What is different about newer primer bulbs?

[guy48065]

Last year I replaced my weathered old fuel line assembly with a brand new one and then my 2000 Johnson 40 started slowing down to an idle after a couple minutes of WOT.
I check fuel level, fuel filter, tank cap and eventually put the cruddy old hose back on. Problem solved!

What's the problem with these? Mine was brand new so it couldn't have been pos gray hose problems so soon (?).
The bulb on these latest EPA-compliant assemblies feels 'crunchy' when you squeeze. Like there's a loose liner inside the bulb, too.

This is (was) an Invincible Marine brand 3/8 packaged assembly with Johnson connectors. Uu

 

[dingbat]

Last year I replaced my weathered old fuel line assembly with a brand new one and then my 2000 Johnson 40 started slowing down to an idle after a couple minutes of WOT.
I check fuel level, fuel filter, tank cap and eventually put the cruddy old hose back on. Problem solved!

What's the problem with these? Mine was brand new so it couldn't have been pos gray hose problems so soon (?).
The bulb on these latest EPA-compliant assemblies feels 'crunchy' when you squeeze. Like there's a loose liner inside the bulb, too.

This is (was) an Invincible Marine brand 3/8 packaged assembly with Johnson connectors. Uu

Who is Invincible Marine?

Learned long ago to use nothing but OEM Mercury or Evinrude Primer bulbs

 

[guy48065]

Who is Invincible Marine?

Learned long ago to use nothing but OEM Mercury or Evinrude Primer bulbs

It's what they carry here. No marina or boat dealers for at least an hour drive (each way).
So Merc or Rude packaged (you know they don't make them, right?) fuel line assemblies don't have the gray hose & bulb problems people have been posting about?

 

[Scott Danforth]

My guess is the new one is a chineseum knock off

 

[guy48065]

My guess is the new one is a chineseum knock off

Maybe a chinesium knock off of a Big Name made-in-china-under-license product.
It's the world we created.

 

[topgun3690]

Learned long ago to use nothing but OEM Mercury or Evinrude Primer bulbs

Been using the Evinrude OEM bulbs for a while.....not sure who actually makes them but they are much higher quality and last longer than any others I have found.....whenever I replace one I cut the old one in half and look inside.....the other brands have a liner inside and most of the time it had delaminated and was loose in there. Never saw that with the Evinrude ones.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Maybe a chinesium knock off of a Big Name made-in-china-under-license product.
It's the world we created.

What big name? It states it is for a Johnson/Evinrude. But the only name is "Invincible Marine"

Anything Johnson or Evinrude had the OMC label or the BRP label

I personally would buy Moeller or OEM.

 

[guy48065]

I think I'll just stay clear of that gray hose no matter who makes it. Too many reports of it getting stiff quickly, or the liner disintegrating and plugging up the downstream fuel filter.
In the future I'll buy a brand name bulb that FEELS right (soft rubber--not like a sock full of marbles) and clamp on good automotive hose with the SAE spec printed on it.
That gray stuff looks & feels like vinyl and vinyl doesn't last when exposed to gas & sun.
One of the fuel line assemblies I looked at on Amazon last night actually had the warning to avoid continuous exposure to sunlight!
They must sell a bunch of those to midnight drug runners

 

[airshot]

Hmmmm....my gray hose is a year and a half old, no sign of hardening and there is NO liner inside. The hose was much longer than needed so I cut in several places when I replaced the inline filter. No liner at all !! It states ethenol approved, EPA and CG approved in the advertising. So....is this the bad stuff or has a replacement been put out on the market? Even went over to BP and looked at new ones, NO sign of any liner that I can see. So....what do we do?

 

[airshot]

Have been doing some searching on this gray fuel hose that seems to be causing issues. Shop carefully !!! It apoears rhe stuff on Amazon is some of the cheap stuff that lacks certain approvals for standards and is actually more expensive than what seems to be the better hose that meets all the standards !! Both West Marine and Cabela's (BassPro) carry a gray hose ( no liners) that meets all marine and CG standards as well as ethenol approved for 30% less than chinese Amazon stuff. As far as the primer bulbs...just squeeze them and tou will feel the difference. The crappy ones squeeze very easy, thinner rubber and actually smaller in size if you look carefully. The good ones are bigger and stiffer, rubber feels heavier. The one on my boat came from Cabela's according to the previous owner's reciepts. When comparing BassPro to walmart hoses, they are both the same in appearance, but...take them out and feel them....big difference....now, is this the cure all to fuel hose issues?? No idea, but I can say there is a big difference in quality based on meeting certain specs and just feel and appearance. The hose at West Marine is the same as the BassPro hose, and these are priced less than Amazon....shop carefully !!

 

[Chris1956]

My newish primer bulb seems to be full of a spongy plastic-like material, like a kitchen scrubber, which keeps the primer bulb expanded and helps the primer fill. Dog toys have it as well. I have not had an issue with that primer bulb on my Johnny 150hpv6.

 

[flyingscott]

I use OEM primer balls and fuel injection line to build the rest of it.