Updated After Testing - Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

[mgmidget72]

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Thanks CharlieB.

My fuel pick-up is a stiff tube that goes down to the bottom of the tank. I thought I'd be able to get rid of the water with that, but maybe I need to tilt the boat back and use a separate hose.

Any thoughts why the fuel bowls aren't able to clear themselves of bad fuel once running on good fuel? Many people recommend carrying a spare separator (or glass container) for just this problem, but in my case it seems that I'd also have to then drain the fuel bowls for it to work? I've spoken with a few people who have had their engine shut off because the separator was full of water, but they said they just either dumped it into a container or replaced it and went on their way.

-Scott

 

[FoolOfAFisherman]

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

By any chance did you happen to check the o rings in the fuel line connector going to the engine. I had the same problem where my motor would run but not stay running unless I pumped the bulb. It was a vacuum leak in the fuel connector. Easy fix if so. Just another avenue to pursue.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Water is heavier than fuel, it will accumulate and lay in the bottom of a tank (or float bowl) until the level gets high enough that it gets to the pick-up tube.

Agitation of the tank will allow water to be picked up.

Once in the carb, water has a greater surface tension than fuel, a drop of water will not get sucked through the jets, effectively blocking fuel flow completely. Once the motor dies that drop is free to roll around in the float bowl again til running the motor it gets sucked up against the jet, stopping flow again.

Again, drain and flush the carbs, replace the separating filter.

Using the main tank fuel line will only pull water out of the tank down to the level of the dip tube, leaving a layer of water on the bottom of the tank.

Jack and block the trailer so that the fuel tank is lowest on the corner nearest the sending unit. Re,ove the sending unit if the fuel level is low enough that it is safe to do so without spilling fuel into the boat.

Tank a length of hose, cut a very small V notch on the end so that the hose cannot suck itself to the bottom and seal off such as to stop all flow. Now screw a nut or two onto the hose, select a size big enough that the hose 'threads' onthe the nut, this weight will help drop the hose to the bottom.

Pump out the water until the fuel comes clean.

 

[mgmidget72]

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Re: Help Needed With 115 Mercury - Runs Than Dies

Finally getting around to reporting back -

Did pretty much as CharlieB said, and am back up and running with no problems. Thanks CharlieB!!

Only thing I did differently was instead of putting a nut on the hose, I put a length of coat-hanger wire inside the hose and folded it back to clip it on the end. This made the hose pretty rigid so that I could stick it in the far corner of the tank. Also, I didn't want to take any chances with what was in the tank, so I just pumped it dry.