Port Engine and Generator will not start

S

SomedayCame

New Member
Jul 25, 2014
5
Kendall, NY
Boat Info
2001 310 Sundancer
Engines
350 Mercs
My wife and I just bought a 2001 310 Sundancer. Took it out on the water last weekend and we had the generator running after about 30 minutes, it just died and there was no restarting it from the control panel (the preheat light won't even come on). This weekend we took the boat out for a ride for the day and when we came back into the marina, the port engine shut off / stalled. So far, we changed the fuel separator and found out it is not getting any fuel (so I just put 10 gallons of gas in to make sure we were not out). Not sure if the 2 things are related We are new to a boat this size so any help would be great!
 
The port engine and the generator share the same gas tank and the same battery. However, you seem to be saying that neither of them is getting any fuel, right? Well, there's nothing upstream of the filters other than the fuel lines and the fuel pickup in the tank. If neither the engine filter nor the generator filter are getting fuel, then you've probably got something clogging the pickup(s) in the tank or air in the fuel lines.

The fact that you added gas would seem to eliminate the fuel tank vent as the current cause of the problem, although it might have been what caused the lack of fuel in the first place and you could now just have enough air in the fuel lines that they won't prime. Until you are sure the vent isn't clogged, don't fully close the fuel filler cap on the port side while you are trying to start/run the engine and generator.

Try manually priming the filters (fill them with gas before you install them) to help eliminate the priming issue. Note that the fuel pump may take quite a few ignition cycles to displace any air in the lines. I don't know for certain that the generator and engine share the same fuel pickup in the tank, but I suspect they do.
 
gas motor and a diesel generator? If the tank went dry 10 gallons may only wet the tank. Did you fill the tanks with gas or fuel or have you just been running the boat?
 
Bt Doctur said:
gas motor and a diesel generator? If the tank went dry 10 gallons may only wet the tank. Did you fill the tanks with gas or fuel or have you just been running the boat?
Click to expand...

Well it's not really a pre heat button I don't believe. My new to me 330ec has such a switch that must be depressed while starting the genny remotely. And I might also know of another instance in which 10 gals is only 'wetting the bottom' .... Using your genny, figure just roughly a gal an hour of gas coming out of that same tank...I'd check first and be sure you have gas.
 
Look and see if you have two pickup tubes for fuel in that tank. My genny pumps out of the starboard tank only from its own pickup tube. If it gets below a 1/4 tank, the genny is out of fuel, because the genny pickup is higher in the tank to keep you from running it dry I guess.
I can switch the mains between port and starboard tank, not sure about your setup tho.
 
OP says it won't start. I can't figure out if it even cranks! Jaywoodz has a 310. IIRC, he said he had 100 gallons per side. If you are cranking, all the above is correct. 10 gallons is fumes.

If the battery was good and went dead, check all cells and make sure they are filled properly. Check for proper ground connection and alternator output.
 
I'm gonna say this wrong, so please no offense.

The 34 beside me has 110gal tanks. Mine has 75gal tanks. 10gal isn't even a thumb print in the bottom of the tank.

Place 30 or more gallons in the tank, check all connections and cells in the batteries (if not replace) then check and see what you have.

Remember that you've run both engines dry of fuel, you must work with them to get the fuel back to both carbs.

Batteries are cheap. Fuel is cheap, compared to fuel pumps and repair to GenSet
 
SomedayCame said:
My wife and I just bought a 2001 310 Sundancer. Took it out on the water last weekend and we had the generator running after about 30 minutes, it just died and there was no restarting it from the control panel (the preheat light won't even come on). This weekend we took the boat out for a ride for the day and when we came back into the marina, the port engine shut off / stalled. So far, we changed the fuel separator and found out it is not getting any fuel (so I just put 10 gallons of gas in to make sure we were not out). Not sure if the 2 things are related We are new to a boat this size so any help would be great!
Click to expand...

The Generator had a loose fuse which I noticed while taking apart all of the lines from the fuel tank to the fuel / water separator (which still is not full even after 20+ engine cycles). So there is power going to the genny and the engine does crank. I checked the anit syphon valve and that appears to be in working order. There is nothing in the lines from the tank to the fuel / water separator and the separator is still bone dry. When I try to start her, she cranks and when I stop it just coughs and done.
 
What does your fuel gauge read?
can you bang the side of your tank does it sound empty?
you might have a fuel manifold where ou can run off of different tanks? I know my 30, 31 and 39 have them you can valve that you can pull all your fuel from the good tank.
defintly prime the fuel filter so you can start it.
 
Spray a little fuel or starting fluid in the carb on the genny. If starts and dies you know its only a fuel issue. My guess is you dont' have enough fuel in the tank.
 
I should add, we also put another 25 gallons of fuel in the tank. The guage is now reading 3/4 full while the starboard is right above 1/2.
 
Have you tried looking at the fuel selonoid. They are electrically controlled. I had an issue where the wire broke off and it remained closed such that fuel would not flow.
 
Does the genny and engine both feed from the same fuel line, or do you have multiple pickups on the tank?
 
SomedayCame said:
I was just looking into that, can you tell me where that might be?
Click to expand...

Just follow the fuel lines from the filters back to the tank. Either they both come off of the same source in the tank (1 pickup) or they have separate pickups (assuming you are responding to the question about them feeding from the same fuel line).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,234
Messages
1,429,025
Members
61,117
Latest member
jingenio
Back
Top