I am new to outboard engines but have been an automotive mechanic for many years. I am also rather new to boating with anything more than a Jon boat so please bear with me.
I recently purchased a 1990 Bass Tracker Pro 17 that someone had replaced the original engine with a Mercury Force 75 HP with a May 1999 date code sticker on the head. The engine still appears to be like new and I can not find any wrench marks anywhere on the bolts or nuts on the engine.
I am afraid that someone has let it set though and that might be causing my issue.
The 6 gallon portable fuel tank was plumbed into the system without a quick connect when I got the boat. The priming bulb was also showing some signs of dry rot. The oil tank was also bypassed when the engine was replaced so I have been mixing oil directly with premium gas and adding Marine Sta-Bil and Seafoam to each tank. I replaced the bulb with an ATWOOD and added a quick connect to the tank and hose end.
When you slowly pumped the bulb the fuel filter will fill with fuel and the engine will start right up and idle fine. After a minute to warm up it throttles up fine but sounds like it has a slight miss to it. I replaced the plugs but the miss is still there.
After the engine has ran for a few minutes the plastic fuel filter looks like it is going dry but the engine continues to run if throttled up. If left at idle sometimes it will die but start back up after pumping the bulb a few times or just spinning the engine over for 30 seconds or so. The filter is empty though when this happens.
On the water running, you could not ask for a better performing engine until you stop it. Sometimes it will start right back up and sometimes it will take a couple of minutes of spinning over or pumping the bulb. Yesterday it would not hardly start and when it did it was acting like it was running on about a half of a cylinder. I think my trolling motor is faster than the engine at full throttle, but within a few hundred yards it picked back up, got us on top of the water and ran like a dream.
I swear this engine acts like it is running out of fuel after it stops. I see no signs of any fuel leaks under the engine cover or anywhere in the water. What should I be looking at that would let the fuel pressure drop from the line causing the filter to empty?
Would this be something in the fuel pump? Possibly a diaphragm?
Here's a stupid question. The fuel tank has a vented cap. I have been storing the tank with the vent closed and running the engine with the vent open. I would assume that the vent would have to be open for the engine to pull fuel from the tank otherwise the tank would just collapse until the tank pressure was greater than the fuel pump pressure. Am I correct that the vent needs to be open when running the engine?
Any help is appreciated. I hate to pay someone to repair something that I should be able to take care of myself.
It has not been a real concern until yesterday when it started running so poorly and we were a few miles from the ramp.
I recently purchased a 1990 Bass Tracker Pro 17 that someone had replaced the original engine with a Mercury Force 75 HP with a May 1999 date code sticker on the head. The engine still appears to be like new and I can not find any wrench marks anywhere on the bolts or nuts on the engine.
I am afraid that someone has let it set though and that might be causing my issue.
The 6 gallon portable fuel tank was plumbed into the system without a quick connect when I got the boat. The priming bulb was also showing some signs of dry rot. The oil tank was also bypassed when the engine was replaced so I have been mixing oil directly with premium gas and adding Marine Sta-Bil and Seafoam to each tank. I replaced the bulb with an ATWOOD and added a quick connect to the tank and hose end.
When you slowly pumped the bulb the fuel filter will fill with fuel and the engine will start right up and idle fine. After a minute to warm up it throttles up fine but sounds like it has a slight miss to it. I replaced the plugs but the miss is still there.
After the engine has ran for a few minutes the plastic fuel filter looks like it is going dry but the engine continues to run if throttled up. If left at idle sometimes it will die but start back up after pumping the bulb a few times or just spinning the engine over for 30 seconds or so. The filter is empty though when this happens.
On the water running, you could not ask for a better performing engine until you stop it. Sometimes it will start right back up and sometimes it will take a couple of minutes of spinning over or pumping the bulb. Yesterday it would not hardly start and when it did it was acting like it was running on about a half of a cylinder. I think my trolling motor is faster than the engine at full throttle, but within a few hundred yards it picked back up, got us on top of the water and ran like a dream.
I swear this engine acts like it is running out of fuel after it stops. I see no signs of any fuel leaks under the engine cover or anywhere in the water. What should I be looking at that would let the fuel pressure drop from the line causing the filter to empty?
Would this be something in the fuel pump? Possibly a diaphragm?
Here's a stupid question. The fuel tank has a vented cap. I have been storing the tank with the vent closed and running the engine with the vent open. I would assume that the vent would have to be open for the engine to pull fuel from the tank otherwise the tank would just collapse until the tank pressure was greater than the fuel pump pressure. Am I correct that the vent needs to be open when running the engine?
Any help is appreciated. I hate to pay someone to repair something that I should be able to take care of myself.
It has not been a real concern until yesterday when it started running so poorly and we were a few miles from the ramp.
