Water Separator keeps filling up

[olmpilot]

I'm in the process of winterizing my 89 evi 120 for the first time. I put the fuel stabilizer in the tank while it was half full and then added another half tank of fresh gas. In the process of running the motor to get the stabilized fuel into the engine, the water separator bulb keeps filling up. I keep emptying it and starting again, and it keeps filling up. I have done this about 3-4 times and have about 1/4 of a 5lb coffee can full of water/fuel. Should I continue to do this until it stops or am I fighting a losing battle? The boat has a 25 gallon tank that is now full after adding the stabilizer and 16 gallons of new fuel. Once the bulb gets full, is that contaminated fuel just being fed to the engine? How will that damage it? Or do I need to do the worse and have a shop drain the tank? Thanks! Rick

 

[JB]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

To Boats

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Most boats have separate tanks for the fresh water and the fuel. You must have a special boat. <br /><br />Of course you keep removing the water. That’s what the filter is for. I use two coalescing filters with large water collection bowls (300ml each) for this very reason. You just have more water in your fuel tank than you thought you did. That or your wife is sending a subtle hint about your excessive fishing schedule.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

are you sure what you are draining is water??If the tank is full and tanks siphon from near the bottom you may want to try to siphon from the bottom and see if you can get most of the water without draining the entire tank.I would add some of the marine store additives to absorb water, which they dont really do,and run the motor some more and see what collects.DONT USE DRY GAS!! If you try this the best one I have used is MDR(I think those are the letters) and I heard Racor make additives too.Let us know what you find.Charlie

 

[olmpilot]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

I'm assuming what is in the bowl is contaminated water/fuel. Does the bowl fill up with fuel? I'm sorry for asking such dumb questions as I'm new to this. At first there were "blobs" in the bowl, was that the water and the rest is just fuel? It is redish in color, so maybe it is just fuel and the bowl is always supposed to be full of something?

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Originally posted by olmpilot:<br /> Does the bowl fill up with fuel? At first there were "blobs" in the bowl, was that the water and the rest is just fuel? It is redish in color, so maybe it is just fuel and the bowl is always supposed to be full of something?

This is correct. your bowl will allways be full of fuel. The blobs were water or some other contamination.

 

[olmpilot]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Thanks, I feel sufficiently silly now... After reading this and going back down and looking at the 1/2 full coffee can, I realized that I had a 1/2 full coffee can of fuel and about a teaspoon of water (aka blobs) on the bottom. Live and learn!!

 

[mikecjn]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Crazy Charlie...why do you say to not use Dry Gas?

 

[CTD]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Also don't use anything with alcohol if you have a plastic tank. On my boat near the fill it says not to use gas with alcohol, I assume thats because of the plastic tank.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Water Separator keeps filling up

Rick – we all got (get!) to go thru the learnin’ curve. No exceptions. <br /><br />The filters work from the outside (largest surface area) toward the inside (smallest surface area). Water is prevented from penetrating the filter so it stays on the outside, and and being heavier than fuel, sinks into the bowl displacing the fuel that’s in there. If the bowl had air in it, the water sinking into the bowl would displace the air and that air needs to go somewhere…down your fuel line…no good. Make since?