Fuel line dilema

[flatout]

I have a 06 250XS and i had a problem with fuel delivery at WOT. The motor would scoot up to mid 80s and then start losing rpm. I would ease up on the throttle and the power came back somewhat. This problem seemed to get worse every outing so I did the obvious. Changed the filter looked for leaks checked for water, changed the pulse pump. All to no avail. The fuel line looked and felt perfect and the sqeeze ball showed good flow into a cup so I didnt suspect a blockage. With nothing left to check I decided to change the fuel line since it is a cheap upgrade. For fun I decided to split the old line and that is when I found it. The Mercury fuel line had separated the liner and was being sucked flat like a pancake inside. I would never have believed it.
Is it the damn ethenol breaking down the liner? How many have had this problem?
Howard..

 

[h2oskiier30]

Yes, ethanol is breaking down the liner.

 

[Jay Martin]

Mine did the same thing or at lest I changed it out before it did, the liner had turned brown and looked like it was getting loose. I was told the older Merc line is doing this, they say as long as the line has EPA on it, it will be fine. I suggest running Starbrite Startron in every tank, I started using it over two years ago and have yet to have an ethanol related issue.

I run it in my boat, weedeater, lawnmower leaf blower, jetski and motor cycle. They all crank up with ease every spring. 1 once treats 16 gallons.

 

[jcon]

I went through the same thing & took my boat to Glynn at Reynolds Racing.He first took the fuel line off & cut it open & it was falling apart from the inside & was plugging everything up.He had to replace the fuel line ,bubble,& fuel filter.He also had to clean out the vst tank because it was full of crap from the rotten fuel line & even the fuel pump had to be cleaned out & rebuilt.After everything was done I had him tinker with my setup & do some prop testing & while running my boat the motor grenaded on him.With the block being destroyed I had him order a new powerhead from Mercury & install.He sent my injectors to Brucato & after getting them back & investigating everything we think that the injector for the cylinder that let go was so stopped up that it leaned the cylinder out to the point that it blew.This has been a costly lesson & since getting everything repaired I only run 100% gas even if I have to drive a little out of the way.

 

[h2oskiier30]

This has been a costly lesson & since getting everything repaired I only run 100% gas even if I have to drive a little out of the way.

Smart man.

I run 100LL from the airport at $5.10/gallon if I have to. I'm just not going to run ethanol crap in my motor. Fortunately, the little station here that once sold real gas, then took it away, has come to their senses and begun to sell non-ethanol again.

 

[jcon]

Smart man.

I run 100LL from the airport at $5.10/gallon if I have to. I'm just not going to run ethanol crap in my motor. Fortunately, the little station here that once sold real gas, then took it away, has come to their senses and begun to sell non-ethanol again.

Around here several stations have started selling 100% gas due to the high demand.At first most were only selling low grade (87) but now several have started selling high grade (93).I have two stations within five miles of my house that sell the high grade 100%,& both of them get good business.

 

[silverbullet02]

I had the same problem with that fuel hose liner. Luckily I caught it before it became a problem. I went down to the parts store and just got some regular fuel line and put on it. Good to go!

All these years of running ethanol fuels and that's the only issue I've had. I haven't seen the need to pay extra for non ethanol fuels (if they were even available). Haven't noticed a difference in either my car or boat that would warrant it. There was a station that I used to run non ethanol fuel from, and my car would actually knock when I got into it. I ran it a bit. Run another station, the knock went away. Remember back when there were no ethanol stations but there were stations that sold high quality and low quality gas? This musta been one of those low quality stations. Just because it says 100% gas doesn't necessarily mean it's good gas. It's all a gamble.

 

[Jr in Jax]

While on vacation on Lake Chatuge [2K MSL] my boat would only run 80 MPH on 93 ethanol fuel. I found a station in Hiawassee with non ethanol 93 and then my boat would run 88 and get at least 30-40% better mileage. My Wife's car and the PWCs [turbocharged Hondas] did also.
Charlie has a whole pile of different fuel lines [at his shop] that are cut open to show how ethanol kills almost all of the liners. It also killed my high pressure hose from the VST to the injectors and stopped up their screens.

 

[90 5.0]

I had the same thing happen on my v-max in my old skeeter, i changed all sorts of stuff before i finally realized the fuel line was sucking shut on the inside, it was fairly new and looked good from the outside, i changed every bit of hose on it.

 

[allimax]

What type of fuel line did they use from the fuel filter to the VST? I didn't replace them when I did the main lines because I was told they are not normally affected. All I can buy here in MD is ethenal.