1988 Starcraft SFM 160 17gl inboard fuel tank

[haarp3]

Hello,
I recently bought this boat...super clean and well kept in a garage. Last run 05. Lots of troubles getting it running with original tank. Squeeze bulb sucked down flat...engine barly ran.
Plugged in a remote O/B fuel tank and it perked up and ran great.
Still have the issue of fixing the big tank...pulled squeeze bulb off and applied air psi into tank and blew gas past the cap up in front of boat...then tried to pump from that same line and after 30 seconds the pumping slowed to a trickle. Seems something is blocking the fuel.
Q. IS THERE A SOCK ON THE LINE INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK?? Tank just about full too.
(50 hp Johnson O/B 2cycle)
There is a access where the fuel sensor that I can get too but it looks too small to get my arm in tank let alone light to see...
Can any one help? To pull the tank, do I need to pull up the floor??
Thanks,
Tom Howell Mi.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: 1988 Starcraft SFM 160 17gl inboard fuel tank

Hi I have a 22 holiday. Is your fuel tank visible?? or under the floor and where is it? The built in tank will have a anti -syphon valve on it so fuel won't drain back into it. If the fuel has been in the tank since 2005 then it needs to be removed as it will not run well and cause all kind of carb. problems. I have used a drill mounted pump and 2 LONG hoses to drain several boats in the past. Keep the drill far away from the fuel as they may spark. It sounds like you may have to remove the tank, as you say it seems not to drain. If the tank is up front raise the bow as high as practical. Then take the fuel line off the engine and run a hose from it thru the transom drain into a fuel can. outside of the boat. You will have to rely on gravity, that way, to drain it. if that works flush it out with a little fresh fuel and then refill with fuel and add a can of fuel stabilizer to help clean any bad fuel left in it. Good luck and be carefull. keep a ext. close by if needed. Ed in Mt Vernon Wash. ( Gateway to the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Ocean.) Hope this helps.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: 1988 Starcraft SFM 160 17gl inboard fuel tank

Ops thought this was a 160 inboard .No problem, fix the same way but you have to remove the bulb to let the fuel drain. it has to be pulled from the tank by the engine . Other wise as you found ,it will only trickel out or not at all. Remove the bulb extend a hose as I said and it should drain. Ed