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View Full Version : Water, water, water... in my fuel



clayman
11-15-2009, 08:33 PM
Hey Guys,
I know its been years since I last posted, but Good news I still have my Donzi. Kids are now 6 and twins 5. I have been having a problem with extreme amounts of water in my fuel. I have to drain my filter every few hours of run time as it fills up completely then runs like crap. That is usually my reminder. Pop- pop pop, rough idle etc. I am in florida, boat is kept covered in a boat house. 3/4 tank of gas. Original aluminum fuel tank. (yes I should have split the deck and replaced during restoration) Anyone else have this problem?
James

RedDog
11-15-2009, 08:49 PM
Clayman - I have no answers, but give these people (and me) a treat and post some new photos of your incredible boat. Too many new folks have never seen it...

Newby
11-15-2009, 08:51 PM
I was getting water (suspected salt water) in my fuel on my 16 footer. I became concerned about my original fuel vent. I changed it for a plastic anti-siphon valve by Attwood. I added a second water separator and changed the filters for a month or so. This seems to have resolved the problem.

mrfixxall
11-15-2009, 09:00 PM
Drain the tank, add a couple gallons of fresh fuel,drain the tank again..

like mentioned you may be getting water through your over flow going to the fuel tank, get a longer piece of hose and put a big loop in it and wir tie the loop so it stays in a loop..this will keep water from getting in the tank..

link to his boat pic's :)

http://www.clayman.com/jimmyscustom/donzi/index.htm

Donzi Vol
11-15-2009, 09:27 PM
Absolutely gorgeous boat! I love the black.

I'm with fixx on the overflow deal. Seems the most logical to me. Just for fun, until you get it all figured out, you can throw an in-line fuel filter in after the water seperator. It will fill up, but will give you a little more run time than you're getting now...and will clean out any gunk that's running around in the fuel.

silverghost
11-15-2009, 10:47 PM
In Ocean City NJ the few area marinas have a real water problem with their inground tanks~ I switched suppliers with the same results. I have a plastic poly tank~so the issue is with the marina .I have installed a high quality Racor fuel filter/water seperator with the plastic bowl & drain on the bottom.
I used the plastic bowl unit so I can acually see the water build-up in the bowl. I drain it on almost a weeky basis!
On one tankfull I removed about a pint of water on 4 trips & drains !
I Know I Know~ the plastic polycarbonate bowl in not for inboard used~
BUT I like to see if there is water to be drained.
At a glance~
You cannot miss seeing it with the plastic bowl!
These Racor units work very well!
My water performance problems are now gone!

Tidbart
11-16-2009, 07:08 AM
Clayman,
Welcome back. You came to mind yesterday when I saw an ad on tv about some art festival in the Deland area. Glad to hear your family is doing well.

A thought.....Get a hold of some water testing paste at a plumbing supply store. It is used a lot by gas station to stick their tanks for moisture. Wipe it on a clean stick and stick the tank. You will need to get to the top of the tank, obviously. It will turn purple if there is water in the bottom of the tank. If there is a lot present, you may have to drain the tank. If it just minor, throw in some dry-gas and keep draining the filter.

There is an major issue with letting these "newer" fuels , with alcohol, sit in your tank for long periods of time. They attract moisture and phase separate. They suck for boats.

Bob

PS. There is a Toys for Tots run coming up the beginning of Dec. in Palatka. Hint, Hint. :smile:

MOP
11-16-2009, 11:01 AM
It is best to remove the fuel gauge sender, it is located at the deepest part of the tank this will allow you to draw the water from the very bottom of the tank. There is no other way to fully remove it!

realbold
11-17-2009, 07:41 AM
link to his boat pic's :)

http://www.clayman.com/jimmyscustom/donzi/index.htm

Have to admit the babes got more of my attention.:cistineb:

Tidbart
11-17-2009, 07:48 AM
Have to admit the babes got more of my attention.:cistineb:


Oh, Paula and Jessica. Those were the days. Nice red 18 in the background too. :wink:

clayman
11-17-2009, 06:20 PM
Those were the days, What happened to Paula and Jessica anyway? I got the chance the hang out with Jessica in Daytona one weekend and took her for a ride on my Harley, fun.
I never thought about the vent for the tank on the side of the hull. It is angled back. I did recently realize where alot of the bilge water is coming from..."Donzi Donut's" literally inject gallons of water through the hull and deck seam. As for the fuel water problem, I am thinking of running another water separator in line with the other one. The fuel is all rusty and lots of crap in it which I don't get since the tank is aluminum. I have been having problems with everything else with a motor, i.e. lawn mowers, weed wackers, preesure washers, jet ski etc. Seems the crappy 10% e fuel they are forcing on us rots out the rubber fuel lines. I have put the cheap inline fuel filters on everything which seems to help.

On a scary note. I had a filter like the one mentioned above, with the drain on it. This spring, with the the filter installed last fall, so maybe 6 months old. I had the boat out on lake. smelled more than normal fuel. Stopped to check it out. The screw on filter had a bunch of pin holes and was misting fuel out and high pressure. Scary. I freaked. (I had a vintage VW bug burn down from fuel spray) All I had with me was a t-shirt so I wrapped the filter, ran the blower for a while and hoped for the best. Started up and made it to shore. I cut the filter apart with a band saw and found the inside completely rusted out and about a dozen pin holes though the can. So check your filters.

clayman
11-17-2009, 06:22 PM
Oh, I forgot to give a link for a cheesy video I did of the boat a friend shot. I am hoping to make a better one soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJII6hxw8ow

clayman
11-17-2009, 07:32 PM
here are some summer pictures from our Michigan trip. The tied up picture is at my family cottage on Stag Island , St. Clair River. The other is my future Donzi driver Gavin and his croonies hangin out on Higgins lake.
What a great trip. I love and miss michigan.