Port engine won't start after running for a while

[Prattbratt777]

Hey friends,
Thought I would see if I could get some insight into an issue with my 2000 Sea Ray Sundancer 290. The last few times out I've made some longer runs than normal...about an hour or so at roughly 3500 RPM's. Engines run flawlessly. Each time I've stopped for a short while to enjoy the water and swim for an hour or so. When we're ready to fire up the engines and head back, the port engine would start but "search for idle" and then stall. After a few tries she won't start at all. About 3 or 4 hours later (or overnight if we're done for the day), she'll start once again and run perfectly. Acts "fuel starved" but the starboard engine is getting fuel and running great. Is it a fuel issue? Overheating? Vapor lock? Can anyone shed some light on this?

Much thanks in Advance!
Prattbratt

 

[Strecker25]

sure sounds like vapor lock. The port engine fuel filter is in between the two engines so maybe the heat from the manifolds is causing that one to lock up and not the starboard one. The behavior you describe sounds exactly like what ours does after a fuel filter change but that's usually just fuel purging air from the new filter. The other thing it might be is the IAC, which would cause the idle issues. Maybe heat is causing it to malfunction. have you tried to push the revs up in throttle only mode while it's happening?

 

[Prattbratt777]

Thanks for the response Ryan. Yes, I've tried to throttle up only mode, but it didn't make any difference at all. Your first comment is interesting. The fuel filter on the port has something that looks like a "sleeve" that it sits in. Is that sleeve supposed to catch fuel drips or could that be an insulator of sorts? The sleeve came off after my last fuel filter change was was accidentally discarded. Seems like I've had this problem since that sleeve was lost.

Brian

 

[Strecker25]

Thanks for the response Ryan. Yes, I've tried to throttle up only mode, but it didn't make any difference at all. Your first comment is interesting. The fuel filter on the port has something that looks like a "sleeve" that it sits in. Is that sleeve supposed to catch fuel drips or could that be an insulator of sorts? The sleeve came off after my last fuel filter change was was accidentally discarded. Seems like I've had this problem since that sleeve was lost.

Brian

Do you know which cool fuel module you have by any chance? We're a few years older, so ours has the screw on canister filter. The newer ones (CF3/4, I think) have the drop in filter element. If it's the same cover we had, it wasn't insulated or anything. Just a plastic screw on cover, I don't think it would insulate at all. At any rate, our issue goes away after 2-4 cranks of the engine when a new filter is installed. I'm sure the real mechanics around here will chime in soon but have you tried opening the hatch and running the blowers while you have the no start condition? Pulling some heat out of the bilge theoretically should expedite the vapor lock going away if that is actually the issue. Of course the fact you're in florida might make that a moot point depending on season

 

[Prattbratt777]

I have the screw on canister filter as well. I also have tried opening the hatch, turning on the blowers, etc...but you are correct that the temps here in Florida don't offer much relief. However, I looked up the part number for the shield that goes around the fuel filter on the port engine and it actually describes it as a "fuel filter insulator". [h=1]Mercury Marine Quicksilver 807807T Mercruiser fuel filter insulator housing[/h]

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[outlaw32]

Need to see if you have fuel cooler if it is getting plugged up fuel will over heat and vapor lock. Once it cools off it will start. Take off hose and attach a garden hose and flush it out backwards.

 

[BillK2632]

Sounds like vapor lock to me - my 290, sames year/engines as yours would vapor lock once or twice a year, usually in the spring when I still had winter blend fuel in the tanks. A trick next time it happens, pour cold water over the cool fuel unit. If it is vapor lock that should cool the fuel in the lines down and it will start.

 

[mjoplin]

I had the same issue (only both engines) in my 2005 280. Are you fuel injected or carb and what engines?

I fought this for a while, bleeding air out of the fuel rails. Ended up replacing both fuel pumps and cool fuel kits. Problem solved. Hope your issue is not as expensive as mine was.

I ended up building a tool to hook to both fuel rails, bleed air, check pressures, and cross feed. Helped me isolate the problem (and get started a couple of times when stranded).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Prattbratt777]

my engines are carburated

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

my engines are carburated

Are you certain? Your profile states "Twin 5.0 EFI" (Electronic Fuel Injection)...

 

[Bt Doctur]

Start from the top,you have twin engines so you also have twin fuel systems.
fuel filters, anti-syphon, engine temps,do you allow a cool down wth bilge blowers to get rid of engine compartment heat. ventilation hoses missing/damaged.

 

[JVM225]

Have you thought about an ignition problem? Can you swap the components from one engine to the other easily enough to see if the problem moves over?

 

[Prattbratt777]

I don't run the blowers after a long run to cool the engines down, but if it was an engine compartment problem causing the issue wouldn't I assume that it would affect both motors equally. all ventilation hoses are intact and working properly. One thing I'm considering, per Ryan is that the port side fuel filter has an "insulator housing" that is missing from the fuel filter after a recent filter change. I'm wondering if that missing insulator housing is causing that port side fuel filter (which sits between the port and starboard motor) to overheat which then causes the fuel in that filter/line to vaporize. As soon as it cools down, the problem resolves.

 

[Prattbratt777]

Jim, it's true that my motors say EFI, but my mechanic tells me that they are not "True Fuel injection motors." I guess I just assumed from his statement that they were a hybrid of sorts.

 

[Espos4]

Jim, it's true that my motors say EFI, but my mechanic tells me that they are not "True Fuel injection motors." I guess I just assumed from his statement that they were a hybrid of sorts.

You may have "Throttle body fuel injection" This type of system has a throttle body assembly that looks similar to a carburetor, but has 2, or possibly 4, large fuel injectors mounted in it. It is not a "port injected" set-up, which has 1 injector for each individual cylinder, but it is still a fuel injected engine.

 

[electricaldoctor]

Thanks for the response Ryan. Yes, I've tried to throttle up only mode, but it didn't make any difference at all. Your first comment is interesting. The fuel filter on the port has something that looks like a "sleeve" that it sits in. Is that sleeve supposed to catch fuel drips or could that be an insulator of sorts? The sleeve came off after my last fuel filter change was was accidentally discarded. Seems like I've had this problem since that sleeve was lost.

Brian

That discarded "sleeve" could be the source of your problems as it may be a heat shield. :huh:

 

[Ralph vaughn]

Hey friends,
Thought I would see if I could get some insight into an issue with my 2000 Sea Ray Sundancer 290. The last few times out I've made some longer runs than normal...about an hour or so at roughly 3500 RPM's. Engines run flawlessly. Each time I've stopped for a short while to enjoy the water and swim for an hour or so. When we're ready to fire up the engines and head back, the port engine would start but "search for idle" and then stall. After a few tries she won't start at all. About 3 or 4 hours later (or overnight if we're done for the day), she'll start once again and run perfectly. Acts "fuel starved" but the starboard engine is getting fuel and running great. Is it a fuel issue? Overheating? Vapor lock? Can anyone shed some light on this?

Much thanks in Advance!
Prattbratt