Problem finally fixed

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mickkk
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Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:26 pm

Problem finally fixed

Post by mickkk »

Long post, can skip ahead to the end if your not fond of a yarn.

But for the last year I have been having intermittent issues with my stabi getting starved of fuel. Primer bulb would suck flat, and i worked out if I turned the primer bulb around and blew air back into the tank it would come good again.
Narrowed it down to being the fuel pick up getting blocked.
My tank runs under the console and under the rear transom. So to remove it I would have had to de rig everything on the console.
I had tried all sorts of things to fix it. Cycling the fuel through a filter, emptying the tank. Put a inspection cam down, but couldn’t really see anything.
About to pull the pin on getting the boat mechanic to pull the everything off the console to pull it out and knowing that this would cost probably close to 2k. I thought I’d try the camera again.
Pumped out the tank, let the last bit evaporate. Then put the camera back down. I still couldn’t get enough light to see where I need to.
I asked the missis if we had any small tour he’s to fit through the filler hole.
She came out with a battery operated candle that you get at the Xmas carols.
I made a bungee out of zip ties to lower inside the tank (and hopefully remove it again)
It worked well, and after not too long I could see something. Bout the size of a 10c coin.
I shoved a zip tie down the fuel pickup and it could be moved.
Stoked I finally found my problem, I then still had to work out how to get it out.
It went pretty smoothly in the end, I made a vacuum with my blower (swapped around to suck) and reduced it to a small bit of pipe. Shoved in the filler port, along with the zip ties hanging out with the light. Down, around near the mystery object.
Second run I got it, and managed to keep it on whilst pulling it back out. To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement, I had been depressed for some time trying to sort this.
Now, what the hell is it. And why had it only been a problem for the last year, not the 14 years before that.
It must have been the perfect density to not sink, but not float. It’s only just slightly larger than the pick up to cover it perfectly.
Then I worked out what it was.... I’m pretty sure.
Moral of the story:
Be very careful when adding fuel additives into your tank. About 18 months ago, I put a small bottle of fuel conditioner in my tank. It was just a small single shot bottle, I opened the lid and poured it down the filler. The little seal that meant to stay in the lid must have went in, and caused a lot of headaches. I’ll be very careful if I add anything next time.


jeffish
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Re: Problem finally fixed

Post by jeffish »

Good work Sherlock ,, this also happened to me with my Missus car a couple year ago , after 2 different mechanics and some $$$$ , a mate just pulled the tank out and shook the shiit out of it and this little silver disc dropped out . Bugger !!!!
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