Repowering: Should I change fuel lines?

[BlueSwan]

I have a 2005 228 Seafarer. Getting ready to repower with a new YamF250 (mechanical controls so I can keep my gauges/binnacle and keep costs down). Haven't had any problems with them but should I change my fuel lines?

 

[DennisG01]

Haven't had any problems with them but should I change my fuel lines?

This is the wrong way to think about this. Of course you haven't had any problems - otherwise you WOULD have changed them

Eventually you WILL have problems. However, if your true thinking is about whether or not it's worthwhile to do it "now" (to save on labor)... scratch that, too. There's really no time saved by doing it now.

All that said... they are getting close to 20 years old - it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to do it, either.

 

[Gulffisher]

Replace the fuel lines and fuel/water separator. The cost is around 1% of the total repower cost.

Are you not concerned about condition of the cables and the steering system components? If these systems are 2005 OEM , they are likely near the end of their trouble-free life.

And unless your family will go without food and clothing, you really should think more about digital controls. I just recently installed 225 Merc digital shift on my 2001, 22-footer and I LOVE IT. I WILL NEVER go back to mechanical shift. My only regret is not going digital steer as well.

 

[Billv]

I would. Small price to prevent a future problem

 

[BlueSwan]

And the last 5 years were with E10 fuel (stabilized), so sounds like it time to change them out. Thanks capt'n Dennis

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

Yes you should change the fuel lines and if necessary the fuel filter too.
Yamaha has a nice fuel filter with composite bracket what never corrodes, I used them on many boats and never had a problem.

Rather than buying a Yamaha manual cable outboard outboard I would shop around to see if a Suzuki DF250 would be cheaper and one model has digital control and a nice gauge. The other model is the 200-250HP V6 what is a very sturdy engine, has cable steering but a new gauge.
I consider digital controls a must for twins but not for single outboard as the soft digital control makes docking easier than with cable control as I can use the digital control with one hand to control both motors.
Should I have to repower with a single I would consider a cable steering if the price would be considerable lower.

Chris

 

[seasick]

To an extent, the fuel lines age faster when exposed to sunlight. So if your lines are encased in a rigging tube at the motor well and feel pliable and you don't smell fuel, there is no rush to change them. If you do decide to change, you should change the primer bulbs if they are old. Buy oem primers, the cheaper knockoffs are garbage.
One important tip: If you have rigging tubes to the motor, take many pictures of all the wires, hoses and cables as they lie before pulling things. You would be amazed at how many wrong ways you can arrange new lines and hoses in that molded grommet on the motor!

 

[DennisG01]

You would be amazed at how many wrong ways you can arrange new lines and hoses in that molded grommet on the motor!

I hate that grommet. I've "gutted" more than a few of those... MUCH easier, now!

 

[Sardinia306Bimini]

To an extent, the fuel lines age faster when exposed to sunlight. So if your lines are encased in a rigging tube at the motor well and feel pliable and you don't smell fuel, there is no rush to change them.

Yes you are basically right,
but when I install a new engine I am picky with fuel and power connections, particularly if they are more than 10 years old.
Replacing a fuel hose should not be neither complicated nor expensive, so I just change it and feel better after, same for old, corroded fuel filters.
20$ more for a few foot of new ethanol safe fuel hose and a OEM bulb is not really that much.
Chris

 

[seasick]

The issue is that if you are going to replace the hose from the motor to the primer and the hose from the primer to the water separator flange, you should change the hose from the separator flange to the tank pickup and that is where things can get complicated. On my grady that section of fuel line noy only ran around an aft water tank but it was clamped to the bulkheads, meaning that I had to remove the deck lid and undo the hose clamps. The deck lid was screwed but also caulked so it took time to get it off and of course put it back. Some swaps are easy and some are a pain.

 

[BlueSwan]

Yes, my deck lid is caulked as well and the 6" inspection port only provides limited access. Actually, I re-caulked the deck lid last year because I was constantly getting rainwater infiltration through the old caulking and keeping the top of my fuel tank unnecessarily moist (and prompt to black mold growth). The recaulking did the trick. But I agree with you, simple things can quickly become more painful. Thanks for the heads'up.

 

[5-Salt]

Yes

Installed aux tank last summer - super simple to replace with hatches off.
Old Caulk clean up and new caulk install turned our be much easier than I initially planned

 

[BlueSwan]

Just a comment to 5-Salt: thanks for sharing the pictures. As I look closer at your hookups, I notice you installed double SS flex hose clamps at every connection. This is a good practice, however a better way to improve tightness is to install them in opposite direction of each other. The reason for this is that each clamp introduces a twisting torque on the hose and the radial pressure tends to be uneven around the circumference (actually tighter opposite the screw and more prone to wrinkles under the screw). This is just the way those hose clamps work. In order to address this design flaw of flex hose clamps, one can install a second clamp adjacent to the first one, but in the other direction. The two opposite torque forces will create a shear force on the hose, improving the ability for the connection to seal under pressure.

 

[drbatts]

Yes, change the fuel lines. if you pull the deck plates up you have good exposure and it's a simple job. Do it on a warm day and the hoses will be easier to work with. I would also reconsider the mechanical controls. The digital controls are so much nicer. Your already spending money do it right, replace the 20-year-old controls and fuels lines while you're at it.

 

[Hookup1]

It's not that complicated. Yes, change the fuel lines. Consider the fuel tanks as well depending on their age.

 

[Fishtales]

When I repower, lines and tanks if not done earlier will be done at the same time.