Kevin Jed wrote:

The line most likely once was clear, but is now yellow with age, and not
nearly so transparant to see any fluid flowing in it.

When the tube is connected as it should be, another more obvious clue
that gas is going into the crankcase is rising oil on the dipstick--a
symptom I ignored because it was the first time I'd run the boat only
days after having the oil changed 'cuz I thought my "shade tree" had
only overfilled one engine a bit... and a bit of ignorance that cost me
$3000 for a rebuilt 454 longblock installed. Two years later, when I
bought 20 year old "project" boat that hadn't even been started in at
least 5 years, I wasn't taking any chances...the first thing I did was
replace BOTH fuel pumps.

I learned something else from that experience: they give owners manuals
for a reason. Had I ever even bothered to thumb through the engine
manual, I'd have known what "gaining oil" meant--or at least known to
smell the oil for gas in it..'cuz that Mercruiser manual warned about it
in no fewer than 4 places. I also partially blame the "shade tree"
mechanic I'd used for routine things like oil changes 'cuz he was half
the price of the yard...had he been paying ANY attention when he changed
the oil, he'd have smelled gas in it. Had I paid the yard to change the
oil and they'd missed it, I'd have had some recourse.

So I learned two very expensive lessons from that experience: 1. yes, we
DO need "no steenkin' manuals"...READ the damn things! 2. Yards aren't
always more expensive.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/store/custo...0&cat=6&page=1
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327