Broke down, AGAIN..............

[scottar]

Don't put 2 stroke in your tank, you run the risk of shortening the life of the 02 sensor $410.00 each

Thanks Gary - that's why I suggested checking with the mechanic - just in case there were any ramifications. Do you have any recommendations for a treatment as such to provide a similar lubrication/anti corrosive for the 4 stroke engines? One of the issues that I have heard of with injectors that have had water through them (principally E-Tec as that is what I am running) is the injectors corroding up due to water in solution going though. One of the theories bandied about is that due to the ethanol fuels that are mandated in some areas of the US that the ethanol works a bit like metho and carries small amounts of water through the fuel system thus bringing it in contact with the injectors.

[sparkyice]

i live in the u.s. i'm not a motorhead by any means but ethanol laced fuel is poison to boat motors and other small engines such as lawn mowers, chain saws, generators and the like. my car ('93 corolla) went from 38 mpg to 31 mpg with the stuff- about 20% drop in fuel economy. it's terrible.
we can still get non-ethanol gas at select gas stations, but it's $ .25 more a gallon. worth it for the boat, etc.
and, the price of corn is so high people can't afford to raise their own pigs and cows anymore.
good luck!

here is a link to this topic from a lake ontario fishing forum i visit. it may want you to register to read it, but it's a good site, very much like this one, so why not register? we bitch about lots of the same things as you blokes down under!

http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fis...ng-no-ethanol/

[Spaniard_King]

Thanks Gary - that's why I suggested checking with the mechanic - just in case there were any ramifications. Do you have any recommendations for a treatment as such to provide a similar lubrication/anti corrosive for the 4 stroke engines? One of the issues that I have heard of with injectors that have had water through them (principally E-Tec as that is what I am running) is the injectors corroding up due to water in solution going though. One of the theories bandied about is that due to the ethanol fuels that are mandated in some areas of the US that the ethanol works a bit like metho and carries small amounts of water through the fuel system thus bringing it in contact with the injectors.

fuel does all the lubrication needed for standard injectors
I had a 130 Honda just recently which had sat for 5 + years, replaced the fuel pump and gave the injectors a tap and away it went

[Back In Black]

This is what the mechanic drained out of the port motor today using the Mr Funnel Australia separating funnel.

He has never seen so much muck come out of any tank. He was blown away by how efficient the filter was & now he is getting one.

The photos aren't great, but they are looking down on a 5 litre bucket. The muck is 50-75mm deep!!

Tony

[bluefin59]

That's a friggin disgrace , I bet the servo denies liability again customer service will be 0 but I hope it isn't that way for you .. Matt

[kock81]

has the servo found the problem with their lines/tank. that level of contamination can cost lives, bar crossings, give way signs,
hi way merging lanes etc. they need to be pro active informing their customers, not great for business, nor is the alternative.

[Back In Black]

My mate Chris spoke to the owner today & he is ok with footing the bill, but as Chris only put in 80 litres, which shows on his invoice, he is only will to pay for 80 litres, whereas he has 320 litres of contaminated fuel.
He has shut the bowsers down but I have had no reply to my email.
Watch this space!!

[Gon Fishun]

This is what the mechanic drained out of the port motor today using the Mr Funnel Australia separating funnel.

He has never seen so much muck come out of any tank. He was blown away by how efficient the filter was & now he is getting one.

The photos aren't great, but they are looking down on a 5 litre bucket. The muck is 50-75mm deep!!

Tony

Found this on the Queensland Snapper Fishing site along with 1 of the pics above. Is that correct, you have had to strip the motor.
Copied and pasted.


"Well the saga continues. As this bloke strips his motor back. First the fuel filters, fuel rail and injectors, now the port side tank. Drained roughly one litre of sludge out of the port side. Keep you posted."

[Back In Black]

I think he meant that the mechanic had to strip & clean the fuel lines & filters. The injectors went to the injector shop in a pretty disgraceful state but they cleaned up OK. He then took off an inspection port, pulled out the fuel senders (I think thats what they were called) & put an impeller pump down into the bottom of the tank & pulled all the fuel up & through the filter.
He jacked up the bow of the boat as high as possible as well. He then somehow tapped into the fuel uptake line & drew the fuel through that & into the filter & the pictures above are what go pulled out of the port tank.
He didn't get a drop out of the starboard tank, so we think that by putting the 180 litres into it may have taken everything?? If there was more gunk, you'd have thought we would have found it in the filter.
Chris had his money paid into his account yesterday so he is a happy man. I discovered a message from 2 days ago where the owner had tried to contact me. I rang him back but it went to voicemail, but it doesn't sound like there will be an issue.
The mechanic gave me a memory stick with footage & images of every step, so there is ample evidence.
Mechanic has left me with spare filters & the advice of doing a close in run, at least within radio distance, for the first run just in case.
I'll let you know how I go with the owner.
One thing I don't understand is why haven't they requested a sample for analysis?? Thats the first thing I'd be doing if I owned the place, as no one has been able to tell me what the thick black goo is.

Tony

[Fed]

One thing I don't understand is why haven't they requested a sample for analysis??

I think the servo would be responsible for maintaining the tanks and the last thing they would want is the petrol company finding out about this.
The petrol companies are ruthless.

[Triple]

Just looking at getting a mrfunnel myself and saw that they are "only" 50 micron, My filters are 10 micron and lots of diesels have a 2 micron filter as secondary. Does the 50 micron filter out enough? I thought water could still pass through 50? Anyone know their efficiency? Or does it need to be that big for faster flow?

[Back In Black]

An update on the outcome.

Emailed my $1090 mechanics bill & the servos own $400 odd fuel bill off to the owner. He rang me & said he has no issues paying the mechanics bill but refuses to pay for the fuel bill as I still have it. He knew I wasn't happy so he generously offered to pay an extra $20 to cover any loss?? You must be kidding me!!
He asked what it will take to keep me happy. Payment in full as requested, quite simple.

We went round & round like this for a while, so he upped the offer to $50!! Unbelievable, but fairly typical of service in so many business' today.

What about the fact my boat was out of action for over a week & I had to spend $124 to buy a filter to salvage your filthy fuel?? The fact our planned day off DI chasing reds was blown away & we get stuck in the river??

I explained I have been in business a long time, & I have a policy that if we screw up, we pay up & rectify to the customers COMPLETE satisfaction, & part of the reason for this is so NO ONE could ever get on any form of social media & run us down.

Every time I fill up there, its always between $300 to $700, we buy our lunch there & also all of our ice, but you supply me with filthy fuel, screw up a motor, put me out of action, wreck a perfect day on the water, force me to spend $124 for filter your muck, yet you quibble over $400?????

I offered to give him samples for analysis, but he refused them?? How does he know what he is dealing with??

I ended up saying you pay me what you think it is worth, hoping it might prick his conscience, but obviously not, as I then received an email telling me he had just deposited $1190 into my account, in effect paying $100 of the $400, but he did have the courtesy to say if there was anything else he could do, please let him know???

This is a little bit different to getting dodgy fuel & breaking down on the side of the road. Another 500m & I was on the bar, a bar that claimed a further 3 boats the following day, so there could be a case for litigation in the future should this occur again.

I realise some will think the owner did the right thing, but I personally disagree, but am open to discussion, hence the post.

The servo is THE LIBERTY ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE NOOSAVILLE BOAT RAMP.

He will never see Back In Black in his driveway again, as I will gladly take my several hundreds of dollar a month to the BP up the road, but will still use my new filter to stop this ever happening again.

Let me know your thoughts.

Tony

[Funchy]

Mate the owner is obviously VERY short sighted. As you point out, he is willing to cough up the majority of the $$$ yet wants to quibble over $350? ($400 minus the $50 sweetener). I don't understand some people in business. Why doesn't he know that the mere fact he is quibbling over the $350 pisses you off more than everything else when you put it on top of what you have had to go through.

I am sure if he had coughed up the lot without a word of protest, apologised and gave you free free tank of juice he would have had a loyal customer for life?

I reckon you're spot on, never buy fuel from him again.

[Back In Black]

Absolutely Luke! I was happy to go back, as it is so convenient, & fill up, albeit through the filter, & continue to spend hundreds of dollars per month.

I also fill up all my jerry cans with diesel for my 5 tractors, about $500 per month, & have done so for years. Well thats gone too.

The short sightedness of some business' never fails to stun me.

A similar email was distributed to all members of the Noosa Fishing & Boating Club last night, the majority of which fuel up there.

I like to this of this action as more of a community service announcement.

Tony

[bluefin59]

Yep exactly what you have to live to expect here in Australia with so many businesses it's just so appalling the lack of customer service is beyond belief .
I recently had a message sent to my phone from Brisbane Isuuzu after a problem with my suspension asking me if I was happy with the service I received and to answer YES - NO so I answered NO , no call to ask why I am not happy no message no nothing WHAT IS THE POINT of asking if I'm happy if you aren't going to do something to find out why . Welcome to business ethics in Australia one day they will get it when foreign interests own everything . Glad your problem is solved and you are spreading the word where Not to buy fuel . Matt