Fuel Water Separator Need/Treatise

[levittownnick]

With the high alcohol content of todays gasoline, is there a need for filtration systems that exceed the requirements of factory equipped systems provided with older boats/engines?

Is there a "laymans" technical article that can be published on this forum or referenced for information.

(I have a '97 Johnson 150 on a 20' Proline walkaround.)

 

[tommays]

Re: Fuel Water Separator Need/Treatise

The real problem is that if the fuel is there long enough it can absorb enough water that it will come out of suspension all at once and from a big goop of junk at the bottom of the tank that nothing can filter

I have a 36 gallon tank, trailer the boat and use about 18 gallons a week with no problems YET

Tommays

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Fuel Water Separator Need/Treatise

This is not much help but a few months ago there was a big article in the paper about the absolute havoc that east coast 24/7/365 alcohol gas was wreaking on boats. I wish that I had saved the article. Apparently there was no good remedy for the proplems that were being created, specifically the ruination of engines.

 

[Bionic Man]

Re: Fuel Water Separator Need/Treatise

In my shopping for a new pontoon boat, I'm told that some, if not all of the new 4 stroke outboard engines come with fuel/water separators between the gas tank and the engine. There are even alarms to warn of a problematic situation.

I just did a google search on the subject and came up with lots of hits. Here's one article that looks interesting.
http://www.roadstaronline.com/1999/06/9906064.asp
Though the target audience for this article is truckers, the following statment applies to boaters as well.
"One way or another, water in your fuel is going to cost you money, so it makes very good sense to remove it. Think of it as another one of the many contaminants that can pollute the inside of your engine.The solution is pretty simple: Spend a little dough up front and have a fuel/water separator installed in your fuel line."

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Fuel Water Separator Need/Treatise

Thanks for your input. For the present time I'll just read what I come accross, and when I take it out of storage I may relocate the filter and replace it with a see-through water seperator-filter combination.

Thanks,
Nick