Northwest Fishing Reports

Today, I felt like warming up the outboard after a long winter.
I changed the hose from my 6.5 gallon gas tank as well.
Tank-filter-primer-connector

Plug in, open vent, 3 pumps, pull choke, 2 pulls, push choke 2 pulls... nothing.
Hmmm...repeat process 3 more times with nothing
Checked spark, check.
Carb is good (cleaned thoroughly before storage)

I try to repump primer ball. I notice its soft and not hard. Also notice no fuel present in the filter.
Unscrew my float bowl and out comes only a spit of gas...

Can anyone help a brother out to find why fuel is not reaching carb?

Several possibilities.

Are you running ethanol fuel or non-ethanol? Ethanol fuel can eat hoses and bulbs if they are not the correct type. All the new ones are supposed to be safe with ethanol but some really are not so good - especially the cheap bulbs and hose sets.

First thing to check is the tank. Look inside to see if the pick up is still attached and actually in the fuel and everything looks ok. Look for floating debris, water, etc.

Then check the bulb. They dont last forever especially if you are running ethanol fuel. Remove the fitting and see if it pumps fuel or not. If not, remove the fitting from the tank as well and recheck to see if it is pumping. Sometimes the fittings get jammed or plugged, so look closely at them. Also look at the inside of the hoses when you remove the fittings. Look for signs of erosion, flaking, swelling, etc. Look for chunks of rubber in the fittings.

Replace anything that looks suspicious.

You may get by with just replacing the bulb, but I would put on new hoses too - be sure they are ethanol safe. Technically they need a Coast Guard label on them for marine use.

If you find any signs of ethanol rot, replace everything.

Larry3215 wrote:Several possibilities.

Are you running ethanol fuel or non-ethanol? Ethanol fuel can eat hoses and bulbs if they are not the correct type. All the new ones are supposed to be safe with ethanol but some really are not so good - especially the cheap bulbs and hose sets.

First thing to check is the tank. Look inside to see if the pick up is still attached and actually in the fuel and everything looks ok. Look for floating debris, water, etc.

Then check the bulb. They dont last forever especially if you are running ethanol fuel. Remove the fitting and see if it pumps fuel or not. If not, remove the fitting from the tank as well and recheck to see if it is pumping. Sometimes the fittings get jammed or plugged, so look closely at them. Also look at the inside of the hoses when you remove the fittings. Look for signs of erosion, flaking, swelling, etc. Look for chunks of rubber in the fittings.

Replace anything that looks suspicious.

You may get by with just replacing the bulb, but I would put on new hoses too - be sure they are ethanol safe. Technically they need a Coast Guard label on them for marine use.

If you find any signs of ethanol rot, replace everything.

Yes I am running ethanol fuel.
I'll start with inspecting tank and primer ball first.

Open the vent on the tank? hook up the hose to the tank get a zip tie and shove the pointy end in on the ball valve and see if you're able to pump gas through the hose. There is a one way valve in the bulb and sometimes they get stuck. If you're replacing the hose anyway blow a little compressed air through the tank backwards and see if it bubbles. Not much to go wrong with the fuel tank and hose.

So we have new hose. For grins and giggles I'd replace the bulb. Check the fuel filter if you have one... that killed it for us once. Make sure fuel is passing through the hose on the way to the motor... if not... oh dear.

Did you open the petcock?

Oh ya, did you take the plug out of the new hose? My brother did that once.

Amx wrote:Oh ya, did you take the plug out of the new hose? My brother did that once.

LOL I shouldn't admit to this, but my brothers and I were working on one of our older motors one time and we used a wood dowel to temporarily plug the fuel line. The plug was a little loose and we think one of us pumped the bulb and it got sucked inside the hose without us noticing it. You can guess what happened. Im not going to tell you how long it took us to figure out what we had done!!!

Larry3215 wrote:

Amx wrote:Oh ya, did you take the plug out of the new hose? My brother did that once.

LOL I shouldn't admit to this, but my brothers and I were working on one of our older motors one time and we used a wood dowel to temporarily plug the fuel line. The plug was a little loose and we think one of us pumped the bulb and it got sucked inside the hose without us noticing it. You can guess what happened. Im not going to tell you how long it took us to figure out what we had done!!!

I hate it when stuff like that happens. Just long enough to kick yourself.......... We've all been there for one thing or another.

Unplug your fuel line from your motor and then pump the primer bulb does it get hard? Second what fuel line did you change and did it come with new ends? Maybe you got the wrong quick connectors on it? Next did you put the bulb on backwards with the new line it happens.... Let us know what you find.

Thanks brothers for all your inputs.

So before tearing everything up apart again. I decided to give it another try.
Yesterday, I pumped primer ball horizontally and it didn't get hard at all.
Just earlier from returning from work. I pumped primer ball vertically and it got hard.

Drumroll please!!!
Pulled choke, first pull and the outboard comes to life!!!

Phew!

It should work in either position. Might need replacing.

Glad you got it going, but yes it should work in any position so if you have trouble on the water or otherwise be sure that is the first thing you replace. Tight lines..

I'll do so!
May the fish gods give you extra favor on the water

my primer bulb has failed every year that ive left ethanol fuel in it over the winter. Last few years, most of my small engined equipment has done the same. No more alcohol for my stuff.

Sideburns wrote:my primer bulb has failed every year that ive left ethanol fuel in it over the winter. Last few years, most of my small engined equipment has done the same. No more alcohol for my stuff.

I just run them all dry now. Too much of a pain in the..... to fix stuff every year.

Its not that difficult to find ethanol free gas stations (I have two apps for that) but it is more expensive for the gas. About an extra $.50/gal last time I checked.

However, I havent had to replace any lines, bulbs or filters(as often) since I switched over. Plus every gas engine I have starts, idles and runs better.

I think its worth it.

Larry3215 wrote:Its not that difficult to find ethanol free gas stations (I have two apps for that) but it is more expensive for the gas. About an extra $.50/gal last time I checked.

However, I havent had to replace any lines, bulbs or filters(as often) since I switched over. Plus every gas engine I have starts, idles and runs better.

I think its worth it.

Care to share your apps?
Would like to switch over, sounds like a good investment haha

Are you Android or Apple? I think the apps are on both platforms.

The one I use most is Pure Gas. It shows all the local stations that carry E-zero fuel and gives their address, phone numbers and has a map. If you have location services turned on, it lists them in order of the closest ones first. Its free.

There is also GasBuddy. It also lists E-zero fuel but is more difficult to find - it list ALL gas stations.

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