Water in Fuel??

I went to Blackshear yesterday and had a problem with my motor. Motor would crank and idle fine but would bog down and not plane at full throttle. Went back to the dock and run the motor full power with prop in neutral for about 5 minutes...took it back out and finally go the motor to go full power and plane...ran like a striped ape most of the day, except for choking out at idle.

That afternoon it did it again when I got ready to head in...did the same neutral full throttle motor run....motor spit and sputtered and finally planed out at full throttle and ran again like a striped ape for 30 minutes as I run up and down the lake. Put the motor in in idle and it choked down.

Bad gas or something seriously wrong with the motor? Its a 25 merc and this is the 1st time I run it since late Sept last year. I unhooked the fuel line and ran the motor until it ran out of gas last year and had seafoam in the gas.

Thanks

I had the same problem with a 40 Yamma a few years ago. I had to drain the tank and put in fresh fuel. I also had to drain the bowls. There was a screw on the bottom, unscrew and the water will drain out. To prevent this from happening again I put in a water separator/ filter in line and it traps the water. I also found out with boat motors and tractors that it is best to leave the tanks full if it is going to be idle for a long time.

Good luck.

Don't know if this applies to your situation or not, I would tell anyone to stay far away from any gas with ethanol in it. I don't care if there is Marine Stabil or Sea Foam in it. Ethanol attracts water like a magnet. It will corrode and eat up a motor. This would apply to any small engine like a weedeater, lawnmower, or chainsaw. Listed below is a website to help locate non ethanol gasoline in the state of Georgia.

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

I had ethanol dissolve the liner in my fuel hose a year ago. I now have an ethanol proof hose but stay away from it anyway. I'm glad to pay $4 gallon for eth free fuel! Beats a $300 carb rebuild! Drain your tank ..I'd replace fuel hose..clean the bowls and buy eth free!!! You won't be sorry!

my pontoon boat motor a 40 hp Tohatsue , i took the hose loose from the motor connector and pumped the fuel water out till it was just fuel and it ran great . i never run a motor till it quits with the fuel line loose that leaves the cylinder walls dry . just keep the fuel tank full and pump the bowl full and keep it full by pumping the bulb often. you weill never run all out and that little bit left will dry up quick.

I agree with all the responses above. Dutch, the gas station that is in the split on the way to Lake Tobosofkee has all three grades of non ethanol gasoline. I just took my boat and filled it up this past weekend. Ethanol gasoline is ONE of the worst things our Goverment has crammed down our throat. Corn is great for food but it is terrible as a fuel source.

there is a additive for ethanol but with the cost you might as well pay the extra for non ethanol . i use med grade in my boat . i did have my 55 Evinrude float valve stick a couple of times lately . it has a rubber tip . just the bottom . did some ajustment on the float hope that helps

Had the same thing happen to mine this week. Mine sat with no fuel in the tank or the motor/carbs for 3 months, filled it up and ran it and it ran just as you say yours did. My assumption is condensation in the tank/carbs, so I bought some seafoam and put it in my gas and my motor started performing normal after about 10 minutes of running.

Thanks for the replies ya'll. I was pretty sure that I had condensation the in tank, but wanted to get a second opinion on the matter.

I'm going to drain/new fuel (and plugs)/seafaom the motor Saturday. I have had this boat/motor 12 years and its the first year I have had any issue with it.

I would like a bigger boat, but it's payed for and I catch fish out of it...kinda hard to start having a boat payment, especially in this economy.

Run it like you stole it! hell water running through your motor clean them valves better than seafoam lol!!

not in a 2 stroke, it will probably clean the top of the piston

yyy

I spent $650 on the carbs, drained the tanks, replaced the hoses and last - replaced water seperator with the clear bottom. Also added filters on each of my tanks (large lawn mower). I now replace filters the first week of January and drain the fuel filter the 1st of each month.

No problem since.:biggrin