Fuel samples

[Douglasdzaster]

I have a post about fuel ratio but this deserves it’s own because it’s proof being active with preventative maintenance pays off.
I’m big on taking care of things. Especially if it has an engine.
This one almost got pass me.
When I started my rebuild the first thing I did was install a fuel system. There wasn’t a single fuel filter anywhere on the 1992 40hp Yamaha. Along with other neglect.
I used marine grade A1-15 hose and installed a fuel water separator and an oem filter under the cowl.
I’m getting ready to go fishing in a few days and it’s been a couple months since I had a chance to.
Since last trip I’ve been through tree sap removal from my cover. Then what we call a freeze here in Texas. It stayed below freezing for four days getting down in the teens.
Then it started raining which we desperately needed. But we got it all at once in a long stretch. Report said one week was 14”.
Finally got a dry stretch started today and supposed to be almost a week. As soon as the sun came out today and the cover was dry I took it off the flat bottom.
Sure enough I have some mildew growing all in the stern area and up to the top of the vinyl on the seat and seems to have stopped there. I’ll know tomorrow because I made a flooring system that is easy to remove just for such an occasion.
I went all around the boat looking at everything. I was wondering about the fuel in the lines. Usually I don’t because I only use ethanol free fuel and I buy it from the busiest store for fresh fuel and use Lucas tcw3 synthetic blend oil along with Strar Tron marine he and the occasional splash of sea foam.
I know it’s overboard but I have never had any bad fuel. I just changed the fuel water separator a couple months ago for the first time and there wasn’t even the smallest bubble of water in it and I poured the whole filter into a jar.
I noticed some cracking today in the line at a fitting then at another one. I have the line inside gorilla sleeve so I have to pull it back to look. I removed the clamps from the primer bulbs between it and the separator and caught fuel in a jar. It looks almost clear gasoline no water. Where’s my oil? It’s 50:1. Y’all may look at it and say it’s fine but whenever I take random samples from the carburetors I see a darker tint.
Then I pull the sleeve back and every fitting the line was cracked. One so bad it would have started leaking if I hadn’t caught it. They weren’t like that before the weather. I got my stuff and cut the ends back to good line and reassembled. When I removed the line on the other side of the bulb (engine side) the fuel that ran from the engine side had water. Not much a couple dozen bubbles drifted to the bottom of the jar. The line was not connected to the engine and hasn’t been.
Tomorrow I’m going to do from the tank fitting to the fuel water separator as well as drain all three carburetor’s.
Here’s a couple pictures of the fuel. See if it looks like 2 stroke mix to y’all if you don’t mind.
The one I used the towel for the background reminds me of moonshine.

 

[MrGiggles]

Some mix oils have a darker blue dye that makes premix fuel pretty obvious, I've seen others with a greenish tint to where it's difficult to tell if it had been mixed or not.

An easy comparison, pour 25oz of gas in a jar and mix in a half ounce of oil. See if it looks like your samples.

To my knowledge, you couldn't separate mixed fuel if you tried. In terms of long term storage the gasoline will volatilize and leave a richer mixture of oil and less potent gas, but not the other way around.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Some mix oils have a darker blue dye that makes premix fuel pretty obvious, I've seen others with a greenish tint to where it's difficult to tell if it had been mixed or not.

An easy comparison, pour 25oz of gas in a jar and mix in a half ounce of oil. See if it looks like your samples.

To my knowledge, you couldn't separate mixed fuel if you tried. In terms of long term storage the gasoline will volatilize and leave a richer mixture of oil and less potent gas, but not the other way around.

That’s what had me scratching my head and I figured with all th rain and the air just stayed super damp between showers that little bi of water found it’s way through the fittings or cracks in the hose.
I understand about loosing the mix. I have an old style portable poly tank with manual vent screw. I try o mix only what I think I’ll use in a trip. It stayed stored in my shop. Especially during summer I have to leave the vent cracked open or it would burst at the seams.
It the day and and let’s atmosphere in when cooler. If I don’t add to or dumb it if it’s sat a couple weeks it’s an overkill left on oil mix. The additives take care of moisture but I’ve used it and notice it smokes more and loads up idling more. I have to play safe and burn the fuel That sit there with the mower.
Got a new tank but right off the epa cap didn’t work. I received a new one from the company and going to try it again.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Does your tank have one of those gauges on the fill cap? That's where one of mine leaked water into the tank.

After having a water problem with the G3 this last fall, I'm making sure the tank is full of gas, even over the summer months.

 

[Douglasdzaster]

Does your tank have one of those gauges on the fill cap? That's where one of mine leaked water into the tank.

After having a water problem with the G3 this last fall, I'm making sure the tank is full of gas, even over the summer months.

No gage on the old one. And yesterday while trim the cracked ends off the hoses was the first time I’ve ever seen any water and it was minimal but witted weather lately I had moisture get into everything It could.
the new tank I had fuel in it with vent closed because it vent itself after so many psi of pressure buildup but it swells first.
I noticed sitting in the shop I never caught it swelling. So I sit it on the concrete sidewalk in the sun in the Texas heat and watched it. It sat all afternoon and nothing. I found that the cap was leaking. I emailed Scepter and they mailed me a new cap so I’m going to try it again. When I saw the caps where over $30 is when I sent the email. Lol
Im fixing to service the wife’s car then go back to redoing the connections. Then drain the carburetors and sample that then I’ll mix fresh fuel flush out the system and start her up.
I know it’s better to keep a full tank is another reason I’m switching to the new style. The let it vent but nothing is supposed to be able to get in. I’ll keep it full. Another problem I have though is it’s a 6.5 gallon and I have only burned 3 gallons at most and that was doing some long wot runs all day. It’s going to use more after I lean the carburetors out a little. Now I think I’m running to rich. Doesn’t like to idle very long and starts smoking from the unburied fuel. I open it up and it clears it’s throat and runs clean. Also hard cold starting. I’m 58 and I pull on that 40hp until I cant anymore then it starts that last pull. If I shut it off somewhere it’ll start first pull but if I sit about 30 minutes it’s back to hard starting. Also going to do a link and sync first (it’s been awhile)then get on the water and do the adjustments.