Weak fuel pump?

I experienced this on my Ski Tique, which had a brand new fuel pump and a freshly rebuilt carb. Anything short of 2 weeks and it started with 2 pumps... but anything longer and I needed to pour some gas down the carb throat. A few other people have posted with this same issue, not sure if anyone has solved it yet! I always suspected the antisiphon valve, but never got it nailed down.

8122pbrainard wrote: A few pumps of the helm throttle should "prime" the engine.

Well no kidding, Pete... if this behavior was normal, I doubt he'd be coming in and asking for help!

TRBenj wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: A few pumps of the helm throttle should "prime" the engine. Well no kidding, Pete... if this behavior was normal, I doubt he'd be coming in and asking for help!

Tim,
Are you having a bad day? Come on, I've pumped the throttle on tons of boats that have sat for extended times!! It's more than the norm. What are your ideas?

TRBenj wrote:     Its a Friday and Im at work... so Ive had better days. Yes, 2 pumps of the throttle is normal. No argument there. If it will crank and crank and crank without starting, after sitting for an extended period (my Tique would run the battery dead cranking if it sat for more than 2 weeks) then that is NOT normal. If I read the OP correctly, that is what he's describing. I dont have a fix... but telling him his boat is acting abnormally isnt exactly helpful either.

At least you are on the job and working!! I've been sending my resume all over and am on craigslist 5 or 6 times a day. It's tough out there especially for an older guy like myself!

All I can add regarding the priming problem is the check valves in the fuel pump can go bad allowing the reverse flow of fuel over time. But, even a new pump may even have check valve issues. The crap we are getting from overseas is really junk!! Pump the throttle!

Gary S wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: The crap we are getting from overseas is really junk!! But the crap we call gasoline today and what we put in it, is of our own make

And now they want to go 15%!!! Not wanting to go off topic here but the ethanol production is robbing out basic grain production! I feel this topic regarding ethanol should be be moved to the "off topic" section?

I was wondering that too... If yes, I hope you find something soon.   My dad was laid off a few years ago during a corporate shuffle, he ended up starting his own construction buisness, and has been far happier working for himself than he ever was working for "the man"... btw, he's 73 and still at it.   I've tried working weekends with him and he puts me to shame.   Nothing wrong with getting older, you just know how to do more stuff, and hopefully do it smarter.

TX Foilhead wrote: On a more serious thread jack, Pete are you jobless?

Don,
Yes, a few of our members knew about it a month ago but I didn't want to publicly announce the issue. It was certainly a shock after over 21 years at the same place. When the CEO called me into his office, I was dumbfounded and couldn't even say a word! All I did was shake his hand and thank him for the years I served. The outfit that bought out the assets of the old company is BIG corporate and backed by GE Capital. GE sends in their auditors every month so when they saw the orders on the books drop as well as the receivables, the word went out to make the cuts. First to go are, like myself the highest paid middle management & 7 others went down the tube with me. For several years, we were going "balls out". Even with temp help, it was a struggle to get the orders out the door. It was like someone turning the faucet off. I don't care what the Ahole Obama says, it's tough out there!! BTW, they replaced me with a existing employee that was making 1/3 of my pay. Yup, good luck!! In the 4 weeks of my being gone, they have already called me 6 times asking for advice!!

Don,it used to be that if you lived in Chicago area you could always get a job,and a good one at that. Now with this "service" economy things have changed.

When I take the flame arrestor off the choke seems fully closed. I will try more preliminary pumping, but the gas in the carb does the trick every time, at the first crank. Like you I only use the engine start thru the arrestor while cranking, and now only carry the spray can for if I am really stuck, like if I've let the battery get worn down and don't have a safe way to pour in some gas. Hopefully I won't need to use the ether again.

I had this problem and it ended up being little holes in the fuel line. The line was very old and should have been replaced a long time ago. I put in a new fuel line and also put an "out board" pump ball in the fuel line to prime the system when it is sitting for a while. I have never had a problem again.

Tom_Madison wrote: I just learned another trick. With the knob pulled out that prevents you starting in gear I can only "pump" going forward a bit, because the shift lever hits the knob. But I can leave the knob out and accomplish the same pumping action stronger by swinging the shift lever a lot further BACKWARDS 2-3 times. I'm going to give that a shot. The primer bulb idea seems logical, but I've never seen something like that in the fuel line for such a large motor. It would sure beat removing the flame arrestor and pouring in gas.

Yup, it's definitely setup to be easier to give it throttle by putting the lever back, and you'll get a more complete accelerator pump stroke that way.