On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:29:26 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:18:31 -0700, --@++.-- wrote:

Recently my boat got pounded pretty good from behind by a bunch of wind produced
waves. After that it didn't want to run because water got in the breather for
the gas tank. I ran a line from a can of good gas and ran the engine and it
cleared up and began running normally again. I got an electric fuel pump and
attached it to the tank's fuel line and pumped out into portable cans. To me, at
first it appeared to pump clean water, then it looked milky for a while, then it
looked like clean gas. I pumped about 2 more gallons out of the 14+/- gallon
tank after it began looking like good gas, and it still looked good so I stopped
pumping. Is it safe to think the remaining gas is okay?

Others here have given you good advice:

1. Best to empty and discard as much of the tank as possible (most of
the water will be on the bottom and will slosh around when under way
and get remixed with fuel).

2. Racor makes a really excellent bulkhead mounted fuel filter. It
is more expensive than the Sierra but worth it in my opinion. The
Racor has a drain tap on the bottom so you can see if water is
accumulating in the filter bowl and get rid rid of it.

The diesel engine pickups here all have a water catcher installed.
They consist of a clear plastic cylinder body about the size of an oil
filter. There is a float inside that will float in water but not
diesel and a magnetic switch that is triggered by the float to actuate
a warning alarm - buzzer, siren, etc. Piped into the diesel system
before the first filter it catches any water and shouts a warning.

After polluting the entire fuel system with water when refueling in
Malaysia some years ago I installed one in the sail boat. It would
catch about a quarter of a cup of water( probably 1/8th of the filter
capacity) before tripping the alarm. when the alarm fired it was only
a matter of shutting down the engine and opening the drain valve on
the bottom of the water catcher, pump a stroke or two on the built in
pump to flush the water out and close the valve. Re-Start the engine
and Bob 's your uncle..

The old fashioned Racor 500's will do the same thing and I believe
that there is a sensor that can be fitted to trigger a warning device
when the bowl gets water in it.

--

Cheers,

Bruce