sonic cleaner just to clean the carbs on the small 4 strokes because you cant clean them like the 2 stroke carbs. The passages in the 4 stroke carbs are too small to get anything thru to clean them. 45 mins in the cleaner and they look like new


I doubt it. you paid 1200 bucks to get a carb cleaned on a small 4 stroke. really a new motor goes for around 2k 

a complete carb for my 4 stroke 9.9 sell for $169.99 what mechanic sold you on that service take your boat somewhere else. http://www.internetoutboards.com/partdetail.asp?id=616


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## Flippin 416 (Aug 18, 2005)

I think BassinBullet has some sort of dealership or marine service and I am pretty sure he is saying he paid that for a machine that sonic cleans 4 stroke carbs....for his customers.

When I had smaller outboards (I've owned a 9.9, 25 and 70hp motors) I didn't get nearly as worked up about the ethanol issue as I am with my bigger motor. I can rebuild a simple two stroke engine without much problem. It's a slightly different story with a V-6 engine with lots of computer monitoring equipment and technology attached to it. It's your choice and to each his own, but you have to keep in mind the ethanol will draw moisture and unspent gas in a cylinder will draw in moisture and cause rust.......rust and piston rings don't get along, that's why proper storage and winterization practices are important and widely practiced.


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## ovlo (Jul 3, 2007)

ah 1200 dollars for a machine sounds a little more realistic I read that wrong. I was gona say thats the worst rip in history on a carb job. ha ha 

Im not saying my method is for everyone just another view point. I dont spend any money on addtives and have had no problems. all the fuel lines on my boat have been replaced a few years ago due to dry rot. there are many engines that run on pure e85 and they dont have internal rusting problems. all engines run in the same way seems like every falure or breakdown in the marine world gets blamed on bad fuel.


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