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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Mike: Were I you, I would troubleshoot by isolating
components. You can bypass your tank, racor, your lift pump, and your
return line connection by using clean fuel in a clean container (like a
$3.00 plastic can) to see if your problem stops. If it does, put your tank
back online but run your return line elsewhere, etc, etc, etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Betcha a dollar its just a "loose" fitting. Which
lines are you getting air from--injector lines, main fuel feed, or both? If in
the main fuel feed, where?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>R</FONT></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=sail_505@hotmail.com href="mailto:sail_505@hotmail.com">Mike
Lehman</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=public-list@alberg30.org
href="mailto:public-list@alberg30.org">public-list@alberg30.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, July 17, 2002 2:12
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Alberg30] Diesels, Fuel and
Air</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>Ever since I installed my diesel about 6 years ago, I have had this
re-occurring problem, so I thought I would ask for advice from the list. I
find that, after running the engine for several hours, I get a buildup of air
in the fuel lines and the engine starts to stall and run poorly. The problem
is so frequent and predictable that I keep a 10mm box wrench hanging next to
the engine so I can quickly open the bleed valve on the injector pump and
bleed off the air, then it will run fine for several more hours. It
generally coincides with a change in engine speed. This always happens at the
worst possible times, such as entering Sandy Point State Park between the Bay
Bridge and the rock jetty with a 1-1/2 knt current and 20 knts of cross-wind
while single-handing the boat. It makes you a damn good sailor, keeps you
alert and sometimes scares the s--- out of you. </P>
<P>I have check everything: replaced the fuel pump, rebuilt the new Racor 500,
keep the filters clean, use biospore, removed and cleaned the tank, removed
the screen from the pickup tube, checked for water and contamination and now I
am running out of ideas. It must be a design problem! My tank is an aluminum
18 gallon saddle tank mounted outboard in the starboard sail locker. The lines
are all USCG approved rubber fuel lines. The supply is at the forward part of
the tank and provides excellent gravity feed to the engine below. Next in line
is the Racor, then the on-engine filter then the electric lift pump and
finally to the injector pump. This all seems fine and designed appropriately.
The return line connects to the rear of the tank to a t-fitting which is
shared by the vent line. Here's my current thought....since the engine only
burns 1/2 gallon per hour and the fuel pump feeds much more than that, a lot
of fuel is being returned to the tank. Is it possible that the ret! urned fuel
is blocking the vent thereby creating a vacuum causing the pump to suck harder
and drawing in air from an otherwise air tight system? My thought is
to convert the vent/return connection and make it "vent only". Then "T"
the return line into the supply line between the tank and the Racor filter on
the suction side of the pump.</P>
<P>Does anyone have any thoughts on this?<BR><BR>Mike Lehman </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>"Gilleleje" #505 </DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<P>"One can never enter the same river twice. The river is always new; the man
is forever changed."</P>
<DIV></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all>
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