Help please, we are afloat in hood canal

[GrandWood]

Hello all, we were just cruising along and engine quit like it ran out of fuel. I checked to see if there was fuel at the injection pump and there was. Undid the out put of the fuel pump and there was pressure and some fuel came out of the line. All looks good in the racor visually. There wasn’t and pressure at the injection pump.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. G. Engine?

 

[GrandWood]

No worries guys, found the problem, I’m outta fuel, which is my dumbazz mistake, being a noob, I did t notice that the sight glass tube was closed, I thought I was just getting great fuel mileage and that both tanks were tied together, I tried opening valves from the starboard to port tank, and I can’t seem to figure it out how to get fuel across. Called boat tow and there bringing me fuel. First purchase when I get back to home port is a dang fuel transfer pump.

 

[rslifkin]

Is there no way to select the engine to the other tank if that one has fuel in it? There may not be a way to transfer, but you should be able to run the engine from either tank.

 

[GrandWood]

Is there no way to select the engine to the other tank if that one has fuel in it? There may not be a way to transfer, but you should be able to run the engine from either tank.

That’s what I was thinking but I chased lines, opened valves and nothing is transferring over. I’m a noob and well I will get a mechanic to explain how this fuel system is set up, there’s a manifold type set up, looks original Grand Banks that I’ve seen in other old woodies I just can’t seem to figure out how to get the fuel to transfer over

 

[rslifkin]

That’s what I was thinking but I chased lines, opened valves and nothing is transferring over. I’m a noob and well I will get a mechanic to explain how this fuel system is set up, there’s a manifold type set up, looks original Grand Banks that I’ve seen in other old woodies I just can’t seem to figure out how to get the fuel to transfer over

If it's a manifold between the tanks and engines, you should be able to select which tank the engine is drawing from and returning to. But other than drawing from one tank and returning to the other, there's likely no way to transfer fuel from one tank to another. So you'd want the feed and return valves open for the tank that has fuel, but closed for the empty tank. Then you'll likely need to bleed the air out of the fuel system before the engine will actually start.

 

[mvweebles]

That’s what I was thinking but I chased lines, opened valves and nothing is transferring over. I’m a noob and well I will get a mechanic to explain how this fuel system is set up, there’s a manifold type set up, looks original Grand Banks that I’ve seen in other old woodies I just can’t seem to figure out how to get the fuel to transfer over

Don't feel bad. My first date with my now-wife was a harbor cruise. I had done some engine work and turned-off the fuel valve so we stalled a 1/4 mile from the marina. She still loves to tell the story how I pulled the corny "gee, must have run out of gas..." trick as an excuse to, well, you know.......

 

[tiltrider1]

Your sight tube valves should always be in the closed position except when you are checking fuel levels. Don’t make a second mistake of leaving then open only to find a bilge full of fuel.

I prefer sight tubes over gauges. Check my fuel before each trip, calculate what I will use and then recheck after the trip. If I don’t end with the right amount of fuel I start looking for issues.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Yup. Open top, open bottom, check level, close both.

The only time those valves should be open is when you check the level.

 

[bowball]

I had the same issue once but it was due to unusable fuel.

If you can’t get fuel after switching tanks you may need to bleed the air out of it first.

 

[bowball]

Your sight tube valves should always be in the closed position except when you are checking fuel levels. Don’t make a second mistake of leaving then open only to find a bilge full of fuel.

I prefer sight tubes over gauges. Check my fuel before each trip, calculate what I will use and then recheck after the trip. If I don’t end with the right amount of fuel I start looking for issues.

Have you ever seen this happen? I close them but I’m told it’s excessive caution.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Mine are just clear plastic tubes. Any impact could cause a leak. I always open the top before the bottom so if there is a leak, my hand is right on the valve.

No, never seen it happen. Hope I never see it happen. I do see a massive steel fuel tank with substantial valves top and bottom connected by a clear plastic hose.

 

[dhays]

Have you ever seen this happen? I close them but I’m told it’s excessive caution.

I keep them closed as well as I figure that it is cheap and easy insurance.

During the survey of my boat, the surveyor made a point of noting that the sight tubes have a valve on the bottom, but not on the top. It is one of the many things that I haven't gotten around to yet.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I keep them closed as well as I figure that it is cheap and easy insurance.

During the survey of my boat, the surveyor made a point of noting that the sight tubes have a valve on the bottom, but not on the top. It is one of the many things that I haven't gotten around to yet.

I got the same black mark about no valve on the top. Can't see it really matters. I never press the tank all the way up.

 

[GrandWood]

Boat tow showed up with 10gals of fuel, cruised over to pleasent harbor and fueled up. We’re back in business.

Like just about everything on this boat, nothing is labeled on the fuel manifold, so I’m going to have to take the time and figure it all out how it’s laid out.

Thank you for the tip on closing the sight tube valve as well. I would have left um open.

Also I just primed the lines from the lift pump, letting the air out at the bleed screw, and she fired right up.

Thank you all for replying much appreciated

 

[dhays]

Like just about everything on this boat, nothing is labeled on the fuel manifold, so I’m going to have to take the time and figure it all out how it’s laid out.

I have a label maker on the boat. I try to label things so even an idiot can figure it out. This is made necessary since I am the chief idiot operating the boat.

 

[tiltrider1]

Have you ever seen this happen? I close them but I’m told it’s excessive caution.

I have never seen it happen. Then again I don’t know anyone who leaves them open. It’s just not good seamanship.

 

[slowgoesit]

Don't feel bad. My first date with my now-wife was a harbor cruise. I had done some engine work and turned-off the fuel valve so we stalled a 1/4 mile from the marina. She still loves to tell the story how I pulled the corny "gee, must have run out of gas..." trick as an excuse to, well, you know.......

Well, it worked, didn't it Peter? I mean, she married you, didn't she? Just goes to show that you have great taste! Her's . . . .well, that's another story!

 

[mvweebles]

Well, it worked, didn't it Peter? I mean, she married you, didn't she? Just goes to show that you have great taste! Her's . . . .well, that's another story!

You know, I almost mentioned the time in Ensenada bringing Weebles from the yard to the marina. Alberto, the yard's mechanic who had done some work in the engine room, had inadvertantly switched off the main fuel supply line and the engine shut-down mid shipping channel....... (was good to have you aboard Scot - always traumatic when an engine shuts down unexpectedly).

 

[slowgoesit]

Hmmmm, I had forgotten about that one. And no, I won't marry you!

 

[ramkay]

Hello all, we were just cruising along and engine quit like it ran out of fuel. I checked to see if there was fuel at the injection pump and there was. Undid the out put of the fuel pump and there was pressure and some fuel came out of the line. All looks good in the racor visually. There wasn’t and pressure at the injection pump.

Any help would be much appreciated

Bleed the fuel injection pump

 

[tiltrider1]

This is almost a month old. Doubt they are still adrift in Hood Canal.

 

[rgano]

I was backing my new-to-me Grand Banks 42 out of the slip after a bit of a prolonged warmup when with the bow just clearing the end of the slip, one or both engines coughed a bit. I was in neutral and instantly pushed both clutches in forward and got enough forward motion on to drift back into the slip before they died. Duh - all the fuel lines were left closed. That 1972 model woodie had four, bottom feed fuel tanks which could be cross drained into one another by opening the appropriate individual tank valves and a crossover valve which allowed the engines to draw from any tank which had its valve open.

I once delivered a gas boat with twin engines which could ONLY be supplied from the tank on their respective sides. The tanks were top-draw with no connection between them lower down like most diesel boats are equipped with.

Are your tanks top-draw (equipped with standpipes down in the tank and connected at the top of the tank)? In so, look around the tanks for a plug or maybe even a valve and hose at the bottom. If you don't have the ability to gravity drain the diesel between tanks, it is not much of a job to install what we in the Navy called a sluice line. I once pugged the drain plugs on each of my four diesel tanks (150 gallons of diesel in each on average) to install lockable drain valves. I probably lost all of a half cup of diesel onto the rags I had ready. So, installing a sluice line is not "rocket surgery."

 

[slowgoesit]

The OP posted back in post # 3 that he had run out of fuel. It would behoove views to ready the posts before commenting on the thread. Often times the solution to the problem has been raised posts, or even pages prior . . .

 

[GrandWood]

Do to my noobness I just kept looking at the sight guages thinking I was getting unbelievable fuel mileage, I have since figured out the fuel manifold set up with the help from others here, and check my sight gauges opening and closing when I check engine room before start up. I can use each tank in either engine just opens g and closing valves located at the bottom of the tanks. Appreciate all the comments