Is it the Fuel Pump??

[JosephIReid]

Hi SeaRay Owners!

I wonder if any owners of older boats--a 1975 beauty--could shed some light on my problem! The following was sent to SeaRay, and they were unable to offer any advice. Here goes:

"I would appreciate your feedback on a recent fuel pump installation job carried out at Boyle Marine in Little Current, Ontario on my 24 ft. SeaRay with a Ford 233 hp motor.

While driving the boat, the motor just stopped. Boyle's decided it was the fuel pump which has been replaced. It appears to run just fine, now.

However, I've been caught out on large bodies of water before, and want to ensure that it's only the fuel pump, and not any problem with the fuel line coming out of the tank.

This is how we troubleshot the problem: Checked the fuel filter water separator--it was fine; sucked on the fuel line between tank, and pump--got fuel with no problem; took fuel line off the carb, cranked engine over 10-12 times, and NO FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF THE FUEL LINE; putting fuel in the carb allowed the motor to start and stop momentarily

My concern is the fuel shut-off device & the anti-siphon device (Is there one on my boat?). The fuel shut-off is in VERY awkward spot to reach. It's an old boat, and I don't want to take it off if there's no real need. My concern, of course, is breaking something that's very difficult to replace.

Should I be concerned about the shut-off, and anti-siphon device?? If so, what should I do to trouble-shoot this? I really don't want to get stranded again. I love this boat!!!


I would really appreciate any information you could supply (or any .pdf documents/schematics for this) I noticed that the website only provides information back to 1977 model years.

Sincerely,

Joseph Reid"


Thanks, everyone, for reading this, and imparting your thoughts!

Joe Reid, Sudbury, Ontario

 

[Diver Dude]

If I understand your trouble shooting process ( read through it quickly, so I appologize if I misunderstodd), you had fuel flowing freely to the pump, and nothing flowing from it. That would seem to indicate a bad fuel pump. I don't believe there is anything to siphon back from the carb, so I wouldn't expect an anti-siphon device in the fuel line. That leaves the fuel shut off. If it was open, and the new pump solved your problem, I would think it is ok as well.

Just in time to enjoy your boat before winterizing.

 

[JosephIReid]

Thanks for your feedback, DiverDude. I hope I've got the problem licked.

I'm also going to post my question in the Maintenance area to see if anyone else has any thoughts!

 

[Dave M.]

It may be too late this time, but for a problem like this I would recommend that you get the part they removed and replaced and take a look at it yourself. With a GM pump (I am not familiar with Fords) you can see what is happening to the pump. I had one fail where the pivot arm just wore so much on the pin that there was so much slop it did not pump anymore. This kind of failure gives warning, as the fuel flow gets reduced as it wears. If a diaphragm breaks, then I would expect a sudden failure. Seeing what is wrong with your own eyes is a 'good thing'.

From your procedure, I think you probably have found the problem. I say probably because I think you have not totally eliminated the possibility of some junk in the tank or fuel line that can get sucked up against the intake and block the line. Your procedure suggests this is not the case. But in case it is, you should be prepared to clear it while on the water. It should be just as easy as what you already did, just release any vacuum on the line, maybe blow back into the tank, and it should run again. (Assumes no anti-siphon, or that you are on the tank side of it.) I guess you could check for an anti-siphon valve now by removed the fuel line at the pump input and seeing if you can blow air into the fuel tank. Things that you have done once on a nice sunny weekend afternoon are a lot easier to do the second time when you are dead in the water than had you not done it before.