Boating - June 2016 USA

The Boat Doctor

 QUICK STUDY

ILLUSTRATION: TIM BARKER; PHOTOS: COURTESY GAS-SHOK PLUS, COURTESY VALVTECT

Cleaning Fuel Injectors

ValvTect Marine Gasoline is a specialty fuel available at marinas across North

America. It contains a pre-mixed ethanol gasoline treatment and other additives

to help keep fuel-system components, like fuel injectors, running clean. ValvTect

marine-gasoline retailers must maintain rigorous tank maintenance. For a list of

locations, visit valvtect.com. — Kevin Falvey

What else can you do to ensure

the health of your fuel injectors? We

gleaned these tips from BrucatoFIS

Inc.’s owner, Rich Szczerbala. Bru-

catoFIS (brucatofi s.com) has been

cleaning, calibrating and repairing

marine fuel injectors for hundreds

of racers, rebuilders, boatyards and

recreational boats for many years.

Use Stabilizer Every Time

The best way to keep fuel injectors

clean is to do so while they’re still on

the engine. Using a fuel additive like

those by Sta-Bil, Star Tron, ValvTect

or Gas-Shok Plus (pictured) on a

regular basis will prevent condensa-

tion and debris from building up

in your boat’s fuel system, thus

avoiding the problem altogether.

Double Dose At Storage

Doubling or tripling the dosage

before any storage of longer than a

month is cheap insurance against

fuel-injector problems. At less than

$20 for an 8-ounce bottle that will

treat up to 80 gallons — compared to

$150 plus shipping for BrucatoFIS’s

cleaning service plus a few hours of

labor to remove and reinstall — using

fuel additives is a no-brainer.

Avoid Ethanol Fuel

Avoid ethanol blends and your injec-

tors will love you. So-called “straight

gas” is not available everywhere, and

it’s also often more expensive than

ethanol blends of gasoline. For a list

of North American retailers selling

nonethanol gas, visit pure-gas.org.

Service Fuel System

Hoses, fi lters, O-rings and fuel pumps

often can’t stand up to the corrosive

and caustic effects of the alcohol

in fuels. They tend to disintegrate

from the inside out, emitting debris

that ends up in the injectors. Change

fi lters and check hoses, gaskets and

O-rings at least every 100 hours.

Replace with alcohol-resistant

components, where available.

Have Injectors

Professionally Serviced

Professional fuel-injector service

(cleaning, calibration and/or repair)

should be done every 300 engine-

run-time hours or every three to

four years. Szczerbala says that not

all injectors are created equal, and

defects in quality can shorten the

service interval. Discuss the issue

with your boatyard service manager

or technician.

Why No DIY?

Fuel injectors can be

difficult to access.

Also, without specialty

calibration and cleaning

equipment, you might not

get them back to spec.

Additionally, the only way

you will know if you got

it right is to reinstall the

injectors and take the boat

for a run. In this case, it’s

best to DIY the preventative

measures only. — J .T.

ValvTect Marine Gasoline

Your engine won’t start with one turn of the key anymore. It idles rough, and it

surges on its way to full throttle. The boating season has just begun, and you’re

already having problems. It could be that your engine’s fuel injectors are dirty,

clogged with stale fuel that has dried and turned to varnish. It’s possible to jury-

rig a simple home-cleaning method, but the best remedy for dirty injectors is to

remove them and send them to a professional. — John Tiger

48 BOATINGMAG.COM JUNE 2016