5 HP Mercury Force Won't Stay Running

I have an early 90's 5 HP Force that will start and stay running for about 30 seconds and then starve out and die. Fuel line bulb is not staying firm and I know that the line and bulb are good because I use it on other outboards. The fuel pump was recently replaced. It seems it is running all the fuel out of the carb from the initial prime then running that out and starving and is hard to start even if I prime it again. Carb is clean as a whistle because I just went through it, float is parallel with body and everything. Anybody had other similar issues with this model? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

The primer bulb will go soft during the normal course of operation.

So, it sounds like you either have -

an air leak somewhere between the tank and the carb or,

that fuelpump that was just replaced was either done wrong or was bad from the mfg

Start the motor and continuously pump the primer bulb by hand as soon as you get the motor running.

If it stays running as long as you pump, then your "new" fuel pump is toast...

..."Carb is clean as a whistle because I just went through it..."

That means different things to different people.

1. Spraying carb cleaner on it won't do it.

2. Taking it apart and spraying carb cleaner on it won't do it.

3. Only taking it ALL apart, soaking it overnight in carb cleaner and blowing out the emulsion tubes and etc. means a carb is truly clean.

Jeff

I did take it apart completely apart and cleaned it with carb cleaner but did not soak it over night. I will try to get it running again and keep pumping on the bulb and see if that is the issue, if it is not I will soak it over night. I have a feeling it is a fuel pump issue. Thanks for the help!