I've posted this problem earlier this season and after a quick fix for the problem I can now explain it better. This only happens when I let my boat sit for more than two weeks.
As before I went to start my O/B engine, when I went to pump the primer bulb and found that it was already hard. I tried to start the engine without success and I knew at this point what I needed to do. I unscrewed both drain plugs out of all three carbs. As I did this the fuel that was in the carbs flow out much thicker than fuel and dark green, like Simple Green only darker. After this I noticed that the fuel at the bottom of my 10 micron water separator filter in it's clear bowl was dark green too. I drained the filter as well as all of the fuel in the primer bulb line. The first bit of fuel that came out of the primer line was also thick and dark green too. I did take some of the fuel from the filter that I drained an set it aside to see if there was any water in it and there wasn't. I then sprayed carb cleaner into each tube in each barrel to flush any gelled fuel that remained in the carbs. After all of this I was then able to start and run my engine.
I know this is related to the ethanol in the fuel I buy. How can I stop this? I don't want to have to deal with this when I go striper fishing and it is 20°.
As before I went to start my O/B engine, when I went to pump the primer bulb and found that it was already hard. I tried to start the engine without success and I knew at this point what I needed to do. I unscrewed both drain plugs out of all three carbs. As I did this the fuel that was in the carbs flow out much thicker than fuel and dark green, like Simple Green only darker. After this I noticed that the fuel at the bottom of my 10 micron water separator filter in it's clear bowl was dark green too. I drained the filter as well as all of the fuel in the primer bulb line. The first bit of fuel that came out of the primer line was also thick and dark green too. I did take some of the fuel from the filter that I drained an set it aside to see if there was any water in it and there wasn't. I then sprayed carb cleaner into each tube in each barrel to flush any gelled fuel that remained in the carbs. After all of this I was then able to start and run my engine.
I know this is related to the ethanol in the fuel I buy. How can I stop this? I don't want to have to deal with this when I go striper fishing and it is 20°.