Fuel Issue '73 Southwind 340

RedandWhite73 wrote: I didn't check the dwell when I checked the timing. Could this be a potential cause?

Sorry I never got back to this thread.

Dwell is the angle that points stay closed before opening, and it's set by the point gap. So, if you correctly gap your points you get the correct dwell. But, checking with a dwell meter is a better way of knowing you got the gap right.

Whenever you change the gap on points you have to re-check timing. A change of timing won't change dwell, but a change of dwell will change timing.

When you say could it be a potential cause - you seem to have found your fuel supply problem, now get everything in the ignition set up correctly and see how you run. While you are setting gaps, make sure your spark plugs are gapped correctly.

No problem. I'll take a picture of the fuel filter tonight when I get home. I was attending weddings all weekend and didn't have time to work on the boat.

RedandWhite73 wrote: You could see the pump forcing fuel into the clear plastic in-line filter.

Dan,
Please post a picture of the filter. The only clear plastic one I know of is a Tempo and it's only rated for outboards. Sorry but you may be driving a bomb!!

Glad you solved it and got out skiing! Yes, check accelerator pumps, but also when you say timing is correct did you check dwell?

Check that you're getting a squirt of gas from your accelerator pump off of idle. if not the engine is stumbling from a momentary lean condition. What carb is on the motor?

I replaced the points and condenser. However, since it still isn't getting fuel I can't ensure timing is proper.

The plan tonight is the hook up a plastic gas tank and see if that fixes the fuel problem, then check the timing. If that still doesn't fix the fuel problem I plan on hooking the gas tank straight to the carb fuel line, then working backwards to see where the blockage is occurring.

When I removed the old water separator filter I noticed the gas had a bit of a red tint to it, so I have a hunch where the problem lies. If the gas tank is in fact shot, what are the best/cheapest options? My wife is starting to get wise to my money pit......

You just don't know any better but now that you have said it-----
Just stick to trailers

The pros and cons of retrofit EI kits has been discussed here to a great extent, so I wont attempt to rehash that. Suffice it to say I am in the all or nothing, ie, "upgrade to a new/modern distributor with EI or leave the points in it" camp. I have several of both, all have been good performers and reliable. The only thing I have had fail prematurely was a EI retrofit kit- and it was one "better" ones (PCM/Prestolite). The only 2 people I know who tried Pertronix units in their boats ended up with issues and ended up switching back to points. I have not found points to be a maintenance issue (5+ years on a set is normal) and theyre dirt cheap.

I actually would not recommend installing the Pertronix... ever.

Yes, that is the anti siphon valve.

Tim is right though Dave. He has a fuel problem now but that may be from throwing parts at it. He may get fuel flowing back to the carb and still now have the same problem that he started with. Then as a last resort he gives it a tune up anyway maybe solving the problem by replacing the throw away parts

Is it safe to assume that the ignition is in the proper state of tune? Never start tinkering with the carb or fuel system until youre sure the ignition is good to go. Good cap/rotor/points/condensor/plugs/wires, and properly set dwell and timing. Then start looking at fuel.

If youre not getting ANY fuel to the pump, then look at the anti siphon valve first.

I have had a fuel issue with my Southwind ever since I bought it. The boat idles well, but as soon as you give it any gas it seems to stumble and kill. After a few accelerate-and-kill passes, it seems to have a hard time even holding an idle.

I've tried several methods to alleviate this problem and nothing has worked so far. I had the carburetor rebuilt this winter, I replace the in-line fuel filter, I replaced the water separator filter, and I've replaced the fuel pump.

I replaced the fuel pump, and both filters last weekend. After they were replaced the boat wont even start. The in-line filter is downstream of the fuel pump and water separator, and is clear, I can see that no fuel is reaching it. When I crank over the boat and put a finger on where the fuel line is supposed to go into the fuel pump and I can feel a pulsing vacuum. The MOPAR fuel pump doesn't have a pintle mechanism and just runs off an eccentric. The install is pretty straight forward.

I'm at a bit of a loss for ideas at this point. Perhaps the fuel tank is rusted out and clogging anything at high flow? It doesn't make sense to me that after I installed the fuel pump and changed the filters that it won't run at all. Perhaps I could get a fuel tank from a fishing boat, hook it up, and see if that remedies my problem?

Any ideas are appreciated.

-Dan