Sea Pro cc 190 Mercury 90 FS fuel problems

[Deleted]

2002 Sea Pro CC 190 Mercury 90 HP four stroke 190 hours. previous owner let it sit for extended lengths of time. Ran ok for a time or two but quit on me, had to tow it in. Changed the bulb and pulled the engine fuel filter, filter looked like it had peach jelly caked on it bulb had the same junk in it. Blew filter out, installed the new bulb fired it up and got me home. Took it out second time broke down again. Gray lines from bulkhead to bulb and from bulb to engine were deteriorated. I smacked them on the dock and amber colored hose liner flew everywhere. Replaced the lines and another new bulb (first new bulb was full of the liner chunks again)
Installed a Sierra fuel and water filter, removed the carbs put new kits in them re-installed. Fired it up ran decent but needs to have the carbs synced. Took it out today...#$%#% broke down again... no fuel to the bulb. Cannot get the fuel to the bulb. I bypassed the filter,  put 5 gallon of gas in just in case, no fuel. Pulled the cover off on the console, pulled the sending unit in the tank. See pic, You can see the pickup tube with something under it, the other picture is what was under it. Looks like plastic? Plus if you look closely you will see junk floating in the tank. I don't think the plastic was enough to stop the fuel completely but wasn't helping. Tomorrow I am cutting an access in the floor under the console, pulling the pick up tube and pumping the tank. Refill with fresh gas and clean pick up tube. Will look for the anti siphon valve as well will replace it it there's one on it. If this doesn't work I'm sinking it
ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Juan]

I'm guessing you have the plastic fuel tank and not the metal one... I've heard horror stories about what ethanol will do to plastic and fiberglass tanks if it's allowed to sit in there for extended periods.

[CaptWoody]

How did you look in there and take the pics, some type of inspection camera with a flexible tube? If so can you not use that to guide a suction tube to pump out he debris in the tank? That, plus your new filter, should help a lot and maybe the problem won't reappear if it isn't allowed to sit with ethanol in the tank for along period.

[Deleted]

Yes it's plastic, not sure where the large chunk of plastic came from though. Don't plan on pulling the tank at this time, just pump,flush,pump,flush and go with it.
May replace the fuel line from the tank to the bulkhead. Rest is new.

[Deleted]

Aug 15, 2013 7:21:21 GMT -6 @stevena said:

Yes it's plastic, not sure where the large chunk of plastic came from though. Don't plan on pulling the tank at this time, just pump,flush,pump,flush and go with it.
May replace the fuel line from the tank to the bulkhead. Rest is new.

Took the pic through the sending unit hole using my Galaxy 4 cell phone. The blurry light you see is an led flashlight shining through the top of the tank.

[BoutTime]

Check to see if the tank has any holes in it or is leaking. Ethanol fuel will eat plastic and the lining out of your fuel lines .
I would clean the tank (may have to replace it) and replace ALL the fuel lines, filters (even those on the engine), and install a fuel/water separator. Then Add fresh NON-ETHANOL fuel along with a fuel additive such as Amsoil or seafoam.

ALWAYS USE ONLY NON-ETHANOL fuel in an outboard. Ethanol fuel is bad news for outboards.

[T-Topless]

Aug 15, 2013 7:56:11 GMT -6 BoutTime said:

ALWAYS USE ONLY NON-ETHANOL fuel in an outboard. Ethanol fuel is bad news for outboards.

X100 !

[Deleted]

Got the new gas line on today (not plugged in to the tank yet), pulled the pickup tube out of the tank, nothing in it, looked clean. I need to find a pump tomorrow to get the gas out of the tank. I plan on running it through a filter and pouring it back in, shake the boat a bit and re-pump. Putting on my fourth bulb since I got the boat! The only thing I found that may obstruct the fuel from getting to the engine was a bunch of junk at the bulkhead. Looked like old leaves. Rest of the lines were clean.I cut the original fuel line apart, couldn't see any deterioration inside the line, looked like a coating inside. Putting new SS clamps everywhere. If this doesn't work going to put a new diaphragm in the fuel pump.

I will try to get some non E gas... this is NC hard to find non E fuel.

[BoutTime]

GET RID OF THE OLD GAS.. !!!! DO NOT KEEP USING IT EVEN FOR "WASHING OUT" !!!

NON ethanol gas is NOT hard to find in NC. Most every marina on the NC coast has it. They label it "Boat Gas" or to find your nearest non ethanol station do a goggle search for non ethanol gas in NC.

Not sure where you are located on the outer banks but If I remember correctly Oregon Inlet Marina has it, a place in Hatteras, Ocracoke and Manteo for a few.

P.S. the website is www.pure-gas.org But if you insist on using ethanol gas then use the mid grade or high grade WITH A FUEL ADDITIVE.

[Deleted]

Looked at the pure-gas website to see if any stations near me sold no E gas. Found a few but were in a remote location for ethanol free fuel  

[Juan]

True, there might be some water in the storage tanks at some gas stations either due to leakage, bad seals or even from the tankers that deliver it, but those tanks are monitored and are supposed to be checked daily. There's some degree of water in all storage tanks, ethanol or ethanol free... Ethanol attracts condensation but gas doesn't normally sit in a gas station's storage tank long enough for ethanol gas to go bad or attract too much water, BUT let ethanol sit in your boat for a few months and it will certainly separate and cause problems

[BoutTime]

Aug 16, 2013 19:23:48 GMT -6 @stevena said:

Drivers must check the tanks with a stick and water paste, if there's too much water in the tanks they cannot fill them so the small convenience marts just pay more for the E free gas instead of going to the expense of repairing the tanks. SO... you may be getting gas with no E but will most likely have water in it.
Check it out for yourself...

Better hope the EPA does not read this.. Back in the 1990's Both NC and the Feds. pasted laws that ALL underground storage tanks have both leak detectors and water monitors with alarms that would automatically shut off the pumps. This is why so many mom and pop stores stopped selling gas years ago. So IF there is still a store or station that has to use the old stick and water paste they are certainly taking a big chance and I would certainly NOT buy any fuel of any type from them..

BTW Stevena ; exactly where in the Outer banks region do you live?
I have fished just about all of the NC coast and haven't had a real difficult time finding non-ethanol fuel No it's not at every station but we did find it.

[Deleted]

I lived in the Duck NC area for awhile but now live on Bells Island in Currituck , Coinjock Bay/ Currituck Sound on the ICW

[Deleted]

Siphoned all the gas out of the tank. Wanted to get every drop out so I took several clean cloths, tied a string to them and shoved them down the sending unit hole. They soaked up all the bottom gas and water and pulled them out. Took a clean cloth on a string and dowel rod, scrubbed the tank as far as I could get. Tank is clean as a NC chitlin! Replace the tank vent, outside cover was broken off. Checked the sending unit while it was out...BAD. Ordered another one, be in Tuesday. The guy that rebuilt my carbs ordered a set (4) of vaccum gauges, will sync the carbs next week.

[BoutTime]

Hope you get it fixed. It's been a few years since I fished the Currituck sound/ Coinjock area. there is some great bass fishing off the rivers that feed into the Albemarle sound and in the Currituck sound. In fact IF the old brain serves me correctly I believe that the very first B.A.S.S. championship was held on the Currituck Sound. The Coinjock bay, Currituck sound are good areas for trout, drum and flounder fishing at the right times of year along with the bass.

As for non-ethanol fuel, lets see as I remember: try Midway Marina or Coinjock Marina both in Coinjock, Station Bay Marina in Kitty Hawk and I think there were 2 or 3 marinas in Elizabeth City and a couple of places around Manteo that had it when we were there a few years ago. As I have said before first try any of the marinas not all of them are listed on the pure gas website. Ask for non-ethanol or boat gas some of the marina personnel don't understand what non-ethanol means.

[Juan]

Aug 18, 2013 9:15:46 GMT -6 BoutTime said:

As for non-ethanol fuel, lets see as I remember: try Midway Marina or Coinjock Marina both in Coinjock, Station Bay Marina in Kitty Hawk and I think there were 2 or 3 marinas in Elizabeth City and a couple of places around Manteo that had it when we were there a few years ago. As I have said before first try any of the marinas not all of them are listed on the pure gas website. Ask for non-ethanol or boat gas some of the marina personnel don't understand what non-ethanol means.

BoutTime, Is marina fuel in your area priced similar to gas stations? Marina gas down here is expensive...most around 80 cents to a dollar a gallon higher than gas at gas stations... I know it's convenient but if you trailer your boat it's a LOT cheaper to fill up before launching around here. I refuse to pay marina prices.

[Deleted]

Just a little over $4.00 per gallon at Coinjock marina but the have a good additive in it plus their food is delicious!

[BoutTime]

Aug 18, 2013 17:01:03 GMT -6 Juan said:

Aug 18, 2013 9:15:46 GMT -6 BoutTime said:

As for non-ethanol fuel, lets see as I remember: try Midway Marina or Coinjock Marina both in Coinjock, Station Bay Marina in Kitty Hawk and I think there were 2 or 3 marinas in Elizabeth City and a couple of places around Manteo that had it when we were there a few years ago. As I have said before first try any of the marinas not all of them are listed on the pure gas website. Ask for non-ethanol or boat gas some of the marina personnel don't understand what non-ethanol means.

BoutTime, Is marina fuel in your area priced similar to gas stations? Marina gas down here is expensive...most around 80 cents to a dollar a gallon higher than gas at gas stations... I know it's convenient but if you trailer your boat it's a LOT cheaper to fill up before launching around here. I refuse to pay marina prices.

Nope.. Right now here on the crystal coast marina non ethanol is $4.20 to $4.30 non ethanol at a station is $3.95 to $4.10 while regular pump gas with ethanol is $3.45 to $3.50 The thing that has a bunch of us upset is the fact that there should be no federal or state (approx. 38 cent/gal.) road use tax on marina gas. We can file to get about half of the state road use tax money back when we file our state income tax, most of us that have done that have been audited ?? Go figure...

[Deleted]

Ok...so I ordered the sending unit. One marina said 10 inch another marina said 12 inch....geez. My old unit was 10" from the nut at the top pf the tube to the bottom so I took the 10 " Moeller unit. They said my gas tank must have been a "special" tank because of the sending unit not recognized. After I got in to the compartment under the console I found the id plate on the tank. It's a Moeller 53 gallon tank. Anyway I put 26.5 gallons of gas in a bone dry tank which should read 1/2 tank. It was just a little under 1/2 so now I know where the danger zone on the gauge.
Took awhile to get all the new lines and filters primed but when I did she fired right up. I noticed it wasn't pumping water so I shut it off and cleaned out the "pee" hole with a small wire, started peeing a good stream after that.
My neighbor was going out to check on his crab pots so I asked to follow just in case it breaks down. Went to the Currituck Sound ICW and made the loop back to Bells Island...NO issues at all!!!
Going back tomorrow for another trial run, wish me luck!

[BoutTime]

Glad you got it fixed. Now you can get to hunting for reds and trout.
Nest time me and the guys venture that way I'll drop you a pm and maybe we can get together.