Butt Bite!

[FF]

A fellow here in our Hurricane Hole learned an interesting lesson .

He (like many cruisers) had a stash of spair parts, and last spring on layup installed a new set of on engine fuel filters, from the parts drawer.

Unfortunatly the filter was not in a plastic bag , so had been rusting internaly from day 1.

There is NO protective coating on the inside of fuel or oil filters!

The lealk dumped a few gallons of diesel into the bilge on startup.

A word to the wise ...ect.

FF

[2bucks]

You're telling me that everyone doesn't "seal a meal" all their spare parts? Even my spare starter, which would take years to rust into nothing is seal a mealed. Spare pumps, injector lines all that stuff stays really nice and dry in vacuum bags. Easy to inventory and ready to use.

Ken

[Dark Side]

Even if "Seal-A-Meal" pouches are used, should silical gel pacs be included?* Or are the pacs*even necessary?

DS

[2bucks]

I never have. Not as a statement for or against silica packs, just because I never had a source for them. I put things in warm, dry and clean and haven't had any problems. I've had things stored inside for over 7 years now without any problems. You can keep a pretty good eye on the items inside, at least on the clear side, so you'd see if things were going bad.


Ken Buck

[mikejsharp]

If I have a spare or something that I want to seal and suspect it may have moisture in it or just want to be safe - I normally place it in the hot sun for a couple of hours and then into the sealer. I've never used a dessicant.

If it's something that's may be really critical or may be close to a damp bilge, I have been known to double bag.

[GonCruzn3]

Ken,
** Do you use the usual kitchen sealer or is there something out there just for this purpose?
Greg

[2bucks]

I use the same one I use in the kitchen. I got mine at Costco (where else?) and use the roll plastic which allows me to make bags of anysize. Long bags for the spare injector pipes and smaller bags for a pair of fuel filters. The only real problem I would warn against is when sealing up things that are sensitive to pressure like rubber impellers. If one was putting together a kit with spare screws etc. make sure you don't put any pressure on the impeller. I suppose a chunk of cardboard tube or plastic pipe that the impeller would sit in without touching the bag would work well. You can also seal without sucking all the air out and compressing things which is what I did with my water pump pieces. They are protected water tight, but not fully vacuumed which might deform some of the seals.

Ken Buck

[Keith]

I use my vacuum sealer for some things, like flares, spare clothes in the ditch bag, cough drops in the off-season, etc. However, for spares, VCI paper, films and their other products are much more effective and easier to use. They are treated and give off a vapor that protects metals from corrosion. Check out their various products at: http://www.daubertvci.com/

[rgano]

I squirt WD-40 or corrosion block on metel stuff before stuffing in zip-locks.