Help...I did a stupid thing.

[rkgdmd]

Hi Guys, while fueling up this morning with a new portable can, I mistakenly left a small cap (1 inch by 1/2) on the end of the fuel filler which came off and went down the fuel fill port. Ugh. The swearing that followed was unreal I assure you. When I went to top off at the fuel dock, I realized it had not fallen all the way into the tank, but was acting as an obstruction somewhere along the way because I could only fuel small amounts before it would backup and over flow. What is the best way to fix this. I looked down the filler with a flashlight after it initially happened and could see nothing. Please help.

 

[BigN8]

You may need to disconnect the Jose from inside the engine compartment. It's pretty accessible if memory serves me correctly

 

[Julian]

You might look for one of those articulated grabby things and stick it in there and see if you can grab it blind. Something like this

http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-7597-3...sim_201_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=07RVZRRSJHPBXQ1PA7K7

 

[itsdgm]

If the cap was made of metal, you might be able to "fisch" it out with a wire and magnet.

Do you happen to have a scope like the ones in the pic below? Or know someone who does? If so, it might help you get to the cap with a wire/duct tape from the top.

Other than that, I'd probably attempt to remove the hose at the tank. But I'm not sure of the exact routing of the fuel filler tube on your boat. Also, if your floor is as easily remove as mine is.

 

[Big Shasta]

If the cap was made of metal, you might be able to "fisch" it out with a wire and magnet.

Do you happen to have a scope like the ones in the pic below? Or know someone who does? If so, it might help you get to the cap with a wire/duct tape from the top.

Other than that, I'd probably attempt to remove the hose at the tank. But I'm not sure of the exact routing of the fuel filler tube on your boat. Also, if your floor is as easily remove as mine is.

View attachment 24851

I'm with this....We have a scope at work that I can borrow if necessary.....They even sell them at home depot. At least you can see where it is. Do our boats have an anti-siphon screen that it might be sitting on? I never tried to stick a hose in my tank.

 

[tdonoughue]

Otherwise, get a dowel and put a piece of double-stick tape on the end. Or duct tape looped. Pop it down there and extract the cap.

 

[rkgdmd]

OK guys. Thanks for the suggestions. The cap is plastic so magnets won't help. I will try to source one of those scopes for starters. May have to rely on Amazon since I'm in the Keys here. I'll let everyone know what happens in case some else makes the same bone headed move.

 

[GTBRMC]

Good luck in getting it out!

Also, don't be too hard on yourself. All boaters pull boneheaded moves occasionally. Many people on this board have done far worse.

 

[MrMoose]

I'm with this....We have a scope at work that I can borrow if necessary.....They even sell them at home depot. At least you can see where it is. Do our boats have an anti-siphon screen that it might be sitting on? I never tried to stick a hose in my tank.

"Funny" that you should ask about the anti-siphon screen. I have a 2015 AR240 and I tried to siphon the gas out of it yesterday before hitting the road on a long tow. I could get about 4 feet of half-inch siphon hose down the filler tube until it hit a dead-end. There was no gas at the dead-end, so it's safe to assume that the plug is sitting at the dead-end. ... And I'm towing my boat 1200 miles with 45 gallons in the tank.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I would duct tape a section of garden hose to my shop vac hose and go fishing AFTER I UNHOOK THE FILLER LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK.

AND I REPEAT..... Never use a shop vac in a fuel line unless you unhook it from the tank first.

 

[rkgdmd]

"Funny" that you should ask about the anti-siphon screen. I have a 2015 AR240 and I tried to siphon the gas out of it yesterday before hitting the road on a long tow. I could get about 4 feet of half-inch siphon hose down the filler tube until it hit a dead-end. There was no gas at the dead-end, so it's safe to assume that the plug is sitting at the dead-end. ... And I'm towing my boat 1200 miles with 45 gallons in the tank.

I guess that's what I ran into when I tried some duct tape on a hose about an hour ago. I noticed before the filler tube exits the engine compartment there is a section which is metal and about the size of a soda can....is this the anti siphon valve?

I would duct tape a section of garden hose to my shop vac hose and go fishing.

I'll try that tomorrow. Any danger with the fumes extracted by the vac creating a situation where they could be ignited?

 

[MrMoose]

I would duct tape a section of garden hose to my shop vac hose and go fishing.

I was thinking the same thing, but I also remember that when I was sucking on the siphon hose and not getting gas when it was at the dead-end, I was also sucking up lots of gas fumes. I think that it might be dangerous to use a shop vac. The safest bet is to probably open up the floor to access the filler hose.

 

[rkgdmd]

If I'm understanding this correctly, disconnecting the filler hose at the tank may not help if the cap is stuck in the anti siphon valve, correct?

 

[itsdgm]

Gas fumes and a shop vac are very dangerous!!! But if you go this route, make sure you're outside, well ventilated area, shop vac exhaust pointed away from anything flammable and of course set up a gopro camera to record the potential 4th of July "firework show".

 

[christopherglenn]

Take the fuel line apart at the first connection past the filler (back flow preventer / anti siphon fitting). It should be sitting there. Do not VAC a fuel line, you will have a very large cloud of explosive air / fuel sitting in and around a non explosion proof vacuum.

 

[rkgdmd]

You guys are the best!! Thanks for the encouragement to take this on. Cap is out! !!! I removed the deck above the fuel tank, disconnected the fuel filler hose and this is what I see looking down the neck of the fuel tank....and then after using a specially designed duct tape appliance. Thanks again and happy 4th of July to all.

 

[Julian]

Glad you got it out! Does the floor on your model require a special square head to remove the bolts holding it down?

 

[rkgdmd]

Glad you got it out! Does the floor on your model require a special square head to remove the bolts holding it down?

Nope....standard Allen wrench.

 

[tdonoughue]

Nice. Glad that worked. Now, back to the water!

 

[Big Shasta]

Another WIN for duct tape. Good Job. That's a hard lesson that you won't have to learn again.