Fuel issue

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Ron Hill

Lance : The best bilge cleaner I found is the low sudsing dish WASHER detergent.
Ron, Apache #788

Lance Jones

Interesting. I hadn't heard that one!
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Lance Jones

Ok, I replaced the Glow plugs - no joy. They do get warm even after adding in the solenoid upgrade.
Re-bled the system from primary, secondary, bleed valves, injectors, fuel return. All are "flowing."
Drained primary filter to check for water. A minor amount.
Bought a new secondary and replaced it. On inspection, it had crud and water in it.
Re-bled system - again. No joy.
Getting real frustrated.
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Stu Jackson

Lance, I forget if earlier in this long thread anyone had suggested that you get a jerry jug of fresh clean fuel and run the inlet to your primary filter to this jug.  This would eliminate the most likely water-sogged fuel in your tank from the equation.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Lance Jones

No I hadn't heard that idea. I'm picking up a friends fuel polisher either today or tomorrow. Should I do that before polishing or after?
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Stu Jackson

#50
All depends on how soon you want to try to get your engine started.  :D

I'm of the belief that fuel polishing is like voodoo, but that's me.  However, if you have a lot of water in your fuel tank, as you mentioned earlier with your fuel cap and the rains you had, if it was my boat I'd buy two jerry jugs:  one to use as I suggested, and then use both of them to remove the water soaked fuel you have and start all over.  Don't know how much fuel you have in your tank.

Good luck.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Lance Jones

I have 1/2 tank. Why do you consider it voodoo?
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Stu Jackson

Because it returns what it takes out with "some" filtering.  Time consuming and expensive to have someone else do it.  You have a fuel pump and a primary filter.  Why do you need someone else to do this for you?  Based on discussions on this and many other sailing forms, the idea is to have clean treated fuel, avoid getting water into the tank, and if necessary clean the tank which is where the "critters" hang out if you have any.

Before you spend oodles of $$ for polishing, see if you can, or get them to take samples from the bottom of the tank to see if you have copious amounts of water.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Lance Jones

Interesting. It is a friends so it's free except for the liquid adult payment I'll give when returning it. Your other idea, primary and fuel pump. How would I do that?
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Stu Jackson

#54
Disconnect the fuel line from your tank to your Racor.  Clamp it and close the shutoff valve, too. Get a length of fuel hose that goes from the inlet of the PRIMARY Racor fuel filter under your head sink to a jerry jug which you can place on the head sole.  Assuming you've corrected the plumbing so your electric pump is after your Racor - if not, do it while you're there or connect the jerry jug to the inlet of the the pump.

All you're doing is "pretending" that the jerry jug is your fuel tank.  Of course, use fresh fuel in the jerry jug, do not use the stuff from your tank.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Ron Hill

#55
Guys : My definition of "fuel polishing" is to run the fuel thru a filter (series of filters even better) and remove both the growth and any water!!

Lance : I'm sure that your friends fuel polisher fits my definition above.  

You can do the same with what you've already got on your boat.
Take the output from your electric fuel pump (fuel going from tank to[thru] Racor to electric fuel pump) and connect that outlet from the electric fuel pump thru a long fuel line to the fuel return line (aft of the aft injector).  

Hank Recla and Bill Nuttall both wrote up Mainsheet tech note articles on how to build your own installed fuel polisher.  It's what I mentioned above, but with a valve that either polishes the fuel and just cycles it back to the tank or sends the fuel to the injection pump.  Simple as that.

A few thoughts

Ron, Apache #788

Ron Hill

Lance : As a side thought, have you checked your plastic fuel cap to make sure that it isn't cracked.
Just wondering where or how you got all that water in your fuel tank?
Ron, Apache #788

Lance Jones

Thanks Stu and Ron. I did check the cap after reading some posts here. It's fine but, was not tight. I have my fuel pump AFTER my Racor.
Lance Jones
1988  C-34 Kitty's Cat
S/N 622

Ron Hill

Lance : Had a brain laps, as the fuel goes thru the Racor and then to the electric fuel pump. 

Thanks for catching that. 

With all of the fuel problems that you've had, you might consider removing your fuel tank and cleaning it.  You can do it like I did or find some one to clean it for you. 
Ron, Apache #788

Ed Shankle

"Ok, I replaced the Glow plugs - no joy. They do get warm even after adding in the solenoid upgrade"

Hey Lance,
At  the risk of nit picking your comment above, the aft glow plug should get hot to the touch. not just warm. Could the problem still be charging the glow plug?

Ed
Ed Shankle
Tail Wind #866 1989 m25xp
Salem, MA