At My Wits End

[Snore]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

If there's is debris in your tank, aren't you fining it in the top of your racor? Do you have evidence of a collection of this debris at some filter or water separator unit? This should be objective evidence.

+1

What makes you think the tank is an issue? Did you change the filters? I have some old filters from my old Racor. I believe they are 2000 elements.

Post a picture of your filter. If they fit, they are yours FOB Pompano.

Bill

[Chopper1973]

I have changed the filter elememts. They were mucked up pretty bad. Not sure racor filter elements will fit as I believe the filters to be original. 1976.

[Cheechako]

So you changed the filters mounted on the engine...? Good. Have you run it since? It's easy to screw up those perkins filters, oring or little metal crush ring if I remember right. It sounds like there is no racor or other type mounted before the engine filters.? It would be good to have one, but some boats have never had one and it sounds like money is tight. The main thing now is to know that the tank fuel is clean. If your tank fuel is clean, your filters are clean, and there is no air in the system, the engine should run.

[Kenomac]

Can you get at the tank access hatch to open it up and clean out the tank? Or, instead of putting in some sort of temporary tank, cut out a new access hatch according to installation specs for the hatch lid which you would need to buy and use this access port to clean the tank. This will be a less expensive option than buying an entire new tank. You'll need to pump out the old, contaminated fuel, clean out the tank really good, then you're good to put in new fuel, provided the tank doesn't have a leak.

This is something you will eventually need to do anyway. How old is the fuel? If you don't know and it's full of crud.... don't use it, it'll just be the source of ongoing problems, you need to get rid of it.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Chopper...

You have all of the advice you need here.... Fuel supply, and return are the issues... You have the temporary work arounds...

Sounds like Dan is going to get you where you need to go.... The world needs more people like him... Fortunately for you, the cruising community has the largest percentage of these people....

Your adventure is just that... An adventure... You will smile and laugh about it when you have grey hair telling life stories...

PS: With regard to the engine mounted filter... There is an O-ring that can be easily installed incorrectly... causing an additional problem with fuel delivery... Our buddy Wonko dealt with this... Albeit in paradise...

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...as-102107.html

Carry on my friend.... you have all of us with you....

(Except for the few who told you to tuck your tail and run... Pooo on them)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Something that I think future boat owners need to know is that often people don't mean to let things deteriorate so badly. Boats are so emotional, and it's hard to let go. I think people let them go little by little and don't realize, for instance, that the batteries are trashed, the hoses are rotten, etc. They didn't mean to abuse the boat, but if you don't sail it, you don't keep it up, it ends up with a lot of problems.

Reefing might be the answer for the sail, but potential owners need to know that the whole sail may be ready to go.

Even if you don't get a boat survey, get an engine survey (more than just an oil analysis) and a rigging survey.

From the sound of it a survey/rigging check and engine analysis are way down his list of priorities...
Right now its get it home ASAP and ACAP....

[sailpower]

Whatever happened with the family member diesel mechanic in Sebastian? That isn't that far away.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Chopper1973

I have changed the filter elememts. They were mucked up pretty bad. Not sure racor filter elements will fit as I believe the filters to be original. 1976.

Well, I think there's your answer to your engine problem. Somewhere the water got choppy and washed dirt from the sides into the tank, or the previous owner didn't put algecide into your tank.

If your tank is small (mine is 18 gal) you may be able to clean it yourself. We had to cut an access port into it, and a fabrication shop made a cover and diesel-proof gasket for it. We pumped most of the gas out. Then we wiped it down with engine diaper -- cut one into four pieces. The first one came back up, it must have weighed 2 lb. That's a lot of dirt! Cleaned up the pickup, sealed it up, never had another problem.

Even if that isn't your only problem, it's a big one and you have to get that tank cleaned out. If it's a big tank you may have to hire pros to do it. Here, that runs about $300, but they polish the fuel -- get all the gunk out.

Please talk to the MANUFACTURER of your engine and find out what algecide to use. One of the most popular one suggests "shocking" the fuel, but that just kills the algae in there (there's something on this planet to eat everything, even diesel!). They all settle to the bottom and then you have dirty fuel AGAIN. Talk to the manufacturer of your engine, and follow their directions and no one else's, no matter how persuasive and experienced the person you're talking to is.

[Chopper1973]

There are accually 3 filters total. There are 2 directly out of the tank that are about 10 inches tall and a 3rd on the engine itself. All three were mucked pretty good as was the fuel lift pump. Dead batteries are preventing me from starting or attempting to start the engine although a neighboring boat owner gave me a 5 watt solar panel last night. Not sure how long it will take to trickle charge them or if they will even turn it over at all.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Chopper1973

There are accually 3 filters total. There are 2 directly out of the tank that are about 10 inches tall and a 3rd on the engine itself. All three were mucked pretty good as was the fuel lift pump. Dead batteries are preventing me from starting or attempting to start the engine although a neighboring boat owner gave me a 5 watt solar panel last night. Not sure how long it will take to trickle charge them or if they will even turn it over at all.

You don't have a car battery and jumper cables around?

[Chopper1973]

Jedi,

Jumper cables = check
Car battery = no

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by Chopper1973

Jedi,

Jumper cables = check
Car battery = no

Ask around where the boat is currently. A lot of people myself included keep a jump box in my car as well as on board. If I were closer I'd offer but I'm over 1000 miles away. Some garages will even have them.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Chopper1973

Jedi,

Jumper cables = check
Car battery = no

So, is your status that you, wife and a couple of kids, are living aboard a reasonable vessel at anchor near Stuart, Fl without enough $ for a battery?

[keyspc]

My 2 cents.
You have air coming in fuel somewhere, read this .




http://www.endeavourowners.com/dscsn...p%20Manual.pdf

don't forget fuel lines are steel. a wire brush and some jb weld fixed mine also i have cut bad spots out and hose clamped tubing on.

Also when you make it there hook up with Mark at FKCC. he teaches marine engineering . I took diesel trouble shooting and rebuild. Basically had an expert machinist walk me through fixing my engine! After grants and minus parts cost me about $100 bucks. they offer work study @ $8 so came out ahead

[zeehag]

the fuel pick up from tank is a suspect, as is every single connector between tank and engine--been going thru this since i left sd....there is an end to it all, i know----but, do check every connector between tank and engine.
make sure there is no air leak--even banjo fittings--check everything.
get your relative to the boat to check engine and fuel system for you and make sure that works.
your main torn at foot is usable---reef and go...i did that with my mizzen when i found a tear between foot and first reef. it works. try to sail in daylight=-fla has thunderstorms at night and in evenings and those pack winds.
try to get your relative to go with you from point a to point b, and have family relax on shore in a car for the trip.
bit by bit, it will come together...very flustrating, for sure....donot buy parts in chandleries. go to ace hardware, is same stuff but less money by 400 percent.
the same filters in napa are less money than the ones in wm, btw...and same filters.
bio bor. use it.
you will have good times with boat, but you will be in a better frame of mind when you do and not as much nerve wrackingness will occur once you get one system functional it improves....