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Ran the boat Friday for about three hours, ran great. Topped of the tank with 21 gallons of gas and put the boat to sleep for Saturdays fishing. Saturday the boat started okay, but the SB motor stalled a few times idling out to the intercoastal. As the day went on the engines started running worse and worse. Finally, the SB motor shut down all together and the port ran like crap. Eventually the port motor stalled and died too. Got both running again, but they stall at idle.
They run rough, RPMs do not stay level, they go up and down. In neutral, they both rev up, but under load, I cannot get past 1800 RPM port side and 3000 RPM SB side.
I removed and replaced the fuel/water seperators three times. The problem is marginally better, at best. I notified the marina where I got gas. They told me they sell tons of gas and get two weekly deliveries. They said nobody else complained of a problem. I explained what happened and the time line. They said they would have their fuel and my fuel tested.
I do not care about their fuel and the test. I want my engines running again. The season is too short to be playing around with chemestry sets. Aside from draining the tanks dry, or replacing the filters every day until the tank's empty, what else can I do?
-Scott K.
Sorry I forgot. I have twin 150EFI Suzukis. They ran crazy great until now. I have a single 150 gallon tank.
Sorry, but if bad gas is indeed the problem, there is no other alternative. The tanks need to be drained. Period. All the filters in the world wont help. You'll probably also need to clean out the carbs (if not EFI). Gas stations will always deny selling bad fuel, so try to contact others who may have bought gas there around the same time as you did. Good luck.
I had a similar problem last summer, but the problem was my own fault. Short version is that I got some water in the tank.
In any case, before I knew it was there, I had both engines' fuel systems full of water, through all the way to the injectors.
I drained my tank as best as I could, flushed the fuel system on both engines, changed all fuel filters, and installed sight-glass style fuel/water separators. This was all in July 04. I spent the rest of the season changing filters, flushing fuel systems on the engines, draining the fuel/water separators, and generally having sh***y trips offshore.
Again the short version: I decided to change the tank out, since the old one was old and corroded anyway.
I would suggest you do your very best to drain your tank COMPLETELY. Remove the fuel pickup line and insert a tube in to make sure you get ALL of it out.
If you got very much water, you could change a lot of filter/seperators before you get it all. You should not have to drain the whole tank to get rid of the water. Considering the cost of disposing of gasline as waste is about 3X the cost of buying it, that is a really expensive option with a 150 gal tank. Due to specific gravity difference, it is all at the bottom of the tank. If you can put the boat on a trailer, do so and then raise the trailer tongue as high as you can. Slightly raising one side of boat/trailer helps also. You want to establish a low point in a corner of the tank. Remove the fuel sender (should be near forward end of the tank). Insert a stiff hose into the rear bottom of the tank and SLOWLY pump fuel/water from tank until only fuel comes from pump. Take your time, you don't want to mix the fuel and water. It would not hurt to let the tank contents settle a few hours or overnight after pump runs just gas and try again. You should only have to remove a very small portion of the overall tank contents to get virtually all the remaining water out. When you think you have all the water out, re-install fuel sender and add STA-BIL or similar product to remaining gas. This should absorb any remaining moisture, which should very minimal if process is followed carefully. Change the filter/seperator one more time and flush all the fuel lines. Clean/flush EFI system one last time and you should be good to go. You should save many hundreds of dollars by not having to replace fuel and dispose of the "bad" fuel. I have personally seen this approach work many times.
Keys are establishing reliable low point to pull water from, not disturbing fuel/water boundary any more than necessary and flushing all lines.
Water in fuel...maybe but it could be vapor lock! Check the vent. Sometimes critters get in there or pounding of the hull could make the flapper/ball stick. It's happened to me with similar symptoms as you have. You should check it out before you go thru the pain of empting and/or changing the tank out!
** "They said they would have their fuel and my fuel tested."*
See what the test says.* Will they do it right away?* What's to lose?* Good starting point.* Good luck.* Seriously, is it a heavily used gas pump?* It's mid season, gas should not be bad.* I'd personally check around.* Is it water or crud...what do the filters show.* Do you have 'blockage'*in the fuel line?* *What are you seeing?* *
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Boston Whaler, "MUMBLER", 24 Outrage, twin 175 HP Evinrude Ocean Pros
Haven't gotten bad fuel in my boat, but last year my wife filled up her Jetta w/ bad fuel from a gas station and she didn't even make it out of the parking lot. Luckily a mechanic from a local shop was there and told her "yesterday I had 16 cars towed to my shop from this station. ALL had sludge in the fuel tanks!"The drained and cleaned the tanks, flushed the lines, cleaned the injectors, and replaced filters. Station paid the bill.
Just went through the samething last week. MY fuel/water separator alarm was going off every trip. I disconnectd fuel line from engine and siponed out the gas. Parked boat trailer on a slope and drained tank (only like 12 gallans in tank). Changed filter and poured 1/3 bottle of Water-Sorb and put in 25 gallons of new fuel. Engine running great now. Check your vent hose and also check your gas cap to make sure no water(rain) in getting into tank from there. ALL gas caps should have an O- ring on them. Hope this helps
A few years ago I pulled up to the gas station to fill up on diesel I caught them after they put about 10 gallons in the attendent called the owner who showed up a few minutes later. The gas pump was right next to the diesel. He kind of gave me a hard time till I pointed to the cap that lists diesel fuel only. They drained the tank and added fuel to it but it was still below a half tank, less than what was in it when I pulled in. I had the same guy fill it and I refused to pay for the fuel tank sighting compensation. I told them to contact the owner if there was a problem. Never got a bill.
I got bad gas, what should I do? 
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