Primer ball not holding pressure

[chickenchub]

I have a 100 HP Mariner. The primer ball would not firm up. Installed new ball, same problem. If I take the hose off the motor side of the ball and pump it the fuel will start coming out after 4 or 5 pumps. Reconnect and the ball firms up. Leave it for a day and the ball will not prime again. The fuel is being drawn from the filter/ water separator with 2 ports. One for the 100HP and the other for a 8HP honda. Have tried disconnecting the fuel line to the honda with no change. No problem with the honda primer ball. Any ideas?

 

[roscoe]

I've had several primer bulbs that needed to be held vertically, with the arrow pointing up, in order to get them to pump properly.

I figure this is a sign of the times with cheaper material, check valves, and manufacturing processes, and poor design.

Both my kicker and main motor run off the same water separator, no issues.
And both my bulbs are vertical, just below the splash well, not laying in the splash well.

 

[chickenchub]

I've had several primer bulbs that needed to be held vertically, with the arrow pointing up, in order to get them to pump properly.

I figure this is a sign of the times with cheaper material, check valves, and manufacturing processes, and poor design.

Both my kicker and main motor run off the same water separator, no issues.
And both my bulbs are vertical, just below the splash well, not laying in the splash well.

After 64 years I can't believe I was not aware of this. Feel kind of dumb. Went out to the boat and tried the ball vertical, bulb firmed up right away. Thank you very much.

 

[Texasmark]

Back in the old days we had the Mercury diamond shaped squeeze bulb that the big guns on here said is what you needed to use and have the arrow pointing up......(probably to get the internal check valve on the tank side to close so that when you squeeze it fuel would go toward the engine).

Fast forward. Now we have the frowned upon oval bulb, EPA mandated with the EPA mandated hose, all for 35 bucks now and still puke.

So I got tired of having to pump and pump and pump to get fuel to start flowing to my engine on my 2002 Crestliner Fish Hawk so I went to EBAY and bought a 5/16" (for my 115 hp) aluminum check valve (for about 8 bucks) and put it just back (toward the tank) from the hot dog squeeze bulb. Now, after sitting for several months, when I am ready to go boating, a couple of squeezes and the bulb is tight and engine ready to start.....who cares which way the bulb is pointed...other than direction of flow when installing.