We started from this filter, the one on the right.
We started the engine like we have been doing each month. We start the 38hp Beta and let it idle for about 10 minutes then put it in forward at about 10,000 rpms and let it run for another 20 min.
This time it ran for a few minutes and the Beta 38 shut off.
We tried bleeding the fuel filter and then the pump. We saw what looked like water coming out.
Left filter.
We tried this twice after switching to the left filter. No luck starting the engine.
We think we should drain some fuel from the fuel tank by the filter fuel hose.
Then examine the fuel for quality.
Then remove the bowels and filters from the Racors and clean and replace the filters.
Then remove the fuel filter. Then bleed the fuel till clean fuel comes out of where the fuel filter sits using the hand fuel pump. Will that work?
Then backfill a new fuel filter with good fuel of course and then bleed the injector pump.
Then try to start it?
After taking the pictures of the Racor filters and looking at them, well I am ashamed to say they look bad. These filters we were going to remove the bowls and clean them next month before we start heading down the Mexican Rivera in November. We have had no problems so far and I never thought to look real close at them before starting the engine. They look like something is growing in them!
We have an 80-gallon fuel tank which is full.
What should be our course of action now and am I overreacting?
Paradise Village Marina in Puerto Vallarta Mexico
Thank you,
Chip
-- Edited by egantsea on Monday 23rd of September 2013 06:40:26 PM
Servicing your filters is only part of what you need to do. Your fuel tank needs cleaning or this will happen again, and again, and again.
You may be lucky and have it polished but this will only get part of the build up of algy growth that is the main problem.
Polished our fuel! We have the little 36' sail boat to the right :)
Turns out it was water in the fuel so we had it "polished", put an enzyme fuel treatment in the tank then had the local mechanic help us in bleeding the system through the injectors. Of course we cleaned the Racors and put new filters in them along with a new fuel filter.
They mucked around in the fuel tank to get any crud out as they could.
The local guy (a good gringo dude!) recommended an in-line fuel pump to back-fill the Racors so we'll explore that!
We're going to start the engine weekly now and really keep our eye on the filter. It appears the water got in through the fill-cap so we changed the o-ring and filled the holes we found then put silicon all around. We're good to go again!
We now know how to bleed the system all the way through the injectors.
Currently in Paradise Village Marina in Puerto Vallarta Mexico.
