Ethanol Caught in Yammie Filter, 2007 150 4s

[greatcir]

Decided to change out my Yammie 10 micron fuel/water filter even though only 30 engine hours on my 2007 150 4s. The 10 micron Racor spin on with the clear plastic drainable bottom fit my Yammie filter head so easy filter change. As I poured the fuel from the Yammie into the Racor before installing it I saw the layer of white gunk at the bottom of my plastic container.

My marina head service man was walking by and I asked him what is was and he said ethanol. Thank goodness I made the filter change as suggested by many on this forum. Now I'll be able to see any white gunk or water and drain it out.

I added water to some gasoline at home and naturally is is clear sitting on the bottom.

I assume the small clear filter on the front of my engine is the engine fuel filter? and it looks clean to me. Anything else I need to check/change?

I also added the Racor vent overflow preventer and will test it soon when I refuel. I plan to take a small sample of the marina fuel home in a container and let it sit a few weeks to see if it was the source of my ethanol.

Not ethanol happy today,

.......Pete

 

[andertonm]

As a gs station owner, I have been deeply involved with the ethanol changeover. My conclusion is that the switchover to ethanol from MTBE was one of the dumber things a nation has done, creating a lot of problems and expense without any good payoff. In spite of that, there are millions of cars out there today running along just fine on 10% ethanol without nearly the filtration level you are employing.

I am fairly confident that what you are seeing in the bottom of the jug is ethanol and water and the real culprit here is the water. Where did it come from? I am required by law to monitor for the presence of water in my tanks on a daily basis. With MTBE, you could have a couple of inches of water in your tanks and no one would be affected because the pipe that pulls the gas out of the tank only comes within about six inches of the bottom. Ethanol behaves differently, though. It will combine with excess water in the bottom of the tank and create an "alcohol bottom" that is water emulsified with alcohol - possibly in large quantities that may reach the level of the standpipe. Then you not only have a mess in the bottom of the tank, but the gas is not longer the correct octane. Not a pretty picture, but, again, the problem is water, not ethanol.

Ask your marina if you can have a small sample of their sticking paste. It's very cheap stuff that they should be willing to share. If they don't have any (bet they don't) ask them how they are monitoring for water in their tanks. Expect a lot of tap dancing and BS at that point. If you're mad at them, report them to your local Dept of Environmental Quality. Then go to a good service station and get some paste. Put it on a popsicle stick and put it in your jug of contaminated gas. It starts out brown and turns bright yellow with alcohol and bright red in water. I'm betting you'll find it's water, but I'll also bet it came from condensation, leaking fill cap, a myriad of possible sources including your supplier. So what do you do? Filter it like crazy and keep an eagle eye on it, just like you are doing.

 

[greatcir]

Thanks for the info and advice Mark. Will try to test fuel next fueling. I did a 20 mile run yesterday and the Racor filter plastic bottom was clear so may be I did just have my tank cleaned by the first slug of ethanol.

A comment on the Racor vent overflow protector. I fueled yesterday to see if it works. Well it does - no fuel came out the vent but it blew out of the the fill hole after a very brief whoosh of air. The fuel nozzel did cut off the fueling but not before the fuel sloshed up the fill pipe. Wonder if the type of fueling nozzle makes a difference? Thought this was a no brainer and maybe I have no brains.

..........Pete

 

[Megabyte]

Pete, That Racor fuel/air separator was a BoatUS pick. Good chioce. :wink:
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/cleanw ... oducts.asp

On that same page, they offer some other suggestions that might help.
I have used the 'diaper' method for the past couple of years.

I use a 24" square absorbant pad with an X cut in the center for the fuel nozzle that looks something like this:

IMHO, the one shown in the photo is too small.
I use the same method when adding 2-stroke oil to the oil tank too.

The diapers are folded up and stored in a zip-lock bag along with my Ringfree, Startron, Sta-bil, and measuring cup... which are kept in the port side storage locker in the v-berth.

Dale got to see the diaper in-use last year when we fueled up the day before the Annapolis Rendezvous.

 

[andertonm]

Three years into owning a gas station, I was pretty fed up with replacing gas nozzles ($45 a pop) that would not cut off automatically and dumped gas on angry customers' feet. Turns out there's a little hole on the bottom side of the tip of the nozzle that "breathes" allowing gas to keep flowing. Over time, the little hole gets clogged up with schmutz. Wonder how many nozzles I junked when they just needed a little simple maintenance? Point is, take a look at the little hole before fueling. A little puff of air can clear the vent. I have to admit that, out of curiosity, I used the "field expedient" method and operated one "orally" shall we say and you can feel the valve open and close with very little change in pressure. Boat filler necks tend to belch worse when full than cars do, so you still need to be prepared for an overflow.

 

[greatcir]

Thanks for the diaper idea Megabyte.

I ended up buying a few sorb-Mycelex-Sheets sheets from West Marine after the fuel blew out of the fill nozzle because it can no longer come out my overflow vent.

I looked for a small breathing hole on the nozzle near the tip and all around and saw no hole to clear. Maybe very old nozzle?

These sheets basically only absorb gas and oil. Used one with your slit cut in it and the local marina fueler was really excited as he had no spill anywhere.

I left him the sheet and told him to expect a bill. These sheets look like they have no stuffing that could get in the fuel too, and I assume are reusable.

Always learnin something

..........Pete

 

[Ranger Tim]

If you are attentive you can hear the fuel begin to rise/gurgle in the vent before Vesuvius erupts. It works for me everytime, unless there is too much noise at the station... but I don't have to fill up on the water either. I don't think I'd be hanging my head overboard just to listen to the vent!

 

[andertonm]

Cars have a dual filler pipe - a little pipe inside the larger pipe, and you seldom see them puking up gas when they are full. I really try to listen for the belch, but I ALWAYS get a puddle of gas on the gunwale.

 

[bigeye2k]

my 06 2120 holds 100 gallons and only burps when it is full. according to the fuel bars

 

[greatcir]

I bought one of the fuel whistles that whistles with air until fuel backs up the vent tube. One of these days when boat project ambition strikes me again I will look for a place to install it or remove the Racor fuel vent overflow protector (not really serving any purpose anyway) and put the whistle in its place. Years ago I heard a boat with the whistle in the vent tube & it seemed loud? ................Pete

 

[Robert Cibran]

I believe that the white junk which your yammie filter has trapped is when you mix fuel that is e-10 with old MTBE fuel in your tank,this will cause a chaulkie type white powder.

Robert

 

[hakr]

Decided to change out my Yammie 10 micron fuel/water filter even though only 30 engine hours on my 2007 150 4s. The 10 micron Racor spin on with the clear plastic drainable bottom fit my Yammie filter head so easy filter change. As I poured the fuel from the Yammie into the Racor before installing it I saw the layer of white gunk at the bottom of my plastic container.

I have the same engine, and I'm wondering if you or someone else could supply the exact model number of that Racor that spins on the existing Yamaha filter head...

Is there any downside to this sort of replacement?

Thanks!

hk

 

[Robert Cibran]

I believe its the Racor S3213 and it will spin right on to the Yammie head.
Robert

 

[Porkchunker]

As a gs station owner, I have been deeply involved with the ethanol changeover. My conclusion is that the switchover to ethanol from MTBE was one of the dumber things a nation has done, creating a lot of problems and expense without any good payoff...

Should have used the word politicians rather than nation. They forced the oil companies to add MBTE, and then when they discovered it was a carcinogen, they forced the oil companies to switch to ethanol. Along the way they refused to release the oil companies from liability for the MBTE. In my mind, the pols should be liable for any MBTE litigation. They certainly have enough money. The average Rep is worth over $2M, and the average Sen is worth over $6M.

Dave

aka

 

[arima]

i bet you that if you dump the gas that is on top of that white stuff out of the jar and let the white stuff dry out it is salt...please try this and let me know if it does..

 

[greatcir]

Ah shucks, my posting with the ethanol was two months ago & all the evidence has been destroyed.

I have had no water or white stuff in my clear Racor bowl as the marina where I buy my fuel has no ethanol in it. I bought the boat in Florida and suspect the dealer who demoed it for me put the only slug of ethanol my fuel has had. ..............Pete