[Rhodes22-list] The Curse of Ethanol

[Lowe, Rob]

It maybe the ethanol, and maybe it's something else?  I've got the same Yamaha 4 stroke 9.9 and had a world of trouble with it last year, mostly because it sat on the hard for three years prior to that, so I expected trouble.  I rebuilt the carburetor and still had problems getting it to run right.   I finally took it to an engine mechanic who did a real good job cleaning it out and it's run fine ever since.  I use regular ethanol containing gas with some Seafoam fuel stabilizer.  I don't run my carb dry between outings as Mary Lou suggests, but I do at the end of the season.  You can check other components of your fuel system.  Make sure you tank vent is open (I leave mine open all the time), the pickup tube is not blocked (I got some crap in mine that was restricting fuel flow).  Make sure you fuel line is not pinched.  I had one fuel line where the check valve didn't work properly and would not pass fuel correctly until I replace the whole line.  Make sure you're getting a good supply of fuel to the carb.  When you say it ran fine for  20 minutes and then kept cutting out makes me think it's a fuel supply problem, not a fuel quality problem.  Just a guess, but look for something else besides the ethanol.  What ethanol will do is adsorb water that will pool in the bottom of your fuel tank.  Try a new load of gas if needed.  If it's still quitting, it's not the gas quality, but the supply.  My 2 cents. - rob

Oh, and welcome to the list! 

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Carman George
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 12:08 PM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] The Curse of Ethanol

Hello everyone!

 

My wife and I are new members and this is our first message.

 

We own a 1984 recycled Rhodes 22 and are in our third season sailing the top of Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, our Yamaha 4 stroke 9.9 HP has experienced fouling issues apparently as a result of ethanol. The carb has been cleaned and serviced twice this season and I have installed a 10 micron in-line fuel filter as well as Yamalube fuel additive to new fuel. We took out the boat last Friday and the engine ran fine outbound for 20 minutes. On the return it kept cutting out every 30 - 45 seconds. Boat U.S. ultimately had to tow us in (they did a great job).

 

Has anyone experienced similar issues? The only thing left is have someone professionally clean out the tank but that's all I can think of.

 

The Rhodes is a fine sailboat but oh those engines and that lousy ethanol!

 

Thanks.

 

Frank and Linda George
 		 	   		  
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