Bogging down

[freerider8]

So my boat is a 1988 Baretta with a Volvo Penta motor. I had an issue over the summer with it not getting fuel properly. I replaced the fuel pump, which is a mechanical pump. That seemed to fix the problem temporarily. The issue seems to be back again. I also installed a inline fuel filter after the fuel/water separator to try and catch more debris from the tank to just try and avoid contaminants from going into the carb. I am not sure if it's the inline filter that is creating the problem or if it is something else. Could it possibly be a fuel sending unit? Can you change over from mechanical fuel pump to an electronic one? I wonder if anyone has any suggestions, or experienced a similar issue?

 

[Donald0039]

Changing to an electric has its issues as you need to run the pump for 10 seconds when the key is first turned to ON and then run the only when the engine is actually running. Hard to get marine quality components to control the electric pump.

 

[kenny nunez]

Get A 6 gallon outboard tank and set it up where it is easy to connect to your engine. Run the boat on the regular tank until the problem starts then switch to the other tank.
A very good chance the problem is in the tank suction tube internal filter.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Which engine? Volvo had about a dozen in 1988

A new mechanical fuel pump is $50 and will last 30-40 years. A properly installed electric fuel pump is $100(pump, relay, oil pressure switch or diodes) and will last about 10 years

 

[freerider8]

It's the 4 cylinder 131A engine. When trying to run more throttle the inline filter empties out of fuel and then the engine starts to sputter and eventually stalls out. It will idle fine and run at slower speeds ok but if I want to add more power at all it then wants to die out. I had changed the mechanical fuel pump just a few weeks ago and it seemed to be ok until yesterday when I took the boat onto the water. It's unfortunate that the only way to see how it will respond is to take it out onto the water and see what happens. I was wondering if it was something in the tank itself, such as a pick up tube filter if there is one. Would this be where the lines that connect to the water/fuel separator connects to the tank as the most likely spot for this to be?

 

[kenny nunez]

Where the fuel line connects to the fitting on the tank is where the suction tube is located. Un screw the fitting from the tank, the tube usually screws into the fitting. If there is a filter in the tube push it out and pitch it. Using teflon tape put it back together.

 

[freerider8]

Where the fuel line connects to the fitting on the tank is where the suction tube is located. Un screw the fitting from the tank, the tube usually screws into the fitting. If there is a filter in the tube push it out and pitch it. Using teflon tape put it back together.

So essentially take the filter out if there is one and eliminate it? I will take a look and see what I find.

 

[cptbill]

You might want to pull the sending unit and check the sock(if there's still one left)