Sorry for the long post, but trying to be thorough with information. I have a 06 175 opti that has been giving me problems. Long story short, the boat has sat for ~10 years without being ran (though it was winterized and fuel tank drained) and only had 49 hours on it. When I got it neither of the electric fuel pumps would run, so I replaced all 3 fuel pumps, fuel/water seperator, and the fuel line and primer bulb from the tank to the engine. I cleaned the VST while I had it apart although there was very little trash in it. After that it fired right up and ran great for the first few weekends then died at the dock and wouldn't start without holding open the shrader valve for the air port while cranking the engine (then it would die shortly after). When I got it back home I removed the VST and noticed the grommet/seal on top of the high pressure fuel pump was cracked/broken so I replaced it. Also replaced the spark plugs and tracker valve as I was getting a little gas out of the air port.
Ever since replaced the fuel line/bulb the bulb never would get hard, but the engine ran fine. I never did anything to prime the bulb when I installed it. I searched around online and seen people say the bulb works better in a vertical position. This is on a tritoon with a fuel tank mounted on top of the deck. I shortened up the fuel line from the tank to the bulb to make the bulb vertical with the arrow facing down(flow towards engine still). I also filled the line with fuel before hooking it back up to prime it. The bulb now gets hard as it should. I idled it on muffs for 3 hours at the house throughout the last week and everything seemed fine.
I could never find a definite answer for exactly which way the bulb should face. (or if it even makes that much of a difference)
Last weekend when I took it to the lake (first time since replacing the high pressure pump again, the tracker valve, plugs) it started and ran fine but would cut out above 3000 rpms. If I backed off the throttle right away the engine would stay running. When it did die it always started right back up without having to do anyting. But a couple times I checked the bulb after it happend and it would be soft but pump back up after a few pumps.
It will idle all day long but cut out randomly at 3000+ rpms. Might be within 100 feet or it might be within 1000 feet. I am 99% sure it is fuel starvation and I am thinking it may be from having the bulb facing down. My next idea is to replace the fuel line from the tank to the bulb again to make the bulb lay flat on the back of the boat. I was also thinking about adding a low pressure in-line electric pump between the tank and engine to help get fuel to the VST at WOT. It would only be temporary to try to get it through the end of the summer until I can take it to a shop to have it looked at.
Ever since replaced the fuel line/bulb the bulb never would get hard, but the engine ran fine. I never did anything to prime the bulb when I installed it. I searched around online and seen people say the bulb works better in a vertical position. This is on a tritoon with a fuel tank mounted on top of the deck. I shortened up the fuel line from the tank to the bulb to make the bulb vertical with the arrow facing down(flow towards engine still). I also filled the line with fuel before hooking it back up to prime it. The bulb now gets hard as it should. I idled it on muffs for 3 hours at the house throughout the last week and everything seemed fine.
I could never find a definite answer for exactly which way the bulb should face. (or if it even makes that much of a difference)
Last weekend when I took it to the lake (first time since replacing the high pressure pump again, the tracker valve, plugs) it started and ran fine but would cut out above 3000 rpms. If I backed off the throttle right away the engine would stay running. When it did die it always started right back up without having to do anyting. But a couple times I checked the bulb after it happend and it would be soft but pump back up after a few pumps.
It will idle all day long but cut out randomly at 3000+ rpms. Might be within 100 feet or it might be within 1000 feet. I am 99% sure it is fuel starvation and I am thinking it may be from having the bulb facing down. My next idea is to replace the fuel line from the tank to the bulb again to make the bulb lay flat on the back of the boat. I was also thinking about adding a low pressure in-line electric pump between the tank and engine to help get fuel to the VST at WOT. It would only be temporary to try to get it through the end of the summer until I can take it to a shop to have it looked at.
