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Message
Boat fuel tank fuel pick up issue - help needed
Posted on 5/22/23 at 11:37 am
Posted on 5/22/23 at 11:37 am
I have twin outboards and each outboard has its own fuel line that goes to its own fuel pick up connection to a single large fuel tank. One of my pick ups isn't working/ not allowing pressure at the tank. You can't get the fuel bulb to prime (new bulb) and when I swap the lines to each motor at the tank, the issue moves to the new motor.
I'm getting almost no gas. Like I can get enough to get my mouth wet if I siphon or use the fuel bulb to pump it spurts, but no stream or anything. So its not just a no pressure issue like a loose connection or pinhole leak.
I blew air with my mouth into both sides and both sides you can hear air bubbles blown into the gas. You can also suck air out of both sides/ gas. So I don't think its a blockage.
Outside of basically cutting into the tank or just adding a brand new pick up and capping the old one, I'm not sure what else I can check?
The pick up at the top of the tank looks like this, I'm going to try to unscrew it and replace it. Maybe it has a pinhole leak? Best I can tell gas isn't leaking anywhere? No visual signs and no smells of gas. But access is limited.
I don't know how these work and there appears to be multiple internal pick up options, so I'm not sure what else to check?
I'm getting almost no gas. Like I can get enough to get my mouth wet if I siphon or use the fuel bulb to pump it spurts, but no stream or anything. So its not just a no pressure issue like a loose connection or pinhole leak.
I blew air with my mouth into both sides and both sides you can hear air bubbles blown into the gas. You can also suck air out of both sides/ gas. So I don't think its a blockage.
Outside of basically cutting into the tank or just adding a brand new pick up and capping the old one, I'm not sure what else I can check?
The pick up at the top of the tank looks like this, I'm going to try to unscrew it and replace it. Maybe it has a pinhole leak? Best I can tell gas isn't leaking anywhere? No visual signs and no smells of gas. But access is limited.
I don't know how these work and there appears to be multiple internal pick up options, so I'm not sure what else to check?
5
Posted on 5/22/23 at 11:55 am to baldona
There’s tube that comes out the 90° sometimes they break. I replaced on a Xpress I did some work on not long ago.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 12:36 pm to Cypressknee
Have you put on a new water separator or filter lately? Mine was missing a plug in the base that caused a similar problem
Posted on 5/22/23 at 12:48 pm to lctiger
quote:
Have you put on a new water separator or filter lately?
I've had fuel starvation issues as well after replacing fuel water separator.
quote:
Mine was missing a plug in the base that caused a similar problem
Where was the plug? I have the black twist knob on bottom of clear bowl.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 12:49 pm to baldona
I’m not sure if this would fix you issue or not, but I had a clogged vent tube/vent tube screen that was causing me fuel issues. You can maybe check that. It cost me $250 to learn that lesson.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 1:08 pm to baldona
That pickup will have a tube the depth of your tank attached. Sometimes they have screens or check valves at the bottom of them, and can get clogged pretty easily. Once you pull that, you'll probably find the issue. (Assuming the rest of the fuel system the others have mentioned, is in good working order.)
Posted on 5/22/23 at 1:11 pm to Saskwatch
Sounds like same one I got. Plug I missed was on the back of the plastic part that screws into the transum. It came with 3 plugs, I put in the 2 for a second motor(if you have twins) and just assumed the 3rd plug was an extra. Never got good gas pressure, hooked air compressor up to check for blockage and heard the air coming out that back hole.
This post was edited on 5/22/23 at 1:13 pm
Posted on 5/22/23 at 1:12 pm to Geauxkart
I just had to replace the fuel hoses on my boat. On the port side tank, I could idle but when I gave it gas to get on step, it would die. Once the hoses were replaced it worked fine. My guess is that is your problem.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 1:23 pm to trackdad3
My boat had fuel pickup problems from the160 gallon tank. At the tank fitting there was also a ball check valve, eighth inch in line, that had varnished itself shut. This was a marine safety device that was supposed to limit fuel spills into the lower deck. Took the ball out and the fuel flowed fine
Posted on 5/22/23 at 1:24 pm to lctiger
quote:
Plug I missed was on the back of the plastic part that screws into the transum. It came with 3 plugs, I put in the 2 for a second motor(if you have twins) and just assumed the 3rd plug was an extra
I don't think mine came with any plugs? just the twist valve on bottom to empty contents
I have a twist on Racor
This post was edited on 5/22/23 at 1:25 pm
Posted on 5/22/23 at 2:08 pm to baldona
Put a new primer bulb on that side before you do anything else. They can seem to work just fine but collapse under pressure. My guess would be primer bulb or water seperator issue before the pickup itself having an issue.I see you put a new bulb on already, I have also had a bulb be bad straight out of the package.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 2:55 pm to baldona
Had similar issues. I’ll list everything we tried before fixing it. Ours ended up being a combination of bad/clogged primer bulb and cracked pickup tube. Since problem moved when you swapped engine fuel lines at the tank itself, I’d wager it’s an issue with either the 90degree fitting at tank, pickup tube, or a vent issue.
I’d replace 90deg fitting just because it’s cheap and easy. Get one without the ball check valve. Those always clog/get stuck. People will say it’s “not safe” to do this but I’ve seen more boats without them than I have with them. Unless your racor is mounted at the very bottom of your bilge you shouldn’t have to worry much about a hose leak draining your tank into bilge.
Next issue could be cracked/pinhole/clogged/restricted pickup tube. On ours you could blow air in and create bubbles and suck out fuel, but could not create a syphon and the minor air leak was still enough to starve motor. Ours took forever to diagnose because it was cracked half way down tube. So on a full tank it was fine, and issue only happened once fuel level dropped below the crack. Depending on the style of pickup you have, the pickup tube may be part of the barb fitting. If so replace that whole assembly. If it’s part of the tank itself, a little more tricky and your probably looking at needing a new pickup welded in unless there is another approach I’m not aware of. I guess depending on where your fuel gauge sender is located, you could just do away with the fuel sender and have a plate with fitting/pickup fabbed to bolt in its place.
Other issue could possibly be clogged vent system I guess. Haven’t had this issue but I imagine a clogged vent would start creating a vaccum on tank and prevent fuel from being fed to engine.
I’d replace 90deg fitting just because it’s cheap and easy. Get one without the ball check valve. Those always clog/get stuck. People will say it’s “not safe” to do this but I’ve seen more boats without them than I have with them. Unless your racor is mounted at the very bottom of your bilge you shouldn’t have to worry much about a hose leak draining your tank into bilge.
Next issue could be cracked/pinhole/clogged/restricted pickup tube. On ours you could blow air in and create bubbles and suck out fuel, but could not create a syphon and the minor air leak was still enough to starve motor. Ours took forever to diagnose because it was cracked half way down tube. So on a full tank it was fine, and issue only happened once fuel level dropped below the crack. Depending on the style of pickup you have, the pickup tube may be part of the barb fitting. If so replace that whole assembly. If it’s part of the tank itself, a little more tricky and your probably looking at needing a new pickup welded in unless there is another approach I’m not aware of. I guess depending on where your fuel gauge sender is located, you could just do away with the fuel sender and have a plate with fitting/pickup fabbed to bolt in its place.
Other issue could possibly be clogged vent system I guess. Haven’t had this issue but I imagine a clogged vent would start creating a vaccum on tank and prevent fuel from being fed to engine.
This post was edited on 5/22/23 at 3:02 pm
Posted on 5/22/23 at 5:04 pm to CP3
I also went through this not long ago. It was the liner of the fuel hoses degraded. change them
Posted on 5/22/23 at 6:35 pm to Motorboat
I put a 2 ft section of brand new hose on both of my pick ups. I blew air down them into the tank and both blew air bubbles into the gas I could hear, so I’m assuming no check valves going back?
Then I tried siphon gas with a new primer bulb and my mouth out of the tank from both pick ups. One without an issue worked normal, one with issue wouldn’t allow the bulb to get full. It was barely spitting gas.
My next move was to remove the 90*.
Nice thing about twins is at least you have a working one of everything to use as a control variable.
ETA: so I don’t think it’s a blockage and I don’t think anything came off. I think something has a crack or a pinhole leak. My next plan was the 90* but that just seems like an odd part to fail.
Then I tried siphon gas with a new primer bulb and my mouth out of the tank from both pick ups. One without an issue worked normal, one with issue wouldn’t allow the bulb to get full. It was barely spitting gas.
My next move was to remove the 90*.
Nice thing about twins is at least you have a working one of everything to use as a control variable.
ETA: so I don’t think it’s a blockage and I don’t think anything came off. I think something has a crack or a pinhole leak. My next plan was the 90* but that just seems like an odd part to fail.
This post was edited on 5/22/23 at 6:36 pm
Posted on 5/22/23 at 6:46 pm to baldona
Those 90deg fittings can crack depending on what they’re made of. I assume you have an aluminum tank. Could also be a dissimilar metal issue causing it to deteriorate somewhere you can’t see.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 8:16 pm to CP3
Space is tight so I didn’t see the fitting correctly, it’s actually not a 90. So I found the issue I believe, the pick up tube is loose from the fitting inside the tank but it all pulls up in one piece.
I’m probably going to have to cut an access hole to get the new one in straight so I’ll just cut it and pull the ole one out. Luckily it’s under something else so nbd cosmetically.
I’m probably going to have to cut an access hole to get the new one in straight so I’ll just cut it and pull the ole one out. Luckily it’s under something else so nbd cosmetically.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 8:28 pm to baldona
Nice. Yeah those are the ones I was talking about that are all one piece. Way easier to replace than one welded into tank lol.
Posted on 5/22/23 at 8:43 pm to baldona
Post the length of your pick up. I may have the part from when I was throwing parts at mine. I’ll mail to you gratis.
Posted on 5/23/23 at 2:44 am to baldona
That’s a pickup tube made by Moeller Manufacturing. Best price I found for them was at Pellegrin Marine in Houma. They are offered by Amazon and numerous vendors.
Those tubes get brittle and crack.
Those tubes get brittle and crack.
This post was edited on 5/23/23 at 2:47 am
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