Visitors, difficulties at work, all these occasions do inform against me. I am unable to do that which I really want to do, which is to put the motor on the boat and see if it will run.
I finally manage to get the time on Sunday. I bring the boat around from its little hidey -hole on the beach and attach the motor, previously fueled up from my brand new metal fuel tank.
Ifuel
Is the Black Knight mounted?
Anyway, I row out into the lagoon and after a few negligent pulls on the starting rope surprisingly the motor starts! My scientific aim is to test whether or not the motor is trustworthy to embark on major trips on the wild and wistful ocean.
All is not well, there is no real power and something is rotten in the state of Denmark. I make it out beyond the reef but the Black Knight cuts out, restarts and cuts out a couple of minutes later. This is a repeating cycle and the data suggests fuel strangulation.
A tiger has been trying to get into this tank.
So I disassemble the fuel system and sure enough it is full of sh1t.
The fuel pump is clagged
Regrettably, I do not think there is much I can do. On keeking into the fuel tank I remark that the whole damn thing is rusted like inside. All the rust gunge will continue to flow through the fuel process so that when out on the wild and wistful ocean, jets will be blocked and the motor will definitively stop. I will be washed out onto the East China Sea and never be seen again.
I love messing around with engines
By the time I put it all back together the evening draws late. I have no time to test whether the rigorous scrubbing out has made the slightest difference. Nevertheless I enjoy trying to work out what is going on and taking steps in a logical sort of way to better an imperfect process. Science I guess.
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 
Bugger! That tank.s been rusting from the inside for quite a while for it to be showing on the outside. Not just the problem of rust flakes clogging the carb but also of pinhole leaks that at best reduce your cruising radius, at worst make for a Viking’s Funeral situation.
There is stuff you can get to re-line the interior of old fuel tanks – it is often used by old car owners but I doubt that it’s available in Japan what with their strict rules on the road-worthiness of ageing cars. Might be worth a try – maybe the US base shops might source it? Otherwise, http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproducts.asp?sg=3&pgCode=063&sgName=Maintenance&pgName=Paint+&agCode=1366&agName=POR-15+Fuel+Tank+Repair or http://www.frost.co.uk/how-do-i-repair-my-fuel-tank . I could send you a pack if you like!
What about a nice new tank? What make is the BK?
New tank? Where’s your heritage? Nothing wrong that can’t be fixed with a bit of binder twine and some chewing gum.
(actually you’re right but spending good drinking money hurts)
Hai!!
A new tank is the answer however I dread the complications of having to mime new tank for Suzuki DT4 2 stroke out board circa 2000!
N