Out of gas??

[spinxt]

So in an effort to try and find an easier way to get antifreeze in the bu'....i figured the quickest way was to remove the fresh water intake hose from the thru hull nipple and insert a barb fitting with a simple hose "y" attached. SO first I feed fresh water to warm the engnine and all seems well.....water is bubbling out the exhaust like normal. So i'm waiting for the temp to come up operating temp, and a minute or so in the engine shuts off? I was like "OH CRAP" what did I screw up. first thing I checked was the fresh water impeller....looks good (no broken fins or even any cracks for that matter). .....next I check the oil....level is perfect......so I start her up again....she runs for 10 seconds and dies. So I decide to let it sit for a while. I go back 15 minutes later and turn the key to on (waiting for the fuel pump to prime), but it sounds strange. I look down at the fuel level and it's on "E".

Question: on the RLX where is the fuel pickup in the tank (center? left? right? toward front or back?). The boat sits on a slight grade, so whatever fuel was in there was concentrated to the very front port side of the tank.

I'm hoping that it was just simply out of gas.......

To make a longer story boring, I never did get the antifreeze in, so out she sits for another cold night with a worklight blazing in the engine bay.......

GRRRRRRRR....i need to move to a warmer climate...

[NorCaliBu]

....i need to move to a warmer climate...

[sheeprides]

Antifreeze? ... worklight? What are these things you speak of? We don't have them in So. California.

[Chaabo]

...

Question: on the RLX where is the fuel pickup in the tank (center? left? right? toward front or back?). The boat sits on a slight grade, so whatever fuel was in there was concentrated to the very front port side of the tank.

...

The fuel pickup is centered. Towards the back of the boat.

[mrothwell]

I look down at the fuel level and it's on "E".

Should still have about a half a tank if your gauge is Standard Issue Malibu.

[John I.]

I look down at the fuel level and it's on "E".

Should still have about a half a tank if your gauge is Standard Issue Malibu.

Exactly! The fuel gauge and the fuel level are 2 completely unrelated units of measure on most Malibus.

[obski]

I look down at the fuel level and it's on "E".

Should still have about a half a tank if your gauge is Standard Issue Malibu.

Exactly! The fuel gauge and the fuel level are 2 completely unrelated units of measure on most Malibus.

This was absolutely true on my '01 SS VLX, and I was planning on doing the fuel sender mod until I traded it in. I have found the gauge on the '06 VLX to be fairly accurate. The bigger tank also helps me to be less paranoid.

[gonorth]

So, if you are winterizing you should have that tank FULL with stabilizer like sta-bil or sea-foam in the gas. Then running it to get the stabilized gas all the way to the fuel pump, injectors, etc.

You weren't gonna run AF up thru the intake hose were you? Best to drain the whole dang block and manifolds then pour a little in thru the thermostat hoses, or the hot shower hose for one side of the block. I also take the front plate off the sea water pump so you can inspect the implellers and then squirt a little of the automotive AF in there to disipate the few water drops and lubricate the impeller for the winter.

[BlastRlxi]

So, if you are winterizing you should have that tank FULL with stabilizer like sta-bil or sea-foam in the gas. Then running it to get the stabilized gas all the way to the fuel pump, injectors, etc.

You weren't gonna run AF up thru the intake hose were you? Best to drain the whole dang block and manifolds then pour a little in thru the thermostat hoses, or the hot shower hose for one side of the block. I also take the front plate off the sea water pump so you can inspect the implellers and then squirt a little of the automotive AF in there to disipate the few water drops and lubricate the impeller for the winter.

[99response]

So, if you are winterizing you should have that tank FULL with stabilizer like sta-bil or sea-foam in the gas. Then running it to get the stabilized gas all the way to the fuel pump, injectors, etc.

You weren't gonna run AF up thru the intake hose were you? Best to drain the whole dang block and manifolds then pour a little in thru the thermostat hoses, or the hot shower hose for one side of the block. I also take the front plate off the sea water pump so you can inspect the implellers and then squirt a little of the automotive AF in there to disipate the few water drops and lubricate the impeller for the winter.

Nicely said, however if you are running gas with ethanol in it I would say keep the tank empty over the winter... when that ethanol stuff goes bad it goes really bad.

Chris

[gonorth]

Nicely said, however if you are running gas with ethanol in it I would say keep the tank empty over the winter... when that ethanol stuff goes bad it goes really bad.

Chris

Good point, get that ethanol out, fill it with stabalized non-ethanol.

I just found out that the station that has been selling me non-ethanol now is not so sure if it is or not. They better find out and if it is ethanol then replace all the fuel I have on hand.

[gonorth]

Was my gas 10% ethanol or not? I just got the scoop. I went there last nite for more non-ethanol. The pump is not marked non-ethanol as required by Minnesota law, and it has not been legally labeled for a year now. So I always ask the attendant if it is still non-ethanol and they always confirm that it is, this one didn't know so he called the new store manager at home, she wasn't sure but thought it had ethanol since it did not have the required sticker on the pump to not be. Today she called the main office and they say it is ethanol. So I tell her that then she has a problem because I have a lot of their gas that's ethanol and shouldn't be. They would have to come out and replace it, which would mean running the boat again to flush it out of the fuel line, pump, injectors, etc. So, her not having the authority or guts to do anything has me call the main office. I get the same person she talked to and he also confirms that it does have 10% ethanol. Then I tell him how much of that fuel I have and that they need to do something about changeing it for me. Well, now I have his interest perked right up so he double checks with the guy that actually does the fuel ordering. He says, no that station gets non-ethanol for their premium pump and is the only station of theirs that is that way. Phew, that was close but it goes to show you how hard it is for the consumer to know what is and is not in the fuel they are buying. You shouldn't have to go all the way up to the company fuel buyer to get the true story.

Now the home office is real interested in geting the proper stickers on those non-ethanol pumps. I bet they will be there by the time I get to the station tonight. Essentially the sticker says that it is illegal to use that fuel in a highway vehicle that was built after some specific year.

Edited October 27, 2006 by GONORTH

[VinRLX]

He says, no that station gets non-ethanol for their premium pump and is the only station of theirs that is that way.

Hhhhmmmm. So now they don't have to come out and replace your fuel, right?

[99response]

He says, no that station gets non-ethanol for their premium pump and is the only station of theirs that is that way.

Hhhhmmmm. So now they don't have to come out and replace your fuel, right?

Yeah that does sound kinda fishy, ask for that in writing.....

but hey if your boat doesn't run after sitting all winter because you insisted to fill it up, you can always just buy my 02 which will have nice fresh gas in it

Edited October 28, 2006 by 99response