DanD

That was a concern before ethanol but not so much since. I ran a gas station before and during the introduction of ethanol. The pumps & dispensers were maintained by the oil company and they were one of the few companies that had spin on fuel filters (looked like a car’s oil filter) on the sides of the dispensers. These filters had to be replaced every two or three months because of the sediment being churned up when the underground tanks were filled. When ethanol was first introduced these filter would plug up almost every week for the first few months and then slowing began lasting longer and longer. To the point that they were only changed once a year, just out of maintenance sake not because they were plugged. One of the company’s engineers said that strait gasoline has a neutral magnetic charge and that the dirt would settle to the bottom of the tanks; but ethanol has a positive magnetic charge and would hold the dirt in suspension and that was why the filters were plugging up so often, until all that sediment was cleaned (pumped) out. Water is still a bit of an issue because ethanol absorbs it and it will settle to the bottom once the ethanol becomes saturated with it. But the pumps which are submersible pumps inside the 40, 50, 60 thousand liter tanks are positioned approx 1 or 2 centimeters from the bottom. So if there’s any water in there it’ll be pumped out well before it can collect in any great amount; not enough to cause any running issues in vehicles anyway. I’m also talking about water that has collected by moisture in the air not water due to a tank leak or some other form. I know for sure the pumps were that far down inside the tanks because when I dipped the tanks, they would quit pumping at about a centimeter. Dan.

Yea you got me; I answered because I couldn't beleive someone didn't know what autopilot was. LOL What can I say I'm gullible??? LOL Dan.

Like the name implies; with a set of navigation (GPS)waypoints entered into a route; the autopilot, when engaged will automatically take you there. The sad part is that the systems that I seen do not have collision avoidance capabilities. The autopilot will take you to a waypoint in the most direct route; regardless if anything is in your way. Dan.

Please let us know how this has worked out and what the issue actually is/was. A thing like this gets my interest up; what can I say I’m an auto tech and like hearing problems and fixes. It might apply to something I’m working on the future? Dan.

Not sure how the fuel pressure is regulated or what the fuel pressure should be but with your description the engine may be over fueling at idle? Why I’m thinking this is with the fuel line disconnected it runs ok; you’re slowly starving the engine of fuel until there’s no fuel pressure left and then stalls? Being an electronically controlled system it may not actually be an issue with the fuel system but a sensor telling the computer inaccurate information. Something like an engine temperature sensor for example; if it’s gone a skew and telling the computer the engine is cold; the computer will in-turn dump fuel into the engine. A cold engine needs extra fuel to run correctly but a warm engine will begin to flood out. Just guessing here but when it’s doing its thing “putter putter” does it smell rich (heavy exhaust fumes)? Dan.

The age old adage; don’t get mom angry, you’ll regret it. Dan.

Good enough for me; I’ll move around enough so it doesn’t look like I’m pouching. Dan. PS: Please understand that was meant as a joke.

As am I not trying to be rude; it’s an honest question. If the regs say I must stop fishing that area I’m out of there. Worked to hard for the stuff I have and I’ll be dammed if I’ll let a fish ranger take it away from me for being uninformed. Dan.

Not to start a pissing match; it’s not my intension and I’m just curious but is that your opinion or is that stated in the regs? If the latter, can you direct me to the page where this is printed. I was always under the impression that you can fish anywhere other then designated sanctuaries; just as long as you immediately release any OOS fish? Let’s not get into presentation, lure selection or the morals of it; just the writen legality of it. I’m talking about the body of water that you're legally fishing in; that happens to hold OOS bass; along with a number of other in-season fish; do the regs actually say that I must leave the area? Remember this is just a question not a statement. Dan.

Congratulations to your daughter Wayne; something to be proud of for sure. Andy my youngest has just graduated with his Bachelor of Engineering; went to his grad last weekend. He was picked up by General Dynamics in the tank division, here in London. He almost lost out on the job; not due to his credentials but because of his chest size. 2 inches bigger he wouldn’t have fit inside the tank’s hatches. That’s one off the books; Michelle my oldest has 2 more years of law in Ottawa to go. I’ve already started window shopping for my new boat. LOL Can’t remember what it’s like not paying tuition? It’ll be 12 years worth between the two kids; worth every cent when you see them succeed. But if either one says Masters; I think I’ll crap my pants. LOL Dan. My two kids; well they're still kids to me.

LOL I can see me now!!! Walking into Timmies and some kid pulling the cord; a double/double and a box of bits against the ceiling. Thanks for the input people. Dan.

What’s everyone's take on these inflatable PFDs? I can hardly stand wearing a regular PFD; I try to remember to put it on when powered up but more times then none its hanging on the back of the seat. So I’m thinking of getting an inflatable and make myself put it on anytime I’m in the boat. My question is which one, a manual or automatic inflate? I can see the benefit of the auto; falling overboard and bonking your head, the thing will inflate for you. But how sensitive are these things; would I have to be concerned of the thing inflating in a down poor of rain? I’m not talking a shower that’ll wet your clothing down but the kind of rain that the bilge pump has to work at keeping up with the rain coming into the boat. Have there been many stories of either style inflating accidentally or accidentally on purpose with the help of your fishing partner? Thanks. Dan.

I ran into this a few times when the Iron Duke was popular in GMs; especially the Fieros. People use to think they had a race car and spun them up pretty high rpm wise. There was an issue with the harmonic balancers causing or not controlling unwanted torsional twist of the crankshaft. This twisting and flexing back (washing machine action) would pound on the cam gears teeth, causing them to strip out at high rpm. This being a marine application; make sure the proper balancer or if available an up-dated balancer is installed and that it’s not an automotive one; I believe the cranks are balanced and configured differently for marine. I have seen people put on an automotive balancer to gain the pulley configuration to drive accessories like power steering. The camshaft’s end play is also very important; to much and the cam and gear will walk in and out causing a sawing action against the fiber cam gear and steel crank gear. With the cam, cam thrust plate and gear installed there should be .0015” to no more then .0050” max; measured between thrust plate and gear flange. To tight can also cause the cam to bind again damaging the gear. The next thing is the poor oiling that the gears get; the only oil they originally received is from whatever leaks out of the cam and crankshaft’s end bearings. To address this GM brought out a TSB saying to drill a .040” (1mm) hole in the oil galley end plug behind the cam gear. This will allow main line oil pressure to spray against the gear. Do not dill this hole any larger then the .040”; bigger isn’t better in this case. You’ll loose too much oil pressure through it and possibly starving something else. Maybe when the block was rebuilt and the galley plugs removed to clean the galley they didn’t drill the new plug? Also always replace the gears in matched sets; if your supplier only offers them with individual part numbers they are old stock don’t use them. Now mind you all of this is automotive but it probably also applies to marine the basic blocks are the same. One last thing; make sure you pull the oil pan off and clean out all of the chewed up fiber gear that will be in there and in the oil pump pick-up tube. Dan.

I would also switch the float switch. The float will or could burn out its point’s contacts or the bilge pump itself from being electrically toggled on and off continually, while out on choppy water. I’ve wired my float pump to a three way switch; this allows me to turn off the pump completely, on continually or set it to only come on when the float dictates it. Dan.

I’ve only been there once and don’t know if this is the norm; but the launch in Port Colborne at sugarloaf marina has to be the best organized and likely one of the busiest, I’ve ever been too. Four ramps that have (had?) dedicated in & out lanes and attendants that dictated who, where and what people are allowed to do. When we first pulled in, we thought we were in for a long wait; the parking lot was 2/3 full; but man did it go fast. If the boat wasn’t ready to slip off the trailer, as you lined up to back down; you were told back of the line and get it ready. There were other dock hands as well; they helped anywhere they were needed; one guy had an attendant back the trailer in for him. I can’t remember what the ramp fee was; but it wasn’t out of line, not for me to remember anyway? I know this wouldn’t be feasible at smaller marinas or ramps all the time; but on the days that they know they are going to be busy (bass opener); why wouldn’t they hire a ramp cop? It would increase traffic in & out of the ramp; which in-turn would increase their profits. I’d even pay extra; just for the sake of it being organized and fast moving. It was real slick at sugarloaf that day; not one ramp temper tantrum to be seen and the guys with the ME FIRST attitude had to wait their turn like everyone else. Dan.

Yea that happens to me as well; just not sure if it's the booze or not? And those lights, they must affect my wife somehow; she won't speak to me ffffooorr (sorry I have a stutter now?) at least a week, after I see them??? Have a good time with your son and hope you get a chance to see the lights! Dan.

This maybe an unwarranted caution; but make sure that you have a recite from your wood supplier, with the location documented; as to where the wood was harvested. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is stepping up its enforcement of transporting firewood across different counties or being in the possession of wood that came from an infested area, that you do not live in or use the wood in. I was talking with a CFIA inspector (I work on their fleet cars) and he said; the only way they can hopefully limit the spread of disease (Dutch Elm) and insect infestation (Emerald Ash Bore, Gypsy Mot). Is by limiting the transportation of wood and charging people that are in possession of firewood that came from restricted areas. He said that he has laid a number of charges; which begin at 400 bucks and the confiscation of the wood. If you have a recite; you may loose the wood; but the guy selling/delivering it will get the fine. These guys (CFIA inspectors) are feds; all they need for probable cause, is to see your wood pile. Maybe call CFIA or go on-line and find out what or if there are restriction for your area. I know I cannot transport or be in the possession of firewood from here in the London area; down to/at my trailer, just outside of Turkey Point (Long Point Bay area). Dan.

Yes that would work as you describe; but signals & brake lights would need to be on their own circuits or the markers would also go out when the brake lights are turned on. Plus if the signals and brake lights were independent of each other; the relays wouldn’t be needed. You would simply use a non self grounding marker light assembly, with a two wire single filament socket; one power, one ground wire. Connect one wire of the marker light to the parking light power circuit and the other wire of the marker light to the power circuit of the signals. When the parking lights are turned on the marker light will light, finding its ground through the turn signal circuit; sort of back feeding the circuit. When the parking lights and signals are both turned on; the markers will flash alternately with the signals. The two power feeds (signal & parking) will cancel each other out and turn the marker off. That’s how Chey/GMC pick-up’s front marker lights were wired. Here’s a partial wiring diagram of a GMC’s lighting Dan

They might be carpenter bees; I’ve been battling them for a number of years; down at our trailer deck’s wooden awning/roof. They look a lot like bumble bees, in size and shape but have a hard shell like head. These things will bore a perfectly round 3/8” hole; that looks like somebody’s taken a drill to the wood rafters. These bees seem to be impervious to almost anything; I’ve tried spraying all kinds of insecticides in the holes and they keep coming back. The sprays; whether it is liquids, foaming or the paste type; will kill the one in the hole; but the next day, one of his buddies will take over and start drilling again. These buggers must like the poison as well; the awning has untreated facia boards, backed by pressure treated (arsenic) wood. They leave the untreated wood alone and attack the pressure treated like its candy? I given up on the insecticides and have been filling the holes with automotive silicon; that seems to deter them and they seem to go elsewhere; sometimes a foot away and start over or gone altogether. They only seem to be around for a month or so and by mid June they’re gone? Good luck and if these are what’s eating/drilling into your gazebo and you find something that deals with them; please post back. I’m thinking of having the awning caped with aluminum. Dan.

In my experience fuel starvation at low speeds are not a vent or fuel line issue; it usually is a high speed issue, when the pump is drawing higher volumes of fuel. That being said anything is possible? As long as there’s even a small amount of air being allowed in the tank; that should be enough at the lower speed; to confirm this leave the fuel cap off or loose when the problem occurs. This could be a fuel pump issue; that at low rpm it is not drawing the fuel; due to a ruptured diaphragm or the inlet/outlet valve of the pump are leaking internally. When the motor stalls does it restart right away or do you have to let things sit for a bit? If it doesn’t start right away; you may have an ignition issue; that when the ambient air under the hood reaches a certain temp; something is shutting down. May also answer why only at low speeds; water pump turning slower and less air flow into the engine compartment? I’m not saying overheating engine but a failing ignition component that doesn’t like the heat. I take it this is an outboard; if so run it with the hood off and see what happens. If this is a random, never know when it’s going to happen; you may need to tee in a fuel pressure gage between the pump and carb; to see what the pressure is, during a stall. And possibly have a spark tester ready to check for ignition after a stall. There are three types of spark tester that work well; 1- a store bought one that has an adjustable air gap; 2- a good old screwdriver, held 1/8” away from the cylinder head; 3- your fishing partner; “here hold this wire for a second”. This is the best one of the three; if he/she ain’t doing a jig at the back of the boat (after a short crank of the engine) then there ain’t any spark. LOL Caution pacemakers don’t like the 50K volts that a coil can produce. Dan.

I agree 100% with Tybo: don’t use the inexpensive automotive circuit breakers on your boat. The points inside will rust or weld them-selves together and they will not trip. Even in automotive applications; I now will only install these breakers on non electronic devices (not many anymore), inside the passenger compartment; hopefully away from condensation. There’s a lot more then condensation to worry about on a boat and I don’t care how water “resistant” the fuse box claims to be; if Mother Nature wants in; she’s there. It would be a shame to take out an $8-1,000 ignition module that are used on the newer motors or the boat’s complete wiring harness because of a $5.00 breaker. I can only imagine how much smoke they pack into a 24 volt trolling motor. LOL One other note about the automotive automatic reset breakers; an electronic device does not like having its power source toggled on an off while it’s in use. The power surge will again let the smoke out of almost any form of electronic box and there’s no way of getting it back in. Manual reset marine type of breakers or fuses; if breakers, test them at least once a season; by turning them off; making sure that the circuit will actually turn off. Dan.

Yup; heading down to Long Point Bay as well; close up the shop Friday afternoon and I’m gone. We’re on the other side of the bay, close to Turkey Point; just outside Normandale at Hidden Valley campground. I plan on sitting on the deck, at the trailer all weekend; feet up, drink in hand. It’ll take a tow truck to winch butt out of the chair, or possibly an empty highball glass and the wife’s not there to pour me another. Have fun people. Dan.

Like you said breaking into the car is child’s play. As for not hearing it; I’m not sure either, we know they smashed the steering column too defeat the ignition lock, we found pieces of it in the driveway. The thing has (had) a gear drive timing set-up and if you know what they are; they’re anything but quite. We’re starting to think that maybe they had a truck or trailer, waiting and pushed it out onto and down the street. Here's a link to Andy's first 12.5 run last summer at the Bend. Haven't figured out how to imbed vid's? Here's the link to one of the adds I put out there. http://london.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1979-Pontiac-Firebird-Esprit-W0QQAdIdZ205514710 Again thanks people and I would love to see an OFC'er get the coin (reward) if they've helped get the car back. Chances are slim of ever seeing the car again; but stranger things have happened??????? Here’s a recent pic of the car with the shaker hood and one of last summer's rebuilt engine. Dan.

Thanks for the replies and support everyone. Yes the car has been appraised and the insurance has an accredited copy. At this point I don’t think we’ll see the car again; not in one piece anyway. We have so many automotive related people alerted of this; that the car can’t be moved in the open, not without it being seen. My son also worked at the London police garage before entering university; so all the mechanics and many of the officers know the car first hand and have ridden in it. If the car has been parted out; we have all the casting numbers documented and we have put our own identification marks, on the individual drive train components. And I mean everything is marked in one way or the other; even internal engine components such as the high volume oil pump. Many of our friends are hot rodders and we’ll all be hitting the local swop meets; with the plan of taking pictures of the vendor and or purchasing anything we find; then calling the police. We won’t get the car back but maybe a bit of satisfaction. Thanks Again. Dan.

Emotions can run high when it comes to a loved one or a piece of praised property (not that they’re the same) that has been abused or taken from you. The feeling of being taken advantage is something that always hurts. My son is now out driving the streets; in hope of finding the car; I’m in fear that he does. Dan