Is there an easy way to do this?

[Grimracer]

Guys, I want to thank you all for the suggestions you have all given me so far. Unfortunately, my job is limiting my options so, for today anyway, I'm going to be:

• pulling the back plate off the engine and replacing it with one off another one of my engines that has a bad head on it. Would have just replaced the head but the bearings feel rough and it is very noisy, even without a glow plug in it
• Flushing out the pipe and muffler with IPA and Brakleen

Was seriously "torqued" at the LHS on my way to work. Needed to buy:

• some blue Locktite, out of stock at the supplier(found a big 1.2 ounce bottle of Permatex Blue Threadlocker for $30 at a NAPA a few miles away)
• some brass tubing to rework the fuel tanks, again, out of stock at the supplier so the tanks will have to wait. I do have some "multifuel" rebuild kits but the tubes are too short to work for the pick ups.

Rick, to answer your questions,

• yes, I've run the rear tank dry and was close to empty on the front(feed tank) several times over the years.
• yes, the pick ups are in the left rear corner when the tanks are in the boat

This brings me to a few questions.
For Grim... Where did you get the hard brass tubing?
For Mike Hughes... You recommended SS tubing to someone for cooling lines. Where did you find it or do I need to order it from K&S?
Would I be better off having a single metal tank made up for it?

Tom is right.. K+S Brass tubing.. do not use there soft brass tubing.

 

[Mike Cathey]

I had my boat’s tune on the two pump Boris meter at 57-58 last weekend. Bumped the 3rd Chanel lean a couple of clicks after the start. I finished 12 out of 13 heats for the weekend. The boat stuffed when I ran out of talent and drove into John Olson’s roostertail. The weather changed a lot during the two days of racing and had to chase it with the flow meter 2-3 times every day.

In Ellensberg my number was 62-63.

Sometimes it seems like you just have to strip the boat down as if it just came out of paint and refurbish everything.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Just a quick up date:

• Just finished flushing out the exhaust with acetone and Brakleen. Stuff came out pretty much black. Verified the pressure fitting was clear, again the pipe cleaner was pretty much black.
• Got the engine reworked, found the throttle arm is too tight, going to fix that when I get home.
• I'll be placing an order with K&S tomorrow for some 5/32 hard brass and some SS tubing and, as soon as it shows up, the tanks come out. Might even go so far as to order a couple of new tanks from Sullivan since I don't know how old the existing ones are, other than they were in the boat when I got it.

As far as the needle goes, I'll be playing with that tomorrow or Saturday. I've set the bar real high for this weekend, just want an attempted start

 

[Mike Hughes]

The SS tubing I was talking about is too big of a wall for what you are trying to do.

 

[Mike Hughes]

I had my boat’s tune on the two pump Boris meter at 57-58 last weekend. Bumped the 3rd Chanel lean a couple of clicks after the start. I finished 12 out of 13 heats for the weekend. The boat stuffed when I ran out of talent and drove into John Olson’s roostertail. The weather changed a lot during the two days of racing and had to chase it with the flow meter 2-3 times every day.

In Ellensberg my number was 62-63.

Sometimes it seems like you just have to strip the boat down as if it just came out of paint and refurbish everything.

Just so you know. Smaller number is fat. Higher is leaner. So your 50 was running on the fat side. My hydros run in the 60 range.
Mike

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Just so you know. Smaller number is fat. Higher is leaner. So your 50 was running on the fat side. My hydros run in the 60 range.
Mike

I got that Mike, just like wire sizes.
When I first got my meter, I was told by one of the guys to stay around 50, not sure if that was due to the meter he was using(was one of the propane meters) or he was trying to prevent me from destroying an engine. Since both you and Mike have said the same thing, I'll lean it out a bit and see what happens. I just know the first carb went rich on me, was in the low 40s when I got the boat back to the beach so, hopefully, I can get some decent runs in this weekend and see a bit more speed out of it

 

[Wasted wages]

The acetone trick works pretty good for the pipes, doesn't it!!

Just a FYI, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Tractor supply all carry KS brass tubing...

Probably ridiculously priced, but just another resource in a pinch..

 

[Hydro Junkie]

The SS tubing I was talking about is too big of a wall for what you are trying to do.

I was thinking the SS for cooling lines for other builds, not for the tanks. I remember you mentioning it to someone a while back, I figured I'd give it a try.

 

[K F Wheeler]

Glad you decided to go with 5/32" for the fuel lines. I tried using the supplied brass tube that comes with the tanks and new tank stoppers. But find it a bit on the short side for trying to get to the far left corner of the tank... Softened up some K+S 1/8" brass tube and inserted that in. Yes, I did wait for it to cool down... I have got my hands on 5/32" brass tube (K+S) ordered from McMaster-Carr. And ordered the 5/32" tubing bender from Du-Bro. I'm going to change all my brass tube to 5/32" Dia. Because I don't like how the longer 1/8" that I used from a 1 foot piece fits through the rubber stopper. Both of the two stoppers are only about two months old at most. I think it slips too easily for my taste. May work for now... But, I would prefer it to be a bit tighter. The other tubes have a lot of small kinks. Going to see if I can't do better.
Since you're not sure how old the tanks and stoppers are (I'm assuming...) now would be a good time to change those stoppers. The tanks hold up pretty well. But that rubber sure don't!! Smarter to change now while you're re doing the tanks. And, before they cause problems. They can look good. But, if you can rub the rubber where the fuel may touch with your hands and get any small pieces off from them, IT'S TIME!

Ken

 

[Hydro Junkie]

The supplied tubes are cut for use with an internal flexible tube and clunk, a set up better suited to aircraft. The thinner tubes are also better suited for aircraft since an aircraft engine, in general, is normally running at a much leaner setting and at a considerably lower RPM than a comparably sized marine engine.
Was just thinking, kind of ironic that this topic came up. I've been trying to get a guy that flies electrics in another forum to understand that marine and aircraft engines have to be tuned differently but he just doesn't get it

 

[Grimracer]

I did some calculation's some time ago.. a good 90 boat will use up to 2oz (ish) per lap!

 

[John Beardslee]

I’ve always taken time with plastic tanks to make sure to clean any flashings/scrap plastic around the opening for the rubber bung. Don’t just shove the bung in thinking it will seal because it’s soft rubber. I’ve seen many a leak lead back to neglecting this step.
John

 

[Wasted wages]

Glad you decided to go with 5/32" for the fuel lines. I tried using the supplied brass tube that comes with the tanks and new tank stoppers. But find it a bit on the short side for trying to get to the far left corner of the tank... Softened up some K+S 1/8" brass tube and inserted that in. Yes, I did wait for it to cool down... I have got my hands on 5/32" brass tube (K+S) ordered from McMaster-Carr. And ordered the 5/32" tubing bender from Du-Bro. I'm going to change all my brass tube to 5/32" Dia. Because I don't like how the longer 1/8" that I used from a 1 foot piece fits through the rubber stopper. Both of the two stoppers are only about two months old at most. I think it slips too easily for my taste. May work for now... But, I would prefer it to be a bit tighter. The other tubes have a lot of small kinks. Going to see if I can't do better.
Since you're not sure how old the tanks and stoppers are (I'm assuming...) now would be a good time to change those stoppers. The tanks hold up pretty well. But that rubber sure don't!! Smarter to change now while you're re doing the tanks. And, before they cause problems. They can look good. But, if you can rub the rubber where the fuel may touch with your hands and get any small pieces off from them, IT'S TIME!

Ken

When you say far left side, are you putting the pickup tube to the front of the tank farthest from the stopper ?

I always bend my pick up tube into a U shape and drop it into the left corner directly below the stopper. Then bend the pipe pressure tube to fit into the little bubble in the top of the tank.

If you fill the tube with fine sand after annealing it, you can shape it with your thumbs without kinking it.
Another trick is to thread a piece of cable that fits snug inside the tube, make your bends and pull the cable out.

I also cut the tip of the brass tube at a 45
so there is no chance of it getting blocked if it gets pushed up against the wall of the tank. You can also drill a few small holes in the end of the tube to achieve the same purpose.

Ream the plastic flashing from inside the neck of the tank, and then blow everything clear with compressed air.

I use a 1 Oz pony tank on everything I can fit one in if I'm using a large single tank. Such as in a mono...

 

[K F Wheeler]

Yes, in this case I'm picking up at the farthest point away from the stopper. In this instance, the opposite end of the tank is the farthest portion back in the boat. Pickup end is cut at an angle. As well as opening up with an xacto blade. Incidentally, that tube sits on the bottom of the tank. Then runs up about 1/8" and then further back. This way the pickup end of the tube can in no way be any closer than that 1/8"... Also, has a slight bend to the left so that it can touch the far left side of the tank, looking at the tank from the back of the boat. With another slight bend so that the end of the tube stays away from the side a little. At rest that tube doesn't touch the side of the tank. This tube only lightly touches the bottom. I do this more as a means to keep the tube from bouncing. It DOES take me a long time to get it "Just Right"... That's why I like the tube to fit tight in the stopper and cap. I don't want the tube to move from where I put it. And just as important or more... I want to be sure there's no way it can leak!!!

Ken

 

[Hydro Junkie]

After a VERY WARM weekend, talking 107 degrees both days, I'm back home and loving the cooler temperature, 73 as I type this. Needless to say, it was a very poor day at the pond, got three DNS and a DNF. The thing seemed like it wanted to go but, either we couldn't get a good needle or the heat was a serious issue. With that said, the altitude wasn't an issue as we were only at 341 feet so I can discount that right off the top. As for the DNF, got the boat on the water but there wasn't really any power to it. Got 3.5 laps and it died in the backstretch. Tanks will be coming out later this week so I'll let you know what I find then
Watched the second day of the H-1 race and it was a JImmy Shane/Homestreet show. That boat was just untouchable all weekend. Team Madison's other boat, the Goodman Racing, looked almost as good but just wasn't able to catch the Homestreet. It was good enough for a second place finish in the final EXCEPT Jeff Bernard jumped and was given fourth. Didn't get to see the U-40 flip or how bad the boat was since it was gone before we got back to the park on Sunday. Several boats didn't even show up and, as a result, we had the U-21's Brian Perkins racing electric boats with us all day Saturday.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Just a quick update. Contacted K&S and placed an order, just not quite what I wanted. What I was told is

• to order SS tubing, there is a minimum of FOUR pieces in the length I wanted the 72", of the 5/32 OD for multiple builds.
• I would have to wait until at least JANUARY 2023 before it will be in stock
• it won't ship until at least Wednesday so I will have to wait until next week to get it

Needless to say, I can't wait that long for SS tubing so I ordered two 5 packs of 36" 5/32 OD brass and, for the record, not the bendable brass. I figure I can use it for my tanks and to plumb in the cooling lines for some builds I'm working on

 

[P THOMAS]

?? 5/16 is size for 1/4 drive cable. hope you mean 5/32

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I typo'd it Phil. Thanks for catching it for me. I've corrected it

 

[Roxyflash]

Does the carbs use low needles ?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I have an OS 9B on my engine so I think the answer is yes. If it's set wrong, I would love to know what the correct setting is so I can check it out