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Fuel pickup from the tank

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EatenByLimestone

New member
I'm having an issue getting fuel to the engine, or even out of the tank. I bought a new fuel line, and it's still happening. It should be something simple, but the answer just won't come to me.

I can't get fuel up to the engine.

I bought a new fuel line figuring that was the issue, but that hasn't made a difference. I swapped gas tanks and that hasn't made a difference.

I pulled the cap off one tank and watched the pickup tube when I pumped the priming bulb. I could see the gas move up the clear fuel line, but it would slip back down. It seems to me like an air leak. I figure it must be at the fitting between the fuel line and tank. I pick up a couple o rings and fill the small gap where the fitting meets the gas tank. I pumped away at the priming bulb and get gas spilling out of that fitting.

I can't seem to get gas up to the priming bulb. It's frustrating the snot out of me. Is there a check valve in there leaking?

Do you have any ideas to troubleshoot this?

Are there any small electric fuel pump conversions?

Last June I broke a few vertebrae and didn't have a chance to get my '61 5.5hp or '68 9.5hp running. This year I want to get them back into service. It's unbelievably frustrating to not even be able to get fuel into the engine!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Matt
 
Assuming you have a typical OMC 6 gallon fuel tank, the trouble is an o-ring in the tank outlet housing. See the two pins that get pushed in when you attach the hose? One of them has a small brass washer around it. There is a teensy o-ring behind it. You have to take the pins out and replace the o-rings. (remove the core plugs on the opposite side to get the pins out). OR...just replace the whole outlet housing. All that stuff is available here at marineengine.
 
Thank you for the reply. I'm running a couple of 3 gallon tanks, but I do have a 6 in the cabinet. I'll try with that one. One of the 3s has the fitting as you describe. It's only about 6 years old, but maybe the o rings had enough time to go bad.
 
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