Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

water in fuel? what now?


maffmay&coops

Recommended Posts

hi,

I just got the injectors and rails back from my mate who got them cleaned for me but he couldn't talk at the time. He said they were full of crap and water. he said its all stuffed and I'll have to replace the fuel pump, drain the tank and clean it out and the lines all because of water in the fuel. in his defence he is a motor mechanic not a marine mechanic so he was not sure. I seem to think that I wouldn't need to replace the fuel pump but I don't know? I have searched for water in fuel but nothing has come up with a solution for me from here.

***PLEASE HELP***

He has replaced the filters and pins in the injectors an cleaned the rails out but I don't want to just hook it all back up, drain the tank and start it up cause I don't know if the fuel pump stores the water in it or not.

I have replaced the filters and the fuel pump screen was pretty clean just a couple of bits of grit.

please tell me I don't need to replace the pump as I am in Victoria, Australia and I only have regal marine to rely on for Malibu dealers and they give Malibu a bad name.

all help will be appreciated,

thanks,

matt.

Link to comment

I've heard adding methalated spirits as a trick absorbing water into the fuel and preventing need to drain the tank. Don't know how much though and guess it depends how much fuel is still in your tank.

If not much fuel in the tank I'd much disconnect the fuel line after the electric pump and would use the pump to fill containers. Then use the dodgy fuel in your mower.

Link to comment

hi

thanks for the response, i think i will use the pump to empty the tank then take the tank out and clean it with metho and then refill the tank with good fuel and run a litre or two through the pump before i hook it back up just to make sure ther is no more bad fuel in the pump.

i take that back about regal marine, they do have nice people working there but not in the service dept.

thanks,

matt. Thumbup.gif

Link to comment

Alcohol will absorb water. If you dont ahve much fuel left in it dump a couple bottle of rubbing alcohol in there. That will absorb the water. I dont see a need to replace the fuel pump, fuel filters yes. The filter on the bottom of the pump should be replaced, but not the pump. As another said, drain the tank into cans and use in lawn mower, or discard it.

Link to comment

It would be best to remove the fuel tank, dump the fuel, wash completely with soap and water and dry out completely. Blow out the supply lines with compressed air, change the fuel filter. Put fuel in the tank and flush the lines using the system pump. I wouldn't think the pump is holding any water but the fuel filter will be. Run the fuel into a shallow pan. If there's water it will separate and you'll be able to see it. Your main concern is keeping trash and water from the fuel rail. If water in the fuel is any kind of an issue where you are then install a water separating canister type fuel filter. I have these on our salt water boats but don't see one on the malibu which always gets gas station gas. Injector rail trash accumulates in the injector screens over time from dirty and wet fuel which causes metalic parts in the system to rust. No telling how dirty or wet your tank is without going in there and looking. I wouldn't worry about the pump as long as it's still making the necessary pressure but be aware water may have damaged it. there may not be a filter between it and the fuel rail. You also could just install the water separator and give it a go. If the tanks not got much water you can trap it there. These can be gotten with drain cocks on the bottom. Even without when you change, dump it out in a pan and look for separated water to see how you're doing. If you drain the tank let the fuel sit covered, (fire hazard, stink etc.) preferably in gas cans etc. Water will settle out and most of your good fuel can be recovered with a siphon. If you don't clean the tank you may manage the problem with a filter but can't consider it gone. If fuel quality is an issue where you are it will never be gone anyway.

Good luck

Link to comment

thanks heaps, i am getting all the filters i need tomorrow and will clean it all out properly. i'll let you know how it goes.

thanks again, much appriciated.

matt. Yahoo.gifThumbup.gif

Link to comment

hi,

i did as said and found a dodgy earth wire to the fuel pump also wich was making it tempermental also.

good news is its all fixed, thank to all who helped me. Thumbup.gif

:unsure: one little hic up still though, when i started it it needed a little help wich is to be expected but we ran it for a while and it wouldn't start at idle, we started it with revs then it wouldn't idle.

i know that it is the computer but what i don't know is how to reset it. with my car i had to start it and leave it for 10 minutes with no revs and that reset it but i dont know how to reset the malibu ones.

any help would be great.

its an american 97 sunsetter with a 320 monsoon and efi.

thanks,

matt Thumbup.gif

Link to comment
Once you start it up does it run fine at idle?

And did you prime the fuel system (5 or 10 key on off cycles) before starting?

-Chris

hi, yes primed it 5-10 times the first time to get it going, gave it revs and drove for five minutes at 5 knots, all good, had a run on the back wakeboarding for 10 mins, 20 knots all good. then let it sit for 5, went to start it and had to use throttle to get it going and wouldn't idle. when i was doing the work to it we unplugged the ecm and disconected the battery so the settings may need to reset themselves we thought.

a mate was on the boat that knows a few things an he uncliped a clip that is just between the 2 rails at the back of the engine, he said what it was but i can't remember off hand, and i turned the key and it started, plugged the clip back in and it ran and idled fine, went for a run and parked it again, same thing again, so he said i needed to reset the ecm to get the fuel ratios right.

thanks,

matt

Link to comment

Matt, Just so you know...

MAP = manifold absolute pressure sensor. a.k.a. BARO sensor (barometric pressure sensor)

IAC = idle air control valve

TPS = throttle position sensor

Link to comment
Matt, Just so you know...

MAP = manifold absolute pressure sensor. a.k.a. BARO sensor (barometric pressure sensor)

IAC = idle air control valve

TPS = throttle position sensor

HI, I think it was the tps as when we unplugged it it started at idle no probs, then we plugged it back in and it ran fine until we stoped an went to start again.

i know that it will be something simple as there was nothing wrong with this before i fixed the fuel relay and had the injectors cleaned, changed the filters and flushed the fuel tank and lines. in the process we had the battery unplugged and unplugged the ecm all together.

in my head i think it could be one of two things,

1. having cleaned everything i need to adjust the idle to suit.

or

2. like my car there is a trick to reseting the computer that if you dont do it runs like a bag of crap (turn on and let run without touching the throttle for ten minutes wich resets the idle speed)

please let me know if i am on the money or not.

thanks,

matt

Link to comment

I think you need a new TPS, they are not stupid money

There is no trick I know of to "reset" an ECM short of a reflash with the computer (not needed if the boat runs fine). The idle speed is set and there is no adjustment.

-Chris

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

hi,

all fixed, all i had to do was clean out the tps with some aerostart and the throtle body was sticky as and all gunked up. cleaned that out and she runs like a dream again.

thankyou all for your help Thumbup.gif

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...