Boat won't start!

[ckb2007]

I have a carburated 2005 Outback. I pulled it out to get ready for the season and it won't start. I am not getting fuel to the carburator. i replaced the fuel filter. I cleaned out the check valve on the fuel tank. When I turn the key on the fuel pump does not run, but when I try to turn the motor over I can hear the pump running and it contnues to run for about 5-6 seconds after I stop turning the motor over.

I removed the fuel pump and hooked it up to a battery to see if it would pump a small container of fuel. It would not at all. Is this normal?

I am stumped. Any suggestions?

[brownski]

I have an 99 that I went through the same thing last summer. fought with it all summer. Would act like the pump was working , but not get it all the way to the carbs. I did much of the same things you did. eventually bought a new pump and it worked great...for 3 hours of boating then had to be towed off the lake. That was the end of the season and am getting ready to tackle the problem again for this season. I was too frustrated to fight with it in October. I did not change the anti-siphon on the tank and that will be first this year. Check out the post by EdG regarding vapor locks in general chat forum., I think they may apply to our situation. Also I am wondering if altitude could have any effect. I ran for 10 years in the Sacramento Valley, no problems. Moved to Carson Valley, NV last summer now at 4800'. Not sure if thats related or not. I am interssted in folllowing your thread to see what you hear. You may need to post in general forum, sometimes those posts get faster/ response:confused: Good Luck

[JesseC]

I cleaned out the check valve on the fuel tank.

Where exactly is this located, it is one of the few things I have not managed to find/clean.

[ckb2007]

It is located on the top of the fuel tank. If you have an Outback, you need to remove the access panels in the rear locker. It is located in the middle of the tank on the top. Your fuel feed line is attached to it.

[mmandley]

Well im not the most experienced with Carbs im much better at fuel injection but i have owned several old late 70s Pontiac Trans Ams and restored them all and sold them. < dumb dumb i miss them >

Anyhow i would have fuel flow issues too and it wasn't my pump since it was a mechanical but i would get Float lock up. The float would get stuck in the full position < up > and it wouldnt allow fuel into the carb and those engine wont run.

Electronic fuel pumps - they only need a ground and a supplied power and they run non stop but the pressure can vary, so the pump might work and still not have the needed pressure. Another thing is they shouldn't ever just stop running its designed that the fuel is the coolant for it and it runs non stop there's a bypass tube from the carb or fuel injection rail as a return line to allow for this to happen. The pump shouldn't run then shut off. If it does id be suspecting the pump.

Also as you mentioned yes the pump should turn on when you first hit your key jsut like a car. Its priming the system and it will shut off until the engine starts then it should be back on again. If this is the first time running your boat after a winter storage is be suspecting a sticky carb float a bad fuel pump and or a bad fuel filter.

Id start with the Carb no money involved. Then move to a fuel filter because even if it isn't the filter you best to replace it with a new pump. Then id be looking into a new fuel pump.

I hate to see you in distress i know how frustrating it is when you want a machine to run and it wont. Nothing makes me more angry then get all ready to go and things don't start..

[ckb2007]

I picked-up a fuel pump yesterday and installed it after work. Boat started right up!

I talked to the parts guy at my local dealer and he told me that they have had issues with the pumps going bad. He said the alcohol based fuels tend to cause the pumps to break down. I run my boat in an area that does, so that was my problem. I went ahead and purchased an extra pump for a spare.

[brownski]

I picked-up a fuel pump yesterday and installed it after work. Boat started right up!

I talked to the parts guy at my local dealer and he told me that they have had issues with the pumps going bad. He said the alcohol based fuels tend to cause the pumps to break down. I run my boat in an area that does, so that was my problem. I went ahead and purchased an extra pump for a spare.

Let us know if you have anymore similar issues, cause like I said, I only got about 3 hours out of my new pump when the symptoms returned, haven't tried yet this year, but I don't like anyone seeing a Moomba towed back to the dock. We are supposed to be the ones towing people in.

[kaneboats]

Now that's funny. I towed 3 people in one day and then ran out of gas a couple hundred yards from the channel that goes to the basin where the ramps are. After I was towed to the dock an old guy fishing from the shore said, "I saw you bring them other two in earlier." Little did he know it had actually been three.