Fuel lines

Well I asked the question a while back if anyone knew anything about the BLUE fuel line (ethanol resistant) course no one really know of it.
I got some today so will let everyone know about it. It may be common knowledge but the gray merc hose with orange or red writing on it is NO GOOD. Luckily all the main black hose from the pulse pump to the carbs and all the carb hoses are fine--but I had the merc with orange writing from the pulse pump to the filter (under the cowl) I split it and the liner was separated from the hose--the liner wasn't coming apart yet but it was close. I am changing the fuel lines from the tanks to the motor and from the motor connection to the filter--hopefully the blue hose is as good as the merc hose with blue writing--we will see.

interesting

Mike, where did you get the hose? Thinkin I need to change mine out also.

Where's the pics gewb?

Wannabe...

:popcorn:popcorn

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Originally Posted by cray

Mike, where did you get the hose? Thinkin I need to change mine out also.

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Got it from Delta Marsh. I would really have rather had the merc gray with blue writing on it but this is all he can get right now. Plan on running it for a a few trips then cut it off and see what it looks like. It's supposed to work fine-but---I'll post some pics of the old line this evening to show what it is looking like--exactly one year of running E fuel.

Got mine at RJ's behind Duncan Marine. Costly, but worth it.

Attachment 102823

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Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

Got mine at RJ's behind Duncan Marine. Costly, but worth it.

Attachment 102823

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I got 12ft 3/8 and 6ft 5/16 WA 2.95 a ft I thing. How long gave you had the blue line on Ez. Have you checked the liner yet to see how its holding up? Do you use e fuel

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I've only had this line a few months and try not to use e-fuel but have the line just in case I have to. Rob, at RJ's said it will last for years and I believe whatever he says about marine anything.
Iz thinking he charged a little more than $3/ft but even if it's $5+, it's worth it.

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Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

I've only had this line a few months and try not to use e-fuel but have the line just in case I have to. Rob, at RJ's said it will last for years and I believe whatever he says about marine anything.
Iz thinking he charged a little more than $3/ft but even if it's $5+, it's worth it.

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Did he think it would last for years with e fuel? Just way curious about this blue fuel line

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OK best pics I could get


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Thats the liner in the old hose. You cant hardly get a fittin in it without scrunching up the liner. Go on BBC and ask Don from Europian somtin or another. He says grey line with arrows every foot.

I heard on the news today that the Guvment is pushing for E15 and a couple of states have stations selling the 15% blend. They went on to say that some car manufactors are saying the E15 should not be used and the Guvment is saying any car 2001 than newer is fine with it. (Guess the politicians know more about the cars than the makers??)
I know they have some flexfuel cars that can burn up to 85% ethanol, but mine ain't one of them and I don't want to be forced to use E15. I try to buy ethanol free for my boat, but it is too expensive for the car.
What is next?? I hate to think. :banghead

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Originally Posted by KDAVID1

Did he think it would last for years with e fuel? Just way curious about this blue fuel line

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Yes, that's what this line was designed for..

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Originally Posted by wilbur

Thats the liner in the old hose. You cant hardly get a fittin in it without scrunching up the liner. Go on BBC and ask Don from Europian somtin or another. He says grey line with arrows every foot.

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Already did the research--read the first of the thread-duh:)--The pics were showing what the crap lines look like--but yeah the inner liner on the older hoses doesn't hold up for sure. I found out today where I can get the gray merc line with blue writing on it local--but doing the test on the blue since I got some now. It does have an inner liner but is supposed to be up to par.

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Originally Posted by E-Z Poleholder

Yes, that's what this line was designed for..

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cool--thanks EZ.

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Originally Posted by SeaRay

I heard on the news today that the Guvment is pushing for E15 and a couple of states have stations selling the 15% blend. They went on to say that some car manufactors are saying the E15 should not be used and the Guvment is saying any car 2001 than newer is fine with it. (Guess the politicians know more about the cars than the makers??)
I know they have some flexfuel cars that can burn up to 85% ethanol, but mine ain't one of them and I don't want to be forced to use E15. I try to buy ethanol free for my boat, but it is too expensive for the car.
What is next?? I hate to think. :banghead

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Talked to a merc service center yesterday and they said Merc did a test on a big motor with E15 and the motor didnt last 20hrs. E15 would be bad for sure.

I replaced my line earlier this year but did not remember what color it was. Went out tonite and checked and it is Merc grey with blue writing on it. The shop owner I got it from said it was ethanol resistant so I took his word for it, he has done work for me and is pretty good so I trusted him.
Interesting thing was I checked a Walmart and Kmart to see what they had and the line they had was not OEM stuff and was more expensive than the hose assembly I got from the boat shop.
SeaRay

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Originally Posted by SeaRay

I replaced my line earlier this year but did not remember what color it was. Went out tonite and checked and it is Merc grey with blue writing on it. The shop owner I got it from said it was ethanol resistant so I took his word for it, he has done work for me and is pretty good so I trusted him.
Interesting thing was I checked a Walmart and Kmart to see what they had and the line they had was not OEM stuff and was more expensive than the hose assembly I got from the boat shop.
SeaRay

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Yep--your got the good stuff. I can't remember it the stuff at Walmart is Atwood or something else--but if it is it is no good for ethanol so i've been told and kinda tend to believe em. Another shop over here has gone through 300ft this year of the proper merc lines due to motors not running.--that's a good bit for sure.

I'll get some good pics this weekend for everyone from start to finish and cross sections of all the lines and primer bulb--fun for me and hopefully will be useful for others.

I sure would appreciate it. Interested to see what the inside of the bulb looks like.

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Originally Posted by cray

I sure would appreciate it. Interested to see what the inside of the bulb looks like.

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yeah--me too.So far I've been lucky and haven't had any problems and the only thing in the filter is little black specks which I am thinking is coming from the bulb.
Should be interesting.

Had to replace my bulb after 5 years on my Merc. My filter was full of it.

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Originally Posted by KDAVID1

yeah--me too.So far I've been lucky and haven't had any problems and the only thing in the filter is little black specks which I am thinking is coming from the bulb.
Should be interesting.

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I had some in my filter to and also and figured that might be where it's coming from. After yor post I went out and cut a couple of short sections off my hose and it looks fine. Gonna replace both just wondering where to get a good bulb. I understand they can put a liner in the hose but I'm thinking the bulb( needing to be plyable ) is going to be the week link especially the check valve.

Kdavid when you get it all figured out we need to talk.Mine could use replacing bad.

The new primer bulbs dont have the old one way check valve built in them anymore. I purchased a in line check valve from Surholt Marine in Clarksdale and it has solved my starting problems due to loosing prime.

Hey Guys
I thought I might add a post I made back in May in case any of you run into this problem when you replace your fuel line and bulb.
SeaRay

Just to add my 2 cents to the mix. I have a 25 Merc on a Tracker. I decided to upgrade the fuel line since it was 12 years old. I priced them at Wallmart and K-Mart and only because I was not positive of the size hose, I went to my local marine hop (not a dealer, but an independant repari shop) and he pulled the Mercury OEM line for me and when I paid him, it was $10 cheaper than the off brand at the box stores. But here is where the real value was. When I replaced the line (I have a built in tank) I could not get the bulb to pump up tight. I tried every combination you can imagine, and finally called the shop. Buddy, the owner, laughed and said "You won't believe me, but stand up in the boat and hold the line straight up in the air above the tank and pump it up. Two or three pumps and the bulb was tight. Seems the check valve in the line needs to have all the air pumped out and you have to hold it straight up to do that. Would not have gotten that help from the big box stores.
Bottom line, go to your Marine dealer!!
SeaRay

Good stuff tks for the addition.
A bit too chilly out for me right now but will start cutting things up In a bit

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Good advise SeaRay, thanks.

Got it all changed. Had some interesting findings. Will post all my findings and pics this evening

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So I tore into the whole thing today before the rains came. This engine is a 1995 Mercury XR6 150HP. The previous years of ownership had never ran ethanol fuel but I have run only ethanol fuel and that has been 1 year and 2 months and no telling how many tanks full (boat holds 28 gallons) Ended up changing the line from the connector on the hose that goes to the tank selector to the engine connection and changed all hoses going to and coming off of the pulse pump. Now in my system I had 4 types of hoses on this thing-- 5/16 regular black hose no liner, Gray Merc line with orange writing with liner, Gray hose no liner, and 3/8 double wall reinforced black hose and of course the bulb. The 5/16 reg. black hose was from the engine connection to the pulse pump (all hoses) and from the engine filter out to the carbs. The section from the engine connection to an original T the went to the pulse pump and went to the oil tank (the auto oiling has been taken off of this engine so that side was blocked off). This section of hose was junk--the inside was cracked internally all along it's length from connection to the T and from the T to the pulse pump. I did away with the T with the new hose and went straight from the connection to the pulse pump. The hose from the pulse pump to the engine side filter was the same hose and was in perfect condition--I changed it anyway due to length after cutting for inspection. The hose from the pulse pump to the black same hose--again was in perfect condition. The hose from the filter out to the carbs again perfect condition. So of the same types of hoses only the hose that was prior to the pulse pump was bad--can't figure that one out. The next type of hose was the Merc line with orange writing from the pulse pump to the filter--and it was junk as we all know. The next type of line was the gray line from the tank selector hose to the engine connector. Not sure what the manufacture is on this hose but it was in perfect condition. I think one key thing with this hose is that it had no liner. Originally I had a filter in line from the bulb to the engine connector but left it out on this install (they normally don't have them anyway) As for the bulb it was junk which is the reason for the little black specks in the filter. THe thing though is that only the bottom side of the bulb was bad (the side the fuel sat in when not flowing) the top side was not coming apart--very interesting. Now the final hose was the 3/8 that is from the tank fittings to the thank selector--now this hose is marked with the date--it is 1990--23 years old. This line was again perfect--could not believe it--as with the other good black hose it looked like new-wow. Pictures in the next post.

So of the bad parts in the system it appears that the bulb was mostly affected by the ethanol fuel standing in it and the black hose that was bad was prior to the pulse pump. Oh and I had dirt dobber nests in the cowl intake:(
http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...0-06131526.jpg
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Thanks for posting those pics:ThumbsUp. Bet mine looks same way inside. Good project for next week.

You bet--I think that merc guy over in olive branch has the merc line with the blue or black writing on it.
I just don't know about the blue line--cuz it has the liner in it--but is supposed to work--we will see.

Oldie but an update. I had to change my bulb due to a cut in it. Found it when loading the boat last time. Cut it open and was in perfect condition. Now it was a thicker rubber then the previous one and the new one I got but that really doesn't mean a thing I guess. The new one I got is blue and pretty pliable but is for ethanol. Again I only use ethanol wit half a bottle of seafoam in each 14 gallon tank and about 1oz of marine stahbil in each tank. So almost two years and the system is rocking. That reminds me--I need to pick up a new fuel filter