If I run out of fuel, what do I need to do?

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by deblen

I installed a 5/16" off the shelf replacement squeeze bulb 3 yrs ago. Cheap & works great,but Stu Jackson & others have me worried it will "dissolve".

Does anyone know where I would find a diesel rated one in N.America??

http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Transfe...=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

[cabo_sailor]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Yes.... you will need to prime it.. personally I find the silly little primer pumps one step above useless which is why I always fit a rubber fuel bulb in the line.. gets the job done in no time.
Crack the last injector and half a dozen squeezes rushes the fuel through till it squirts... tighten and turn over the engine.. no cramped 1/8th inch pump action that takes forever..
Great for filter changes as well..

i use the same system. No muss no fuss. I'm told that some bulbs are rated for gasoline. and some for diesel but I don't really know if there is a real difference.

Rich

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

i use the same system. No muss no fuss. I'm told that some bulbs are rated for gasoline. and some for diesel but I don't really know if there is a real difference.

Rich

I'm not sure either but a couple of times.. on different boats with bulbs bought in different countries I've had them fail after a few days.. I think something goes in the internals and when you squeeze the bulb does not re-inflate/suck.. and its not a blocked line as its happened using clean fuel from an emergency tank with a line direct to the engine filter. Chinese bulbs..??

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by deblen

I installed a 5/16" off the shelf replacement squeeze bulb 3 yrs ago. Cheap & works great,but Stu Jackson & others have me worried it will "dissolve".

Does anyone know where I would find a diesel rated one in N.America??

I have had a squeeze bulb turn to mush also. Not sure why, I had another that didn't. Not sure how to tell.... or why if built for gas they wouldn't resist diesel. Gas is more refined than diesel right?

[hamburking]

Don't run out of fuel.

Its not a car. Know your consumption rate. Calculate your range. Add the extra fuel as soon as there is space in the tank...not after you run out. Keep a simple notebook with engine hours run, fuel level, etc. Note every time you add fuel to the tank. Recalculate your fuel consumption at every opportunity (big trip, etc).

If you are low on fuel...don't use the engine. Save the last bit for an emergency, or getting to the fuel dock.

Don't run out of fuel.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Splash of Lime

IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TURN OFF THE WATER INTAKE <><><>. . . .Just make sure you turn it back on when you get the engine running.

Yes, god advice! Don't let the engine sit there cranking with the water coming in and not going out.

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by AFKASAP

If I ran my engine to a point that it stopped due to running out of fuel, would I need to prime or bleed anything to get it going again (after topping up with my emergency jerry can reserve of 25l).
The engine is a Yanmar 3JH4E on a Beneteau Oceanis 40 Thank you.

This is your learning curve... You have a prime lever on the pump. Add fuel to the tank, rock your lever until you find it will stop pumping. Then open an injector and pump the primer some more. When fuel come out close the injector and turn the motor over. As it turns over it will try to start. Open and bleed the next injector until it starts. Some other diesels are self priming, you only need to turn the motor to start. Some motors you have to bleed the air out of the filters and then the injectors. Refer to the motor manual. I guarantee you will never forget how to do that again. And then you will never forget to check your run time and your fuel levels. And the planning to never run out.

[patprice]

Yes 12v pump is good, I have one on Pendulum. So I am hands free to bleed things while the pump is running. Had it for years now, no downside.

Fuel tank is low so priming by little jiggler thing was useless. The pump is one of those T...T...T...T...T sounding things like old cars used to have.

Important that the pump will pass fuel when not attached to 12 V

[Mikado]

A high quality continuous duty pump is the way to go. I have Walbro
FRD-1-1 pumps installed on both prime mover and generator.

Walbro - Marine Electric Fuel Pumps 12 Volt

[a64pilot]

Yet, I have never had any problems with the lever that manually operates the engine driven fuel pump diaphragm, I even completely filled both filters and lines in a minute or two when I installed my dual Racor filters, and that is worst case.
You do however have to ensure the engine didn't stop with the diaphragm already pushed open, it if did, then moving that little lever is going to give you next to nothing.
If it did, just bump the engine over a little and you can feel if you have full actuation of the diaphragm or not. If you only have resistance at just a little of its stroke, then the cam driving the pump stopped with it being held down, you want resistance for the whole throw.
My boat came with an electric pump installed, I think a Lucas, which of course didn't work and a replacement can't be found, so I just removed the thing, haven't missed it.

On edit, if I had an electric pump, I would have the lines made up already so that I could bypass the engine driven diaphragm pump, cause it will fail, and often the failure mechanism is the diaphragm ruptures and it pumps fuel into the oil, diluting it of course and has been the cause for engine run aways.
When it fails, if you have the lines, it's simple to bypass, change the oil and run on your electric pump.

Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Adelie]

Raise Sails: ignores the first post and answers the question posed in the title.


A house is but a boat so poorly built and so firmly run aground you would never try to refloat it.😁

[newtonsailor]

Originally Posted by AFKASAP

Hi there,

If I ran my engine to a point that it stopped due to running out of fuel, would I need to prime or bleed anything to get it going again (after topping up with my emergency jerry can reserve of 25l).

The engine is a Yanmar 3JH4E on a Beneteau Oceanis 40

Thank you.

I have a Beneteau Oceanis 46 and have two fuel tanks. The engine is a Yanmar 4JH TE. I like to run each tank dry once a year, with the goal of making sure there is no crud or water in the bottom of a tank. I would rather have that caught in my fuel filters little by little each year, and have the tank be clean, rather than it build up year over year. My engine is self priming, and when I run out of fuel, I just switch tanks and the engine fires up in about 15 seconds. I am careful to make sure I only run a tank dry when I am well offshore, so I have plenty of time to switch over. I agree with everyone who says you should know exactly how much fuel you have. I, personally, like to make sure my tanks are clean and the fuel is fresh. It works fine with my engine, and there are no bleeding issues at all. In previous boats I have owned, the engine did need to be bled to get it restarted. My 2007 vintage Yanmar seems to be self bleeding.

[Pelagic]

A far more common problem is purging dirty fuel from your lines, when you get a slug of bad fuel.
Installing an electric priming pump for filter changes and purging the old fuel allows you a hands free solution to bleeding the lines.

[AFKASAP]

Thanks for all your comments. Don't worry, it is not my intention to run out of fuel. But I believe it has happened to people in the past (for a number of reasons). So I just wanted to know what to do if it ever happened to me for what ever reason. Cheers.

Beneteau Oceanis 40 - 2008
Netherlands

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by AFKASAP

Thanks for all your comments. Don't worry, it is not my intention to run out of fuel. But I believe it has happened to people in the past (for a number of reasons). So I just wanted to know what to do if it ever happened to me for what ever reason. Cheers.

Beneteau Oceanis 40 - 2008
Netherlands

Out of fuel.. Racor change.. same thing on most boats I've sailed..