Al, I was still resisting the thought of low tanks being a problem until I got to the part about the crud being stirred up by rough conditions. That makes since to me and I feel better about the subject.
I have a '84, 42' DCMY (officially an SE II). She has twin diesels (DD 8.2L) and I am accumulating parts to change to a new filter system also. I originally purchased a "Filter Boss", a redundant filter system complete with valves, two filters, a priming pump, vacuum indicators etc (quite pricy!). Then I realized that with the Detroit Diesels, I move more fuel through the system than the official burn. I have been told that 73% of the fuel pulled into my engine is used for cooling and returned to the tanks. So, the 65 gph rating on the filter system isn't good enough to run two engines. Now I am faced with doubling my planned system or change everything to larger compacity filters etc. Oh well, live and learn. I'm not working on that project currently, but one of these days I will have to make a dicision. DavidO --- On Sat, 9/18/10, my [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: From: my [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [UnifliteWorld] Re: Gig Harbor Sunset To: "UnifliteWorld" <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, September 18, 2010, 9:27 AM Kerry How this "crud" made it past the filters and into the fuel pumps is a mystery to me, but ,I'm going to replace the original filter setup that's on the boat now with a new water/fuel separator system. As for the crud being on the top of the fuel or on the bottom of the tank, when I took one of the fuel filter canisters off and poured the fuel into a small basin, there was a coating of "material" on the surface of the gas. After about 10 minutes, the material settled to the bottom of the basin ,after it settled,I could tilt the basin and the material on the bottom of the basin did not move with the gas, even when I soaked the gas up with some paper towel, I had to wipe the material off the bottom of the basin to get it out. I'm not a metallurgist , but, I've been a steel fabricator for 35 years, and I believe that the material in the gas is scale from the inside surface of the aluminum fuel tanks that has settled to the bottom of the tanks. In the 5 years that I have owned the boat, I've seldom let the fuel get down below 3/4 full before fueling and never had a problem. I've been told that this problem can happen when you run older boat fuel tanks down too low, or are caught out in a blow with tanks that are low, the crud on the bottom of the tanks can get stirred up and cause some problems, as I found out! You should come up here on your boat and you can anchor in Todd Inlet, which is where Butchart Gardens is ,and watch their fireworks show on Saturday nights from your boat. Let me know if you're coming up this way and we can get together. I've talked to so many people this year that have the 6-71s and love them. Sometimes that "OLD" technology is still the best. My boat was no prize when I bought her in Tacoma 5 years ago either. Weeks of polishing and thousands of dollars later for canvas, upholstery,new non-skid decks,new exterior carpeting, boston whaler dingy on davits,stairs to the swimgrid,etc, and the boat is starting to look pretty good. Al On Sep 18, 6:31 am, "Kerry Lebel" <[email protected]> wrote: > Ozzy I am a little confused by this. Why would the pumps have to be > replaced? If the filters were doing their jobs, it would have kept any of > the crud from ever making it that far. Did they burn up from the blockage? > My boat has 6-71s in it. Loud, but awesome engines. You saw my boat huh? > Don't judge her from the outside. :) I was in the middle of wire wheeling > the damn carpet glue off the back deck (previous owner glued down UGLY > indoor/outdoor carpet on the back deck) to put down nonskid and that was > before I had the hull buffed out with two coats of wax on it. She was in > rough shape about that time. I think I had the flybridge all torn apart > too. Victoria huh? I have taken the Clipper up there several times but > never my own boat. Maybe next summer. I also want to get out to Butchart > Gardens. I hear it is great to head over there by boat. You live in some > priming boating areas. That’s for sure. > > Kerry > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > > On Behalf Of ozzy > Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 1:09 PM > To: UnifliteWorld > Subject: [UnifliteWorld] Re: Gig Harbor Sunset > > Kerry, > > We stayed at the reciprical moorage at the end of the bay ,past you, > for 2 nights, and then spent 2 nights at the City dock when we came > back from Olympia.. While at the reciprocal dock we dropped the dingy > and toured the harbor many times. We did go around for a look at your > boat, I always have to check out any 42 Uniflites that I can, one day > hopefully I'll get the chance to own one myself. Buy the way, which > engines do you have in your Uni? I have the 350 Crusaders in my boat, > and by running the fuel tanks too low, (I missed the fuel dock at the > Breakwater Marina) I picked up all the sludge hanging around the > bottom of the tanks and had to replace my fuel pumps and filters when > we finally made it to Seattle. The people who did the work were great, > apherently he used to sell the motors to Uniflite, when the factory > was still in Bellingham. We live in Victoria,B.C., and do most of our > boating in the Gulf Islands, and around the San Juans, but ,hopefully > next summer we will be making another trip to Gig Harbor. Hope to see > you then. > > Al > > On Sep 15, 10:09 pm, Kerry Lebel <[email protected]> wrote: > > Al that is my home port. We have our 42 DCMY AT West Shore Marina almost > > all the way in the harbor. My wife and I usually take the dinghy off the > > back and motor down to listen to those concerts. I'm surprised I didn't > see > > you. I usually offer up to Uni owners to come back to our boat for a > beer. > > Sorry to hear about your boat. Where is it now? What engine troubles are > > you having? Objectors priming? > > > Kerry > > > On Sep 15, 2010 9:42 PM, "my [email protected]" > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Folks, > > > > The wife and I spent a few days in Gig Harbor on our 36 DC, our first > > > time there, this summer and fell in love with the place. The people > > > are terrific and Tides Tavern is great!! Unfortunately we were having > > > engine trouble on the second visit ,thanks to running my fuel tanks > > > too low. We will definitely be back there again though, we think that > > > it's got to be one of the most beautiful little harbors on the west > > > coast. The concert in the town park is something to see!! > > > > Al > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "UnifliteWorld" group.> To post to this group, send email to > [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]<unifliteworld%2bunsubscr...@goog > legroups.com> > > .> For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/unifliteworld?hl=en. > > > - Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "UnifliteWorld" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/unifliteworld?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "UnifliteWorld" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/unifliteworld?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "UnifliteWorld" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/unifliteworld?hl=en.
