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Gassing up the Boat!


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Hi all. Wow, I haven't been around the forums in a long time and when I try finding the old MBO.com, it is a Wakeside site??? I recognize some of the handles from before... I wonder if y'all are the same people??? I hope so because everyone was so very helpful in the past Thumbup.gif !!!

Well, on to my issue/question. I have a heck of a time putting gas in my 2001 Sunsetter VLX... I end up wearing almost as much as I'm getting in the tank. Took it to a boat mechanic and was told "that's just the way Malibu's are built." It has always done this but it is now at the point where I want to fix it if it can be fixed. Does anyone have any solutions to the issue???

Thanks in advance for any responses! Biggrin.gif

rd

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Hi all. Wow, I haven't been around the forums in a long time and when I try finding the old MBO.com, it is a Wakeside site??? I recognize some of the handles from before... I wonder if y'all are the same people??? I hope so because everyone was so very helpful in the past Thumbup.gif !!!

Well, on to my issue/question. I have a heck of a time putting gas in my 2001 Sunsetter VLX... I end up wearing almost as much as I'm getting in the tank. Took it to a boat mechanic and was told "that's just the way Malibu's are built." It has always done this but it is now at the point where I want to fix it if it can be fixed. Does anyone have any solutions to the issue???

Thanks in advance for any responses! Biggrin.gif

rd

Only thing that worked in our last boat was going REALLY slow and stopping every now and then. Otherwise it would "spit" back on us.

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Here is the fix from SkiDIM others have recommended in the past.

I usually either listen for the gurgle that usually comes right before the thing burps up 1/2 a gallon of gas, or use the gas gauge & fill it till I feel like it's close to full (or when it hurts enough).

When I had an MC do it, it seems like I recall a thread where someone recommended lengthening the filler hose so it would do a loop from the gas cap to the tank. Somehow this kept it from burping so easily.

I guess a Malibu owner has to do one of these fixes for each side of the boat, huh.

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I'll second the part from Racor. I put one on my '04 VLX and unless I "top it off" I get no spalsh. I put it in as close to vertical as I could and as close to the tank as I could.

<edit> IIRC there is only 1 fuel vent so you only need 1 racor device.

Well worth the money!

Patrick

Edited by Faceplant409
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Thanks for the quick replies!!!

That part says it is to be installed on the "Vent" tube to eliminate splash back in the vent tube???

Is that where you installed it????

If that's the case, I don't understand how an air fuel separator on the vent tube can stop splash backs from the fill line but I'll take it!!!! Clap.gif

I'll order one and install it next trip to the river!!! Clap.gif

Thanks again!

rd

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As a related question, what keeps water from entering the overflow into the fuel tank? If there is no type of check valve, would the Racor help?

Edited by srock
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I've had great luck holding the gas station nozzle upside down while fililng, only way I do it now.

If you are holding it the way you would fill a car, it will spit and burp.

Give it a try!

-Chris

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I gassed up mine last night and had no problems (other than it cost $90 for 23 gallons) Vomit.gif I have a 2005 Wakesetter XTi so maybe it isn't an issue with different models. On a similar note I can fill mine up just fine on the port side, but on the starboard side I can't get any gas in no matter how slow I go it just pools in the hose and sits there. My guess is that the hose to the tank must be blocked or kinked or something. Anyone else had trouble with the starboard fill?

Thanks,

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Seems there are two issues here. Does the Racor solve both? I don't seem to have a lot of problem with it burping back out the filler cap, but I do get fuel out the vent line as I drive off from the pumps if I fill 'er up. Since I trailer everywhere and seldom need a full tank for one outing, I've just gotten in the habit of watching the guage and doing a 3/4 fill so I don't get gas all over the back of the boat.

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Seems there are two issues here. Does the Racor solve both? I don't seem to have a lot of problem with it burping back out the filler cap, but I do get fuel out the vent line as I drive off from the pumps if I fill 'er up. Since I trailer everywhere and seldom need a full tank for one outing, I've just gotten in the habit of watching the guage and doing a 3/4 fill so I don't get gas all over the back of the boat.

No, it doesn't & it won't solve the OP's problem. The Racor is designed to keep gas from coming out of the vent line. What happens is that you fill your tank, & then with the heat of the day the gas expands & creates pressure that forces gas out of the vent. It's a very common problem on all tourny boats, not just Malibu's & the Racor generally does a great job at fixing it. But as far as gas coming out of the fill line, there's no fix that I know of for that.

99response actually does the thing that we do, to hold the filler nozzle upside down. It helps a lot for some, not so much for others so try it & see if it works for you. The trick of opening both fill caps never worked for us, but that might be something else to try.

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Thanks again to all who have replied.

The problem I am speaking of is specifically regarding gas coming up through the filler hose while fueling up the boat. I do most of my fueling from gas containers while the boat is tied up to the dock. Either I end up wearing some gas or it is splashed all over the dock. I had read about that Racor device but wasn't sure if it would solve the problem I am having. Since my boat is an '01 Sunsetter VLX, I thought geezzz, I can't be the only one with this problem. Well, it appears that I am not and we all just have to learn to live with it... bummer, if I come up with a solution, I'll let you know...

By the way, this boat has only one fill spout.

Thanks,

rd

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Problem is probably with the routing of the fuel filler hose into the tank. Like Utebu I have an 21xti (2003) and the starboard side would not fill no matter what. So end of last season I did my best contortionist trick and took a good look at it. Problem for me is that the hose filler hose is too long and dips down and back up (to clear the rear cup holders) before entering the tank. This "dip" causes the gas to back up and spill out of the filler once too much is pumped in. I need to cut a good 2 inches off so I can get a more streamlined flow into the tank and that should solve it. Don't think the Racor would help my situation.

Jay

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We have the same boat and I've never seen this issue. Only place I've ever seen gas spit up is out the vent line on occasion if you fill too fast. I would do what the poster above recommended and make sure there's no place where the fuel can pool up in the fill line. If it's a straight shot to the tank, it should never back up until the tank is overfilled.

Edited by UWSkier
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We have the same problem and I've never seen this issue. Only place I've ever seen gas spit up is out the vent line on occasion if you fill too fast. I would do what the poster above recommended and make sure there's no place where the fuel can pool up in the fill line. If it's a straight shot to the tank, it should never back up until the tank is overfilled.

Hey UWSkier, I gotta tel you, you are the reason I have an '01 Sunsetter VLX... I don't know if you remember but on the other site (MBO) I was looking for a Malibu and asking for advice and with everything I said I wanted, you kept directing me to the '01 Sunsetter, I think that was in '02???... I gotta say thanks in a big way. This boat has been great, I'm so glad I got it.

Back to the gas issue, Thanks for all the input, since UWSkier and I have the same boat and he doesn't have the problem, it MUST be a fuel line routing issue on my boat. Thanks Xticee and all other who have replied, I will check it out next time I'm at the boat...!

Thanks,

rd

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What if the vent line is plugged or kinked? If you are dumping in fuel and air in the tank can't get out fast enough, will it cause this?

ps: I have the same boat as well and haven't really noticed this as an issue. But I fill from the pump and like I said seldom fill it all the way up.

Edited by vette-ski
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What if the vent line is plugged or kinked? If you are dumping in fuel and air in the tank can't get out fast enough, will it cause this?

ps: I have the same boat as well and haven't really noticed this as an issue. But I fill from the pump and like I said seldom fill it all the way up.

Good point!

Riverdawg, make sure the vent line is clear of any obstruction as well.

And no problem on the recommendation. We still love ours too. I've been in the newer boats and like lots of them, but for what we use our boat for, it's hard to beat our '01 and certainly not worth spending the $40,000 or so it would cost to update. :)

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A dip or kink in the vent line will act like the p-trap under your sink. It will prevent the air from escaping because gas is trapped in the dip. Had this problem on a 97 Sunsetter.

Also, as long as you a filling from gas cans try a siphon hose versus holding the can in the tank. You can get the same volume while leaving air space in the fiill line. I siphon 20 gallons at least every weekend.

Edited by LS-One
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I gassed up mine last night and had no problems (other than it cost $90 for 23 gallons) Vomit.gif I have a 2005 Wakesetter XTi so maybe it isn't an issue with different models. On a similar note I can fill mine up just fine on the port side, but on the starboard side I can't get any gas in no matter how slow I go it just pools in the hose and sits there. My guess is that the hose to the tank must be blocked or kinked or something. Anyone else had trouble with the starboard fill?

Thanks,

Utebu,

Same model and year and have never gotten gas to go in the starboard side.

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Thanks again to all... I guess I should have mentioned that I have checked the vent tube, no kinks, even blew air through it from the tank side and no obstruction. I'm going to re-check the fill line and if no problem, I think siphon is the way to go... that's a great idea, Thumbup.gif

rd

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The one through Overtons looked like it worked really well. Woody would just sit on the sundeck with the gerry can next to him on some towels while it siphoned into the tank. Very little spillage.

This is how we fill ours too. We have a siphon hose that has a one way valve in it to start the flow. It's a brass fitting with a metal ball bearing in it. Push it down into the gas and gas flows up into the line. Pull up on the line and the gas stays in. It works really well for starting the flow, and once it's going, it goes good. It'll empty a 6 gallon can in about the time it would take to hold and dump by hand.

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