Volvo Penta Fuel Issue

[natev68]

I have a 1999 Reinell, Volvo Penta 4.3L GL. I have had 3 separate occasions now where the boat fires up perfectly at the launch, we drive to a beach, sit for about an hour or so to let the kids swim. We then hook up a tube to take the kids out, as we are getting on plane the boat just dies all of a sudden. All 3 times it has been the same exact scenario. For some reason fuel just stops getting to the engine. The last time I took the fuel filter off and it was drained about half way and the carb. was empty as well. When I try to get it started out on the water zero fuel is coming through the fuel line. Each time when I've gotten it home it fires back up again if I try it in my driveway. I've checked everything I can think of so I brought it into a shop and they weren't able to identify any issue. It fired back up again with no problems there as well. The fuel filter is fine, the fuel pump is working, they checked the fuel pump relay and that was fine. I'm a little at a loss on what the actual issue is, but obviously its not the most relaxing thing to take the boat out wondering if/when it is just going to die. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[kenny nunez]

See if you can remove the suction tube from the tank. There is sometimes a small filter inside the tube. If you can shove a piece of wire through it, Are you sure that the rubber fuel line is not collapsing on the inside. Also try running the boat on a 6 gallon outboard tank connected to the main fuel filter, that will rule out what is not wrong.

 

[alldodge]

Howdy

The motor uses very little fuel on muffs, and builds more heat and has more vibration on the water. When the motor is being started power flows from the starter to the fuel pump relay thru a diode. Once the motor starts the alternator sends power to the fuel pump relay thru another diode. So what is probably happening is there is either a bad connection between the ALT to Diode to Relay.

Look close at the connections on the green wire coming from the ALT thru to relay

 

[natev68]

Thank you so much for the tips, I'll let you know if I'm able to get it figured out.

 

[natev68]

See if you can remove the suction tube from the tank. There is sometimes a small filter inside the tube. If you can shove a piece of wire through it, Are you sure that the rubber fuel line is not collapsing on the inside. Also try running the boat on a 6 gallon outboard tank connected to the main fuel filter, that will rule out what is not wrong.[/QUOTEnohp

​Would that be the anti siphon valve that is in the fuel line going from the tank? Or is there another filter that would be in the line?

 

[bruceb58]

The alternator supplies the voltage to the fuel pump relay from the L2 terminal. You can check that but also pull the relay and see if there is corrosion on the fuel pump relay connections. I had an issue this summer where corrosion had formed on the terminals and pushing and pulling the relay in and out of its connector cleaned it right up and never had another problem

 

[kenny nunez]

Anti siphon valves can sometime cause starvation problems. Years ago some were made from aluminum, those were a real problem. The suction tube going down in the tank is where I have found the reason for fuel starvation. Using a 6 gallon tank will determine whether it is the tank or an electrical issue.