o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

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dtemp1

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It's always a hassle to run to the rear and pump up the bulb when I launch my boat. {and the wind is usually pushing you toward shore} Would there be any harm in installing a small electric fuel pump in the fuel line? I'm thinking of a small solenoid type pump. The motor in question is a 150 yamaha v max carbureted 2 stroke. thanks.
 

CATransplant

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Bad idea. It'll leave you stranded. You already have a fuel pump on your outboard. It will pump whether you have a good battery or a dead one.

As for your starting procedure, pump the bulb before you launch. If your carb float, needle & seat are good, you'll be golden. I pump mine in the make-ready area, then launch and fire up the outboard. Works every time.
 

Barnacle_Bill

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Having tried it on an old 150 Merc I got to agree with CATransplant. I experimented using a Holley redtop. If I got the pressure up to where it ran good at WOT it would overload the needle and seat at low RPMs. Never could come up with a good setting with the regulator. Aside from all that there is the safety aspect. If your motor stops running for whatever reason, you want that pump to immediately shut off automatically.
 

ddrieck

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Having tried it on an old 150 Merc I got to agree with CATransplant. I experimented using a Holley redtop. If I got the pressure up to where it ran good at WOT it would overload the needle and seat at low RPMs. Never could come up with a good setting with the regulator. Aside from all that there is the safety aspect. If your motor stops running for whatever reason, you want that pump to immediately shut off automatically.


I disagree to a point...

As stated above, do not install an electric fuel pump in place of your outboard mechanical pump do to the mentioned problems.

However, You can install an electric fuel pump in place of the squeeze bulb to prime the carbs. Just be sure to hook it to a momentary button like the one used for the a horn. When your at the ramp, be it in the prep area or right before you start to pull off the trailer just push the button for a few seconds to prime the carbs and fire up the outboard.

You need to be sure to use an low pressure/low volume electric fuel pump the will allow fuel to flow freely through the pump when it is in the off position. These pumps are readily available at NAPA Auto Parts all over the country.

I have had this very setup installed on all my outboard powered boats and currently have it installed on my Euroline 195 running a 150hp Force outboard and have had zero problems with it and it works every time.

I should also mention that you can leave the squeeze bulb in place as a back up but be sure to install the electric fuel pump between the tank and the bulb.
 

countvlad

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

I disagree to a point...

As stated above, do not install an electric fuel pump in place of your outboard mechanical pump do to the mentioned problems.

However, You can install an electric fuel pump in place of the squeeze bulb to prime the carbs. Just be sure to hook it to a momentary button like the one used for the a horn. When your at the ramp, be it in the prep area or right before you start to pull off the trailer just push the button for a few seconds to prime the carbs and fire up the outboard.

You need to be sure to use an low pressure/low volume electric fuel pump the will allow fuel to flow freely through the pump when it is in the off position. These pumps are readily available at NAPA Auto Parts all over the country.

I have had this very setup installed on all my outboard powered boats and currently have it installed on my Euroline 195 running a 150hp Force outboard and have had zero problems with it and it works every time.

I should also mention that you can leave the squeeze bulb in place as a back up but be sure to install the electric fuel pump between the tank and the bulb.

in matter a fact i just hooked an electric fuel pump to my outboard this year. i've tested the pump with the priming bulb in a container full with gas and worked pretty well...

The way it works is by bypassing the primer bulb... in case the pump goes bad you still have the bulb to prime the carbs.... that's one of the reasons why i hooked the pump in parallel with the bulb...

initially i was going to put it in line with the the bulb but that didn't work because it didn't seem to allow enough fuel to flow while it was off... even though the pump is an solenoid type fuel pump.

you might be able to find a fairly cheap automotive pump that you can hook it up in line... a marine fuel pump runs in the $300

good luck
 

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Silvertip

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Unless the pump has a check valve in it, the squeeze bulb will not function. The next issue with electric pumps is that they MUST NEVER be allowed to serve as a primary fuel pump on a non-ECM controlled outboard because there is no convenient way to rig a automatic cut-off switch. On ECM controlled engines the ECM knows when the engine has quit and the pump will be turned off. Have an issue on a standard outboard where the engine quits due to a fuel leak or perhaps a fire breaks out and the pump continues to run thus feeding the fire. I realize this is not what the original post is about. But this topic pops up because people often don't want to fix the standard pump and think an electric is the way to go. So my comments are a warning only just in case someone gets the notion.
 

OnTheWaterNow

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Was reading the thread and had a question.I never have to squeze my bulb to start motor.No matter how long the boat sits.A week two weeks only when bringing it out of winter storage.then never have to use it all season long. But I see alot of people at the ramps squezing thiers several times to try and get boat started.I turn key one time and it fires right up no matter how long it has set.Is this good or Im I not doing something right after each use?
 

countvlad

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Unless the pump has a check valve in it, the squeeze bulb will not function. The next issue with electric pumps is that they MUST NEVER be allowed to serve as a primary fuel pump on a non-ECM controlled outboard because there is no convenient way to rig a automatic cut-off switch. On ECM controlled engines the ECM knows when the engine has quit and the pump will be turned off. Have an issue on a standard outboard where the engine quits due to a fuel leak or perhaps a fire breaks out and the pump continues to run thus feeding the fire. I realize this is not what the original post is about. But this topic pops up because people often don't want to fix the standard pump and think an electric is the way to go. So my comments are a warning only just in case someone gets the notion.

I agree with you... there are somewhat advantages and disadvantages to the fuel pump.... and obviously it should not be used as a primary fuel pump, continuously or have the primer bulb removed ... pump should be used with a momentary switch before starting the motor and should either have a check valve built in or a in line check valve....
 

countvlad

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Was reading the thread and had a question.I never have to squeze my bulb to start motor.No matter how long the boat sits.A week two weeks only when bringing it out of winter storage.then never have to use it all season long. But I see alot of people at the ramps squezing thiers several times to try and get boat started.I turn key one time and it fires right up no matter how long it has set.Is this good or Im I not doing something right after each use?

i always had to prime the carbs before starting the motor, on my 2 stroke motor, and everyone that i know had to do the same thing... ... unless you have an electrical priming fuel pump which some older boats do have ....if i'm not mistaken fuel injected motors have an electric fuel pump, but i'm not 100% positive....
 

OnTheWaterNow

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

It is 1989 mariner 3 cly 50 hp 2 stroke. I dont run the gas out of the carbs before loading. when first purchased the boat and launching I would always try to remember what the po told me was starting procedure.pump the bulb til firm,raise lever on control to activate fast idle,push key in to activate electric choke,turn key.I was new and nervous at the ramp and somtimes I would forget all the above steps and hop in and turn key always fired up first time.started noticing I was skipping all theese steps.was just curious if the boat wants to and does start right up with out those steps is it ok or could I be doing something I shouldnt that may cause some damage.

Thanks
 

countvlad

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Messages
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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

It is 1989 mariner 3 cly 50 hp 2 stroke. I dont run the gas out of the carbs before loading. when first purchased the boat and launching I would always try to remember what the po told me was starting procedure.pump the bulb til firm,raise lever on control to activate fast idle,push key in to activate electric choke,turn key.I was new and nervous at the ramp and somtimes I would forget all the above steps and hop in and turn key always fired up first time.started noticing I was skipping all theese steps.was just curious if the boat wants to and does start right up with out those steps is it ok or could I be doing something I shouldnt that may cause some damage.

Thanks

i think you should probably start using the priming bulb... by doing that you fill the carbs with fresh fuel and oil and build enough pressure in the lines to help the fuel pump with the initial start ....
 

OnTheWaterNow

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Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

Thanks I shall do that each time.I have pumped it before when I think about It usalyis always 1or 2 pumps then its pretty firm.
 

kenmyfam

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Aug 10, 2006
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14,385
Re: o. k. to put electric fuel pump on outboard?

My 2 cents coming up,
Don't do it. It is a disaster waiting to happen. There was a very heated discussion on the subject some time back. Squeeze the bulb and move on with your boating. I prime mine first trip out per day and thats usually it.
 
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