2001 350 Mag no start

Hi all,

I am new to the forum. I have a 2001 Crownline BR with a 350 Mag direct fuel injection engine, Alpha drive. The engine has run perfectly through the years and never a problem until this year on my first day out on the lake. After a 30 min cruise at 2500 - 2800 rpm I shut it down for a couple of hours to float and swim. It restarted normally then acted like it ran out of fuel. The boat came up on plane and then just died. The engine would re-start and idle for a few seconds and stall. Eventually, it would not start. I removed the water seperating fuel filter and it was only half full so I am sure it is a fuel delivery problem. After sitting 24 hours the engine starts and runs perfectly. I borrowed a diagnostic tester from my local marina and no codes. The elec. fuel pump cycles 3 seconds after the key is turned on. I no longer trust the engine until I can get this problem figured out. Any suggestions?

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Anybody?

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Hmmm, kinda of interesting that no one has corrected me

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Might be time to borrow a fuel pressure gauge from your local marina?
Good Luck Muc

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

I would check the vent to your fuel tank.

As you use fuel atmospheric pressure must enter the tank to replace the volume of fuel.

Next time it happens you could remove the fuel fill cap and see if it gasps for air.....just a suggestion.

At this stage we are reaching for fortune cookies...

When an engine fails, you need to find out why the suck, squeeze bang blow equation is not happening.

Meaning is the failure ignition, fuel or mechanical in nature...do you have spark? do you have fuel?

Need to know so you can fix the problem not the ash try

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Thanks for the replys:

Here's what I know for sure. I had spark. The engine would start and run...until it died.

I did not have fuel. I confirmed this by unscrewing the water seperating fuel filter. It was only half full.

I did remove the fuel cap. I put a lip lock on the filler tube and blew in the tank hard enough to pressurize it (it was full of fuel) and gas ran out the vent hole. There was no negative pressure when I unscrewed it.

Unfortunately...I was not educated enough at the time to listen for the sound of the electric fuel pump cycling when the key was turned on. I can hear it cycle now, but I can't say for sure it was doing so when the engine quit. My money is on the probability that it did not cycle, hence the lack of fuel in the filter.

Could this be vapor lock associated with crappy fuel? I normally store the boat with an empty tank and fill it with fresh fuel at the beginning of the season. Last fall for the first time ever, I stored the boat with a full take of fuel.

One other thing. I removed and checked the anti siphone valve. It is clean and functioning properly.

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Actually I think Zackman is right, and it's as good a place to start as any.

Ajay, you can get the gauge listed in the test from sears for like 30 bucks or something. You'll have to make your own T fitting out of brass plumbing parts, should be able to get all that at home depot.

On a side note... electrical pumps don't like air, and if you put to much air in it, it will burn out the pump.

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

Hi all,

Just wanted to post that I corrected my problem by changing out the fuel pump. It was cycling and I could hear it run through it's pre-start cycle but it wasn't pumping fuel. The local boat mechanic thought I was crazy but I ordered a new pump, changed it out and have had no problems since.

Re: 2001 350 Mag no start

you could have also had a small air leak before the pump that was sucking in air. Replacing the pump and tightening the fittings could have corrected that also.