1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

singleshotcajun

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May 15, 2009
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Took my Skeeter out today for the first time in two years.....yup. I did drain the old gasoline and replace with new and some Mercury Quickclean, also new plugs. I had to feather the choke to get the boat to break over and then it would run all out but not half throttle. Then it started showing signs of running out of gas and dying. It was then I noticed the primer bulb(new hoses and bulb pointing the right direction) had gone flat. The vent line is free and clear . What else could it be ? What am I missing ? Thanks for any help.
 

singleshotcajun

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May 15, 2009
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Re: fuel starving Mariner 1987 150hp

Re: fuel starving Mariner 1987 150hp

Kind of in a pickle here, I need to sell this boat but need to fix this problem first. The primer bulb gets flat and pinches off the fuel but the vent line is clear. What could this possibly be ? Thanks.
 

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
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May 7, 2008
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Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

You might have had a bug crawl in your vent line and make nest(mud dauber).
If the bulb goes flat it aint getting air.J
 

singleshotcajun

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May 15, 2009
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Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

That was my first thought so I removed the line from the tank and blew through it, it was clear. It would only do this at top end. It is puzzling.
 

Bill Kilgore

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May 15, 2009
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Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

Does the existing vent line make any sharp bends as it is currently routed? I have had a similar problem due to hose collapsing upon itself. Added a longer vent hose without a sharp bend... problem solved.

May also want to see if any of the new components you installed now run above the vent hose and may get pinched when hatch is closed.
 

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
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May 7, 2008
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17,923
Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

Another thing the pick-up tube might have some junk in it or junk in the bottom of the tank.Pull the tube and see if there is any stuff in it,J
 

singleshotcajun

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May 15, 2009
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Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

The vent hose is free and has no sharp bends. I will try removing the pickup to look for junk. Thanks for the advice guys.
 

sportsmanphil

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 8, 2009
Messages
257
Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

Its possible your new fuel line/prime bulb is defective. One of the valves could be sticking.
 

verado7

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
511
Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

yep likely the primer bulb -it has a check valve in it to prevent fuel from flowing back to the tank -also check the tank vent though too . i've bought bulbs that failed after 1 season ,probably a bad batch but it happens .
 

fasassvalk

Seaman
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
59
Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

If it sat as long as you say, the anti siphon valve could be stopped up making it suck a vaccum on the bulb,hose and starve for gas.
my anti siphon is on the tank pick up line, normally the barbed hose nipple your hose slips over has one inside of it.
My boat sat three years and my anti siphon was gummed up. I just bought a new one and installed it in the tank. $16.00
 

singleshotcajun

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May 15, 2009
Messages
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Re: 1987 Mariner 150hp Primer bulb goes flat and motor runs out of fuel.

The first thing I noticed when I took the cover off the boat for the first time this year was that my primer bulb had cracked so I bought a new fuel line. Then I used the new primer bulb to empty out the gas tank, this alone could have ruined it, squezing it as many times as it is designed to in a service liftime. I'll replace all fittings and line this afternoon and check the pick up and tank condition. The last time i fueled it was from 0 put in 12 gallons when I pumped this gas out it had 6 gal in the tank, gas evaporates fast, about two years.
 
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