Outboard fuel?

[papajoe222]

I went to start my 50hp Mercury outboard over the week-end. It started and then shut do a few seconds later. I checked the bulb for firmness, it was fine, fuel gauge showed 3/4 and the cranking battery was fine. I gave the intake a shot of starting fluid, it started and shut down as soon as that fuel supply was exhausted. 
I have a clear fuel filter in-line and when I checked it, the gas was off color (very dark). It appeared that the fuel line was deteriorating, so I replaced all the fuel hoses and pumped the bulb until it was firm. It still wouldn’t start. The fuel in the filter looked okay, but when I checked it on Sunday, it was dark again. 
I’ve drained all the fuel from the engine and carbs, but I don’t want to push what could be bad gas back into it. 
is there a way to check the gas in the tank.  I’m thinking of hooking up a portable tank with fresh fuel  If it runs on fresh gas, I will know for sure the fuel is the problem. 
If so, should I replace the tank, or just drain it a partially fill to check things out? Thanks for any and all responses. 

[WRB]

If the primer bulb if firm it shouldn’t be! Check the quick disconnect connection to make sure gasoline is passing through. You can hear and see the gasoline being primed through the carbs.

Do you premix mix oil with gasoline?

Try priming the gasoline into a clear glass container to check for particulates, gasoline is nearly clear color not dark.

Install a new gasoline line, primer bulb and quick disconnect connector to eliminate contaminated parts.

Tom

[airshot]

How old is the fuel in your tank ?  Was it ever treated with any type of stabilizer ?  If suspect, I woukd pump out all the fuel in the tank and get rid of it.  We need to know if it is premixed with oil ??  Need more info before we can help....

[Skunkmaster-k]

Did you store it with methanol gas in the tank ?

[TOXIC]

What boat is it in? Portable tank or built in? If the fuel looks that bad you need to drain it one way or the other.  

[papajoe222]

Yes the gas has ethanol in it along with  fuel stabilizer added. 
It’s a built in fuel tank on a Tracker. It really irks me because I topped off the tank with pure gas back in September and now I have to waste 15+ gal. 

The Mercury is oil injection so the gas shouldn’t have much color if irs still good. 

[gim]

5 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

It really irks me because I topped off the tank with pure gas back in September and now I have to waste 15+ gal. 

As much as I agree with that (and it would irk me too), continuing to use bad gasoline is going to cause worse and more expensive problems than discarding 15 gallons of fuel.  I am with @airshot and @TOXIC here.  Just get rid it and start over with a new, ethanol-free fuel.

[airshot]

I have a Merc with oil injection and if it sits with the fuel line connected, the fuel in clear fulter becomes blue from the oil mixed fuel draining back toward the tank.  Noticed it when I first bought it.  If I unplug the fuel line the filter stays clear because the oul mixed fuel can't run back toward the tank.  My injection oil is blue (Pennzoil) and slowly colors the fuel left in the line if left connected.  not sure if this might be the posters issue or not....

[Jig Man]

I would put a few gallons at a time in my vehicle and still get the use of the gasoline.

[Captain Phil]

I never use gas with Ethanol in my outboards.   That stuff attracts water like a magnet.   Non ethanol gas is widely available.  Use it and you will have less of these issues. 

[gim]

28 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I never use gas with Ethanol in my outboards.   That stuff attracts water like a magnet.   Non ethanol gas is widely available.  Use it and you will have less of these issues. 

I use it in my outboard, lawn mower, and snow blower.  They are all seasonal 4-stroke engines.  A lot of the problems associated with ethanol in fuel can be avoided if you...wait for it...avoid using ethanol!

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I use it in my outboard, lawn mower, and snow blower.  They are all seasonal 4-stroke engines.  A lot of the problems associated with ethanol in fuel can be avoided if you...wait for it...avoid using ethanol!

I am a believer for sure.

Snow Blower started on ONE pull the other day (prep) after sitting for 5 months.

Never happened without rec gas.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

Snow Blower started on ONE pull the other day (prep) after sitting for 5 months.

Won't be long until someone starts the annual "Winter 2023-2024" thread!

[softwateronly]

I'm not a very good mechanic, but just wanna throw it out there to make sure.  My fuel/water separator is way back inline, near my batteries, whereas the clear fuel filter is under the outboard cowling.  Might be worth the $20 if you don't know when it was last changed.  I'm also a fan of searching out ethanol free gas because my problems have dropped significantly.  

 

scott

[airshot]

Can't beleieve all the so called ethenol problems.  I followed the recomendations when it first came out, like changing the fuel lines to alcohol rated lines, cleaning the fuel system before using e10 fuel and have never had one single issue with e10 fuels.  My buddy runs an auto repair service and every e10 fuel issue was brought on by the owner not following recomendations.    In fact just look back in time, gumout fuel cleaner was a hot item long before e10 fuels hit the market, since e10 came out, gumout sales have dropped !!   I had far more fuel issues before e10 hit the market, haven't had to use it at all since e10 came out.  My neighbor has about a dozen old cars, from 50's to 70's, uses e10 in all of them, most only get driven about 100 miles per year.  Gave the fuel systems a good thorough cleaning and changed the hoses....not one issue in all these years.  Perhaps folks should rethink there maintenence and how they use it.

[DaubsNU1]

I run ethanol gasoline in my 2005 Accord.  It is my daily driver on 65 mile round trip to work and back. No issues. 

 

Everything else gets ethanol-free gasoline -- boat, ATV's, mowers, power washer, generator, weed eater, chain saw, etc. No fuel issues in 30+ years. Never use fuel stabilizer. 

 

Power washer will sit for 6 to 12 months at a time with fuel in the tank...starts without a problem. Even my 2-stroke / oil+gas mixed small engines have no problems sitting for extended periods of time. Weed eater sits all winter...starts on 2nd pull every spring. It is 10+ years old.

 

Moved out of the city 5 years ago...our small town has a propane / oil / tire shop...he sells petro-diesel (non bio-diesel), and alcohol-free + ethanol-free gasoline. Even better!

[MN Fisher]

I"m with everyone else - the 2001 Silverado runs fine on 89 octane with 10% ethanol...the boat and lawn mower get ethanol free. Ya, it's a bit more expensive, but it's widely available and keeps my 2-strokes purring.

[airshot]

All my two stroke toys start right up on first or second pull without issues and I run only E10...as does everyone in my community.  Had far more issues in the old days with varnish buildup long before E10 came out.  If your having issues that you think might be E10 related, go to a different station, lots of gas stations do not maintain there in ground tanks.  A friend works at the local refinery and he claims the issues with E10 come from poor maintenence from the fuel stations, he gave me a list of stations near me where I should buy my fuel.  Been using it since it came onto the market, no issues with E10 but I have had issues with water in fuel from the underground tanks.  Not hard to test with a clear glass jar.  Also..remember to never fuel up right when or right after the tanker filled the underground tanks !!  Stirs up all the crud where the station doesn't maintain there tanks.  Lots of poor quality fuel out there, according to the inspector from the refinery, he claims over 40% of the gas stations in my area do not maintain there tanks and there fuel is crap. 

[gim]

8 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Even my 2-stroke / oil+gas mixed small engines have no problems sitting for extended periods of time. Weed eater sits all winter...starts on 2nd pull every spring. It is 10+ years old.

Those little 2 stroke engines can be stubborn.  The fact that they are sitting for extended periods of time and still starting when you need them to says a lot.

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya, it's a bit more expensive, but it's widely available

It is more expensive.  But honestly I don't even use that much of it.  I go through 2 tanks in my boat the entire season.  I'll pay 10 bucks more to fill up each time knowing that the proven issues associated with ethanol aren't going to happen.

[WRB]

E10 is 10% ethanol for usually found in 87 octane gasoline. You should be running 91 octane gasoline in your Merc.

Seeing oil mixed in the fuel filter is normal, oil in the gasoline fuel tank or in the line between the engine and fuel tank means your quick disconnect line ball check valve is working.

Tom

 

 

[Kirtley Howe]

In my area of New York State, all grades of gas (regular 87, midgrade 89, premium 93) contain "up to" 10% ethanol. Some stations even sell the e85 fuel for flex fuel vehicles. Unless the pump says ETHANOL FREE, the gas will have ethanol in it. The only problem I have had with ethanol gas is that it can collect water from the air if it sits for an extended period of time. Adding a fuel stabilizer does seem to help with that. For the most part the only time I have to worry about that is during winter storage. 

[Captain Phil]

25 minutes ago, Kirtley Howe said:

In my area of New York State, all grades of gas (regular 87, midgrade 89, premium 93) contain "up to" 10% ethanol. Some stations even sell the e85 fuel for flex fuel vehicles. Unless the pump says ETHANOL FREE, the gas will have ethanol in it. The only problem I have had with ethanol gas is that it can collect water from the air if it sits for an extended period of time. Adding a fuel stabilizer does seem to help with that. For the most part the only time I have to worry about that is during winter storage. 

 

Here in Florida, ethanol free gas is called REC 90.  It's not hard to find if you look for it.  It may be a little more expensive, but there's a catch.  The catch is it takes more ethanol to equal the same energy as gasoline.  You will get better fuel efficiency with ethanol free gas.  Keeping your tank topped off will help keep water out of your fuel.  The more you use your boat, the less issues you will have.  If I lived where my boat was going to sit for months at a time, I would definitely use ethanol free gas. 

[WRB]

There isn’t an over abundance of Ethanol available to make up E10 let alone E15 gasoline. The pump must have a sticker but that doesn’t mean it’s E10 gasoline. The premium grade in California rarely contains E10 ethanol mix, pump always has a sticker. The only ethanol “free” gasoline here is aviation 120 octane and  a few stations that offer 101 octane. 

Since I no longer have a OB to worry about, it’s a none issue for me.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

I store stuff I don’t use in winter without gas in it at all, seems like a no brainer 

[gim]

19 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I store stuff I don’t use in winter without gas in it at all, seems like a no brainer 

I do that too. I run my lawn mower completely out of gas when I put it away for the season. Try to do the same with the snow blower in March, but that is a little tougher because I never know when a late winter blizzard is coming.