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Fuel delivery issue (I think)

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LakeErieFishing

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I have an totally restored SeaRay 22SRV, 1973 vintage. The engine is a Merc 888. Background - on a hose (on the trailer) the engine runs great. It has electronic ignition. New plugs. Recently rebuilt carb. New fuel filter. New gas. Fuel tank is fine, as is the fuel line that draws the gas to the fuel filter.

You can start it up, no issues, rev it up in nuetral no issues, idles fine, put it in gear and run it up and it operates without a glitch. Put it in the lake, it runs okay for awhile then just stops. It then doesn't want to start. If you spray the carb with starting fluid it runs for 3 or so seconds (so it's getting a spark) but then won't continue. After sitting for awhile it may start again but may only run at idle (in nuetral or under load). Try and push the throttle, it dies again. I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump. It's the original fuel pump.

Thoughts?
 
LakeErieFishing said:
I have an totally restored SeaRay 22SRV, 1973 vintage. The engine is a Merc 888. Background - on a hose (on the trailer) the engine runs great. It has electronic ignition. New plugs. Recently rebuilt carb. New fuel filter. New gas. Fuel tank is fine, as is the fuel line that draws the gas to the fuel filter.

You can start it up, no issues, rev it up in nuetral no issues, idles fine, put it in gear and run it up and it operates without a glitch. Put it in the lake, it runs okay for awhile then just stops. It then doesn't want to start. If you spray the carb with starting fluid it runs for 3 or so seconds (so it's getting a spark) but then won't continue. After sitting for awhile it may start again but may only run at idle (in nuetral or under load). Try and push the throttle, it dies again. I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump. It's the original fuel pump.

Thoughts?

New note: I'm about 99% sure it's the fuel pump. It's the original fuel pump so it's probably corroded. The only change from the stock engine is I replaced the Holly carb with a Rochester carb. I used an adapter plate to make this work. Any suggestions what fuel pump I need to buy? I think I found a Sierra but would like to confirm the pump before buying it. Also - anything else that needs to be added?

Thanks
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LakeErieFishing said:
I have an totally restored SeaRay 22SRV, 1973 vintage. The engine is a Merc 888. Background - on a hose (on the trailer) the engine runs great. It has electronic ignition. New plugs. Recently rebuilt carb. New fuel filter. New gas. Fuel tank is fine, as is the fuel line that draws the gas to the fuel filter.

You can start it up, no issues, rev it up in nuetral no issues, idles fine, put it in gear and run it up and it operates without a glitch. Put it in the lake, it runs okay for awhile then just stops. It then doesn't want to start. If you spray the carb with starting fluid it runs for 3 or so seconds (so it's getting a spark) but then won't continue. After sitting for awhile it may start again but may only run at idle (in nuetral or under load). Try and push the throttle, it dies again. I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump. It's the original fuel pump.

Thoughts?

new note: I checked the sight gauge that's attached to the outsid of of the pump. It's dry - no fuel in it so the diaphragms may be okay. When the fuel line is disconnected from the carb and you crank the engine using starting fluid so it turns over, fuel spits out of that line. The issue now is the engine won't even turn over unless you use starting fluid. It briefly starts then stops. It won't keep running even on the hose. So, is it the fuel pump or is it possibly electrical, not getting juice to the plugs,,or other.
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Put a timing light on it and see if it loses spark when the engine stalls just lay it on the deck and watch it. Feel the ignition coil if its getting hot. Do you have access to the fuel tank pickup? Pull it out and see if the strainer is plugged. Have you tried running with the fill cap off of the tank? Possible vent plugged for the tank mud dobbers, spiders and such. Just throwing out stuff to check.
 
kimcrwbr1 said:
Put a timing light on it and see if it loses spark when the engine stalls just lay it on the deck and watch it. Feel the ignition coil if its getting hot. Do you have access to the fuel tank pickup? Pull it out and see if the strainer is plugged. Have you tried running with the fill cap off of the tank? Possible vent plugged for the tank mud dobbers, spiders and such. Just throwing out stuff to check.
Click to expand...

The coil does get hot, but us that out of the ordinary? I'll check a number of the electrical areas - timing light to see if it losses spark, kill switch, coil, and distributor cap. If it is losing spark, or the spark is weak (it will briefly start when you squirt starting fluid in the carb), what would that indicate?

I'll also pull the fuel tank pickup and give it a look over. I think it's probably okay. If you remove the fuel line that leads to the carb and pump the throttle, gas squirts out.
 
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