Association Forum - Wind is fickle and gas tanks

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Wind is fickle and gas tanks

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Member Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/16/2004 : 23:48:10

Tonight the combination of outboard issues and 3 knots of wind made me sit out the races, at the same time 100 miles west of our lake the national weather service clocked 118 mph straight line winds at Garden City KS. WOOF!

The outboard issue is irksome, I have an old metal 6 gal tempo tank with no ventilation/bleed valve. The OB runs for a few minutes and then stops and will not start again for a day. When I open the tank cap it wooshes. Should I get a new vented tank?

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 06/17/2004 11:32:35

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 00:01:12

"Should I get a new vented tank?"

Yes, sounds like you need a new tank or to install a vent in yours.

As you've discovered, outboards that don't have a tank vent built into the fuel line won't run very long before the vacuum in the tank shuts 'em down.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 07:21:39

My old Tempo tank had a cap with a closeable vent on it. You might just need a new cap -- although I highly recommend the much cheaper plastic tanks that don't rust, and through which you can see the fuel level.

Brooke

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 08:09:23

$100 for the 6 gal steel tank vs. $16.95 for the 6 gal polyethelene tank...'nuff said? The only problem with the new Tempo 6 gal poly tanks is they put the carrying handle on the end instead of the top, which makes the tank 3" longer then the 6 gal steel tank. This extra length makes the poly tank just slightly too long to fit on the gas tank shelf of the C-25 Mk. I

The fact that the poly tank can't rust is a nice advantage in that you don't have to worry about rust particles clogging the idle jet on your outboard (a problem on most small outboards, expecially the new low-emission 5 & 8 hp Hondas, which have microscopically small idle jets).

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 10:08:29

I don't know whether it's available anywhere else, but the 6-gal. poly tank that Honda sells (with their logo molded in) is the best I've seen--heavier gauge than my Tempo, with better seal and much better gas gauge. If I were in the market, that's what I'd get. (Either fits fine in the cockpit fuel locker, if you have one.)

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 10:13:54

Yesterday I replaced the old rusting metal tank in my C25 with the 6 gallon plastic (had another metal one in hand at West Marine but then decided the non-rust factor made more sense in a salt water boat). The extra 3 inch length makes it a snug fit in the cockpit locker but now there's no chance of it sliding around in there.

I also stuck a see-through fuel filter in the line between the tank and the bulb as an additional precaution. New tank, new hose, new fuel filters (in line and in engine), new squeeze bulb, new connectors. Hopefully this will cure my Honda 8hp's occasional tendency to stop running unless I keep regularly squeezing the bulb. We'll see.

Question: The previous owner never shut off the outboard. Instead, he would disconnect the fuel line and let it run out of gas, believing that there would be no gas to go bad sitting in the motor. Is that a sensible practice?

Steve

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 10:22:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lightnup
 Question: The previous owner never shut off the outboard. Instead, he would disconnect the fuel line and let it run out of gas, believing that there would be no gas to go bad sitting in the motor. Is that a sensible practice?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Only if you don't expect to use the motor for over month or so. Some opinions are that an empty float bowl invites gumming more than a full one. I used to run my old 2-stroke Yamaha 4 dry each time, and my carb got gummed up at least once...

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5907 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 10:39:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Hopefully this will cure my Honda 8hp's occasional tendency to stop running unless I keep regularly squeezing the bulb. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">My Merc 7.5 was doing the exact same thing, and I closely examined the hose wherever it was clamped to a connector or fitting. The hose had small cracks at the connections that caused the gasline to lose pressure. I cut the bad end off, and it worked fine.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 11:32:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Hopefully this will cure my Honda 8hp's occasional tendency to stop running unless I keep regularly squeezing the bulb. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">My Merc 7.5 was doing the exact same thing, and I closely examined the hose wherever it was clamped to a connector or fitting. The hose had small cracks at the connections that caused the gasline to lose pressure. I cut the bad end off, and it worked fine.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I went through my first tank of gas this year is 2 weeks. I had bought a new gas line with the "pinched" clamps rather than screwed hose clamps. The motor fitting was leaking and all 6 gallons siphoned into the lake. I have now replaced the pinched clamps with real hose clamps. This story makes the non venting cap on my tank seem a non issue unless it is a flow rate issue.

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 12:26:43

Hey Steve,

It's probably not as big a deal to run a 4-stroke engine empty of fuel by disconnecting the fuel line. But, a 2-stroke relies on the oil/gas mix for lubrication. Running the engine empty means that for a period of time the engine has no lubrication. Could cause premature wear on main and rod bearings, et al.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2004 : 13:33:59

Thanks Bill. Mine's a 4-stroke so letting it run dry shouldn't be a problem but it just seems like an unnecessary procedure unless, as Dave said, I were going to be away from the boat for weeks at a time. I guess I'll just shut the motor off normally until I see if that causes any fuel related problems.

Steve

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/20/2004 : 23:56:46

Today I discovered the pee hose was split between the exit fitting and the pump outlet. I replaced the hose, now the casing will not fill with water! SO I started the motor and ran it for twenty minutes, sailed for a couple hours, started the motor ran it for ten minutes and then it died and will not start again. The hose did not change anything. Tomorrow to the mechanic.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.