Symptoms of bad water seperator?

[thedukeryan]

My boat was running like crap this weekend and I am starting to think a water filter may be a issue. It is a Bravo 3 drive wirh 5.7 engine. The beginning of the season I had to pump 6 gallons of watered down gas out of my tank before being able to get it clean enough to run. So chances are I pumped a lot of contaminated gas through my filter. At low speeds the boat is running like crap and has power surges at low rpms. My plans are to change the filter and dump in some seafoam. What you think?

 

[180shabah]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Change the filter and skip the snake oil.

dump the contents of the old filkter into a glass jar and let it sit -any water will seperate out.

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Not gonna lie. I am far from a mechanic but I own a car dealership and I am a FIRM believer in seafoam. I have seen the stuff work wonders on all engines and all sizes. I have two ASE Master Mechanics and they where the ones that got me hooked on the stuffi. I have been a believer ever since.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

So do it.

...but what exactly are you expecting it to do for contaminated fuel???

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

The contaminated fuel has been ran through. I am just curious if the water seperator is just full of water causing the engine issues. Not really sure here just guessing. Was gonna add the sea foam to help clean any crap out that may have accumulated. My hopes are that the combo will help solve my problems. I figured the seafoam will only help. Gonna try to sweet talk one of my mechanics into looking at it afterhours but they hate working on my toys. I have had great luck with seafoam on small outboards but no matter how much I swear by it I know it will only do so much. Can anyone tell me what the symptoms are of a bad water seperator?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Not sure exactly what you want to know. A water seperator is a filter and you change it once a year or once it gets a certain amount of water in it and it doesn't flow fuel as well as it used to. Any reason you aren't just changing it?

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Like the topic says I am wanting to know the symptoms of a bad water seperator. Can't get much clearer than that. I haven't changed it yet because it's 10:30 on a sunday night. Just wanting to get things sorted out by the weekend. If I would of known the boat was gonna run like crap before the weekend I would of changed it out before hand. I still had a great weekend on the water just the boat ran like crap at low speeds. I guess I will see what a new water seperator does for me.

 

[smarks]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Check out a recient post on a bad Fuel/water seperator as well as a carb that had been contaminated by "corn gas" attracting water if you would like:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=401539

Steve

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Like the topic says I am wanting to know the symptoms of a bad water seperator.

Like any fuel filter, it will stop flowing fuel...like I said. When was the last time you changed yours?

 

[180shabah]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

...or you get enough water that it starts going through instead of being held back. Water don't burn. rough idle, stalling, loss of power, possible popping/pinging - of course other possible causes are vacuum leak, incorrect timing, excessive carbon buildup, partially obstructed passages in carb.

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Symptoms of bad water seperator?

Thanks for the tips. Sorry if I sound cranky. Tired and hungover :-( I just got the boat recently and have only had it out maybe 6 times. I know nothing about it's history. When I first got it the alternator, starter and batterie where shot! It is a very nice boat but has obvious signs of neglect. As mentioned I pumped gallons of milky gas out before even getting it to run. The problem is I am almost certain that I filled the seperator without even realizing it. I have had lots of boats but never messed with water seperators. I think I am atleast on the right track here.