Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

My gf and I were out on our Coblat 190 powered by a Mercruiser 4.3 MPI, doing about 45mph, when it fell right on its nose, sputering and so forth. I glanced at the gas gauge and it said 1/4 left, but it sounded like it was out of fuel.
So, we get towed by a friendly boater, bring the boat home, stoping by the gas station and I put in about 5 gallons. We get ready to flush out the engine, cranks over fine, sputer then stop. So I turn on and off the key to activate the pump (I can hear it turning on fine), thinking I need to bring the fuel back up, but no luck. Now I'm thinking something in the tank fell off (maybe the pick up or something). Before I start unbolting stuff, I check the fuel filter/separator, and it's half full...so now I'm really thinking it's the pick up line...or not, I took the sending unit out, and I can see the pick up line going into the fuel.
I had my gf turn the key on to activate the pump, and I can feal som suction when I cover the inlet hose with my thumb (not a whole lot though).

Any ideas what's going on? could the pump gone bad in the process of runing out of fuel? (I did shut off the engine before it stoped itself...)

I'm new to this boat thing (my forte are in hot rods and Big block chevy's). Is there something I need to check?

thanks!

JB

BAYLINER185 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

CHECK THE LANYARD switch

Some how mine got pulled this weekend but thanks to an episode last year I now learned to look and check it out

secondly, an MPI motor has a lot more then my 4.3 carb so I bet you just serioulsy ran it out of gas and it may take a lot of fuel pump running to repressureise / pump fuel into the system.

I cant imagine anyhting being ruined just majorly out of gas since you were on plain and the motor sucked all the gas lines dry. I guess I better make note of this as I have rum my 185 down close to E when pretty much on the way back to the marina......Im not exactly sure where my gas is when Im at 1/4 tank but now Im going to investigate this better..thank you very much lol....

Just keep trying to pump and pressureise your gas lines. I really cant hear the fuel pump run on my 4.3 merc so Id just say crank the motor a few times you may even need to open the throttle some. Im not sure on that MPI motor though what opening the throttle does as mine sprays gas since its carbed yours has a computer for that.

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

yeah I check the lanyard to make sure that was on. Like I said, I can hear the fuel pump come on, but it appears as it is not sucking fuel. I do not know how to prime a boat fuel system, nor is there any guidance from the operator's manual. I would assume it is like any car's EFI, you put gas in the tank, cycle the pump a couple times and that should do it. I've tried to do that about 7 times, but nothing. My gf did say the engine had a hard time starting, and even stalled out while she was waiting on me to park the trailer. This could be the tail tail signs of a pump gone south...
I think we'll get a new fuel pump tomorrow, but before spending money, I hope someone can give me some advice on what else to check...

mcleaves · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

Did you check the fuel separator to see if you started sucking water?

M

lmannyr · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

Was the separator half gas half water? or just half gas?

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

I took out the fuel filter/separator off (looks like an oil filter) and I noticed it wasn't under pressure (no fuel overflowed when I took it off) and when I looked inside, it was only 1/2 full, which lead me to believe I ran out of fuel completly or, the pump is not doing it's job or, something else at the tank (but what?).

mcleaves · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mirage2991 said:
I took out the fuel filter/separator off (looks like an oil filter) and I noticed it wasn't under pressure (no fuel overflowed when I took it off) and when I looked inside, it was only 1/2 full, which lead me to believe I ran out of fuel completly or, the pump is not doing it's job or, something else at the tank (but what?).

You need to dump the contents of the filter into a clear container and see if there is water.

Looking in it is not going to tell you anything

M

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

lmannyr said:
Was the separator half gas half water? or just half gas?

how would I know?

The only thing I didn't check was pressure at the rail, I guess I should have done that...

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mcleaves said:
You need to dump the contents of the filter into a clear container and see if there is water.

Looking in it is not going to tell you anything

M

ok I'll have to do that tomorrow.

But, shouldn't it be completly full? and not 1/2 empty? especially after I cycled the pump a good 7 times and tried to start it 4-5 times?

BAYLINER185 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

Pour the contents out and smell it

OR

Light a match in a safe place....simple enough to see if its gas Vs drinking it lol.

captbjack · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

is there anyway to disconnect the fuel line at the motor then cycle the pump?

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

keep in mind that we were out for a good 2h before that happened, and the boat ran fine the whole time...since water is heavier than fuel, I would think that it would have created some issues at the begening, since the pick up tube in the tank would suck that up first...

mcleaves · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mirage2991 said:
But, shouldn't it be completly full? and not 1/2 empty? especially after I cycled the pump a good 7 times and tried to start it 4-5 times?

Who knows. Depends on the system you have.. What has it been at the start and end of the season when you change it? That would be your point of reference.

M

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

captbjack said:
is there anyway to disconnect the fuel line at the motor then cycle the pump?

well, if it's an EFI on car, there's a check valve at the rail that you can press in and see if fuel comes out...which is something I didn't think about doing...

captbjack · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mirage2991 said:
how would I know?

The only thing I didn't check was pressure at the rail, I guess I should have done that...

this is what i would do mirage, not possitive but im sure the fuel pump will be pricey.

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mcleaves said:
Who knows. Depends on the system you have.. What has it been at the start and end of the season when you change it? That would be your point of reference.

M

Bought the boat 3 weeks ago, it now has 89 hours on it (it is a 2002). We test drove it before buying it, ran great (we were out for about 45 min, doing high speed passes). Then we took it out about 2 week-ends ago, put 25 bucks worth of fuel, we were out 2h, then today, put fuel in it, and out for 2h. All the filters were changed before we bought it, so I would assume the fuel filter has 4h on it (look new to me).

lmannyr · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

I'm not familiar with your boat so bear with me. Does your setup have an inline filter before the separator?

I would think if it was that filter it would not have been a sudden sputter. Maybe it's the pump, but it's hard to tell without trouble shooting further. Follow the fuel line from the pump. Where does it go? Separator? Anything in between? Disconnect and check for flow into the separator or next piece inline. It should flow, if it doesn't, then the line is clogged some how or the pump is bad.

You SURE you have enough fuel in the tank for the pickup line when the tank is all closed up to run? You may have run into unusable fuel. Put more gas just to be sure.

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

captbjack said:
this is what i would do mirage, not possitive but im sure the fuel pump will be pricey.

oh absolutly, that's why I got on this forum, I rather have you guys (that know what you are doing) offer suggestions before I spend money on parts.

Hey, it's not like an Aeromotive fuel pump wouldn't cure the problem lol and I know how much that sucker cost...it'll support 2000hp...ya know, just in case we swap engine later...lol j/k

lmannyr · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

mirage2991 said:
Bought the boat 3 weeks ago, it now has 89 hours on it (it is a 2002). We test drove it before buying it, ran great (we were out for about 45 min, doing high speed passes). Then we took it out about 2 week-ends ago, put 25 bucks worth of fuel, we were out 2h, then today, put fuel in it, and out for 2h. All the filters were changed before we bought it, so I would assume the fuel filter has 4h on it (look new to me).

I would go ahead and change out the fuel filter too while your at it. Just to be sure you know? I never trust what SELLERS say.

mirage2991 · Apr 6, 2008

Re: Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

lmannyr said:
I'm not familiar with your boat so bear with me. Does your setup have an inline filter before the separator?

I would think if it was that filter it would not have been a sudden sputter. Maybe it's the pump, but it's hard to tell without trouble shooting further. Follow the fuel line from the pump. Where does it go? Separator? Anything in between? Disconnect and check for flow into the separator or next piece inline. It should flow, if it doesn't, then the line is clogged some how or the pump is bad.

You SURE you have enough fuel in the tank for the pickup line when the tank is all closed up to run? You may have run into unusable fuel. Put more gas just to be sure.

well, bare with me as I'll describe what I have:

it goes from the gas tank to this "oil filter look a like thing", that spins on, one line goes into that, two come out (I'm assuming it's a closed return line circuit, feed itslef). Those two lines would go to...well I don't know, it was geting dark, and mosquitos where having a feast on my back, so...don't know for sur, but it goes to the side of the fuel pump.
Now that you mention it, maybe we just don't have enoug fuel in the tank! but I did see the pick up submerged into the fuel...

Ran out of fuel. Refueled but no start-help!

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