Question about poss. "foreign matter" in fuel tank

Sunbeam

Hi folks,

I have a question about something that just happened and I don't know if it's a big problem or not.

When I fuel, I always have a small piece of "fuel diaper" that I set next to the filler opening - just in case, and to wipe off the nozzle before taking it out, or etc. Well, the last batch of fuel diapers I bought have a different "texture" than the ones I've had before, and I found that they tend to shed bits of fluff. I have been very careful, but today, just as I had finished fueling and was moving the nozzle out of the filler, I'm about 80% sure a small piece of fuel diaper "fluff" went down into the filler Angry

I did get one small piece out, but I think another may have stayed in there. I fished around in the filler hose with a piece of seizing wire I had made a "hook" on the end of (in case it had stuck to the bend in the filler hose and not gone all the way down), but no luck getting anything out. Naturally it had to be the starboard side tank with the lesser bend in the hose.

Anyway, here is my question: Presuming a piece of "fluff" DID get into my tank, will it end up causing a problem? I don't think it's large enough to block a screen on the end of the pickup tube (if there is one... I kind of hope not as I don't really like them there but I don't know for sure how Moeller does them), but if it did get into the fuel lines, would the external Racor filter pick it up and then it would be gone after I change the filter (which I will do after this trip)? Or is it something where I should take my fuel system apart until I find it (if it is indeed there). I hope not, of course, but don't want to worry about something "looming" either. The rest of "those" fuel diapers are going in the garbage! (Most that I've had are not like that at all and don't "shed.")

If it were you, would you keep on running on this tank? (I had purposely used up all the fuel in the other tank preparatory to getting off the lake, at which time I put in stabilized non-ethanol fuel for storage time.) I really don't know if it's

a)A crisis and I should stop right now and not run.

b)Nothing to worry about (but of course change Racor after this trip).

c)Somewhat independent of above, if it does not show up in (on?) the Racor, should I be tearing the fuel system apart until I find it?

If the piece did go down in there, it's about the size of a small grain of rice, although "fluff shaped," not rice shaped.

Thanks,
Sunbeam

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:47 pm Post subject:

PS: Since there are about 12 open fuel dock slips, and no-one here but me, I'm going to hang here for a few minutes to see if anyone chips in with their thoughts. (Just in case I should not run the engine from this tank.) I will need to leave in a bit, but will give it a few minutes at least.

Thanks,
Sunbeam

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:51 pm Post subject:

Nothing to worry about-period. If it is picked up, the racor will capture it & as the size you decribed not require early change of the filter.

Jay

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Jay! I really had no idea if this was a total crisis or nothing to worry about or somewhere in between. I had a totally "sinking" feeling when I saw it fall down in there! Made me think of the dreaded "something falling into the engine oil filler cap on my road vehicle" scenario. Of course that's dropping right into the engine, so clearly a horrible thing (and thank goodness I haven't done that).

Except for kayaking and canoeing - and the days of my youth in small skiffs and rowboats - I realized that this trip is my first time out solo (!). A combination of trepidation, satisfaction, fun, learning experiences (ahem), list-making, daydreaming (when not underway), occasional terror, good times, etc. Laughing

I sure do love the boat! Thumbs Up

Haven't seen any other C-Dorys, although my eyes are peeled.

Thanks again,
Sunbeam

BrentB · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:08 pm Post subject:

Take a piece and place in a glass jar with lid and observe over time

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:17 pm Post subject:

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:20 pm Post subject:

I agree with Jay. Here's my advice for the day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

Ray · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:29 pm Post subject:

I am with Jay. Don't worry about it. If it was indeed the size of a grain of rice, it will likely be in the filter when you change it. For reference, you likely have a 10-micron filter in your Racor:

I don't think a grain of rice will have any chance of getting through there.

Running a boat by yourself is by far *THE BEST* way to learn everything there is to know about it. You will see things you would normally miss, you will hear every little nuanced change in sound and investigate it, you will learn EVERYTHING about that boat.

When I sold my Sundowner 32 Tug to a very busy gentleman from up North, we were in a boat yard finishing up some details and the old salt yard hand overheard him talking about getting a truck scheduled to pick up the boat.

He came over and said (in the thickest North Carolina accent you can imagine), "....boats wernt made to go on no truck, boats were made to go in the water."

The yard hand and I told him he should take 2 weeks out of his busy schedule, as a vacation, and deliver the boat himself up to Boston on the ICW. The initial shock on his face at this suggestion was priceless (he'd previously only owned an 18ft runabout on a lake). I assured him that he could call me any time along the way, 24/7, and once he arrived he would know every last thing about that boat that he ever wanted to know.

Finally (after a 45min 'discussion') he relented and committed to do it (kudos to him!). He went from trepidation to excited over the next few days.

Anyway, when he got the boat home he called and thanked me (and the yard guy) profusely and said that was the best decision he had ever made in his life as well as the best vacation he'd had in over 40 years.

Have fun out there! I'm green...... Cry

BrentB · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:56 pm Post subject:

Sorry jar of gasoline

I am curious

BrentB · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:07 pm Post subject:

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:30 pm Post subject:

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:45 pm Post subject:

Heck, I'd sell the boat and bot take any unnecessary chances..

NOT. Rolling Eyes

fugeddaboutit...

Charlie

It ain't broke, don't fix it... Wink

Will-C

I had one those brown sealing pieces from a bottle of Yamaha ring free go into one of our fuel tanks. I thought of the worst scenario of it getting sucked up and clogging the fuel pickup up in the elbow before even getting to the fuel filter. It's been a couple years no problems yet. I actually just stopped worrying about it. We just did a week long 400 mile cruise no worries. I don't like spilling gas so bought two of the fuel whistles and installed them on each of the vent lines. Pretty easy to do and when the whistle stops you shut off the fuel nozzle. I bought them from Defender and have been using them for about three years. No problems so far and no fuel spills.
D.D.

ssobol · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:17 pm Post subject:

My problem is that if I don't watch the tank filling I end up with a shot of gas coming out of the filler hole when the tank gets near full even though the nozzle kicks off automatically. Happens when I fill manually as well unless I am very careful.

AstoriaDave · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 4:19 pm Post subject: