Water in Fuel

Andy · 10 July 2003, 20:15

I have just been asked to have a look at my dive clubs boat as it was not running. I believe that their main tank is full of seawater and hence seawater has been sucked into the engine causing it to die and won't restart.

I have drained the fuel system and carbs and attempted starting on good fuel, however despite spluttering and the like it did not start and the battery is now dead. It was half dead before I got to it as a number if people had tried different things.

I am 100% sure this is a water problem. Any other advice as to what I do now ... apart from charging the battery and continue my attempts to start with good fuel. It may be there is still water in there somewhere, or the cabs are now blocked with salt etc.

Whats the procedure to resolve this .... or do we take it to the local dealer?

Thanks

Andy · 10 July 2003, 20:17

Oh one thing I missed ... it is firing now but not running.....

Nghost · 10 July 2003, 20:55

Take off the carb bowls they may still have crud /water in.
In the past I have had to strip down the carbs, wash all the metal bits in ceulose thinners, all the plastic/rubber bits in petrol.
(no wire brushes)

jwalker · 10 July 2003, 22:35

If the water has been in the engine for a very short time you can try this. Get some model aeroplane glow fuel. Use it to fire up the engine and then change over to the usual 2-stroke mix. The model fuel is a 2-stroke mix of methanol and castor oil. The methanol, being alcohol, is miscible with water. You can try meths instead but it is nowhere near as successful.

If the salt water has been in the engine for a while, there is likely to be rust damage.

You also need a fully charged battery to really fling the motor around.

gavin · 12 July 2003, 11:22

If it is definately a fuel prop see if the float bowls have drain screws on them, to drain the carbs fully, if salt has dried in a carb it could easily block up small holes stick butterflys or more probably make the floats stick down, a good strip down and cleaning is a good place to start, check see have the plugs rusted up at the gapping points, I would be hopeful this could be solved by you guys rather than a dealer, often carbs foul up from fuel evapourating causing an orange powder to gum things up, so salt in the carbs could take its place and give up probs.

Andy · 12 July 2003, 21:36

I tried to strip the carbs yesterday, BUT I could not get them off the engine. Its a Honda 90 4 stroke and unlike other engines I have worked on its not a simple case of taking off the plastic air ducting then remove the carbs. It seems the bolts for the ducts are partially hidden behind parts of the head. Does anybody else have experiences of working on a Honda. Things just aint easy and accessible!! My Yams are so much easier.

jwalker · 13 July 2003, 21:57

Well, Ya didn't say it is a 4 stroke. It makes a difference yer know...