I have an intermittent fuel starvation problem. The motor usually runs fine all day. Every other trip or so, it will suddenly slow way down and stop almost immediately, like it is starving for fuel. It acts exactly like it has run the fuel tank dry. I can immediately restart the engine, but it will usually die when I throttle up. At this point I usually switch to another fuel tank, with no further problems. But sometimes the problem persists with the new tank.
After 2 or 3 cycles of starting/dying, it runs fine the rest of the day.
I suspect it is my fuel system more than the engine, but I am not sure. The fuel system is simple, consisting of multiple 12 and 6 gallon portable tanks. When one tank runs low, I switch to another tank. I pre-mix fuel and oil, there is no VRO system. The tanks are ahead of my console (22' dory), so I have a 12 foot 3/8" copper tube running between the tanks and the engine. The copper has standard 3/8 outboard hose on either end with regular outboard fittings. The squeeze bulb is up front near the tanks.
I've used this setup without problem for 5 years. I cleaned the fuel filter screen, and removed a bit of shredded red plastic that came from the tanks, and a very small amount of grit, but it didn't look like enough to cause the problem. Removing it did not cure the problem.
This is my second season burning E10 ethanol (now mandatory in Oregon), and I had no problems the first season. I really don't think this is the problem, but I am not sure.
Any ideas?
After 2 or 3 cycles of starting/dying, it runs fine the rest of the day.
I suspect it is my fuel system more than the engine, but I am not sure. The fuel system is simple, consisting of multiple 12 and 6 gallon portable tanks. When one tank runs low, I switch to another tank. I pre-mix fuel and oil, there is no VRO system. The tanks are ahead of my console (22' dory), so I have a 12 foot 3/8" copper tube running between the tanks and the engine. The copper has standard 3/8 outboard hose on either end with regular outboard fittings. The squeeze bulb is up front near the tanks.
I've used this setup without problem for 5 years. I cleaned the fuel filter screen, and removed a bit of shredded red plastic that came from the tanks, and a very small amount of grit, but it didn't look like enough to cause the problem. Removing it did not cure the problem.
This is my second season burning E10 ethanol (now mandatory in Oregon), and I had no problems the first season. I really don't think this is the problem, but I am not sure.
Any ideas?
