fuel delivery issue

[gofastsandman]

Here`s the backround. `96 ocean pro 150 carbed, original tank, `89 20sf. At the ramp Saturday and turn the key on after priming. Hmmmm no beep from the horn of the SLOW "system monitor". LEDs all flash. Decide to go out the Lake Worth/PB inlet anyway..... Troll some Bonita plugs up to Juno in 90 ft. and start to show 4 to 7 degrees hotter and the check engine lights up at 157 deg. Shut down. 157? It`s not like she`s steaming seaweed. Normaly see 147.Pick up and start running up to Jupiter and the check engine light goes on. Water pump`s fine at 18 hours and pissing initials in the snow. Sorry about that my Yankee friends and relatives.

I now know that check engine LED monitors the VRO and fuel vacuum only and not tied into heat as well. I run pre mix so the oil issue is out. I have been running Star Tron enzyme for the past 2 tanks or so to help with E10 issues and it runs better than ever. Supposed to eliminate phase seperation, but is said to remove gum and varnish as well , so I`ll start with the tank pickup. Called AFP , now BDS in Perry,Fl. and they said it has 2 pickups. Their drawing is from `85. Don`t remember seeing 2 when I recored the coffin... If so, I`ll run both. FYI they are nylon { a good thing} Might as well replace the line w/ Sierra e10 resistant while I`m at it. Next up the filter. Also low hrs. The primer bulb took a good 20 pumps to get firm, so I may have squeezed too hard and knocked the check valve ball out of the cage. Sounds too easy. Next on to the screen filter. The "book" vaccuum test for the fuel pump requires a tank or splash and WOT either way. Is there an easier and definitive test? The VRO/Fuel pump is a simple diaphram crankcase pulse design and they are either good or bad or so they say , but I do remember an old Stromberg 97 tri-power setup I had on my old `52 F1 {`50 Olds Rocket 303} giving me trouble as the diaphrams got weak and after rebuilding them, they screamed.

Well, that`s where I am now. Any thoughts or tips?
Thx,
GFS

[eggsuckindog]

If you can find a 6 gal tank and run it that should give pre-engine tank and pick ups or the engine side of the issue. That would help alot, those pumps are pretty good your right unless they dry out for a long time ( not an issue). Also spend a dime and call Mike over at American Marine in Tarpon, they do have a tank but I bet he can help figure out a way to test some stuff pretty easy - 30 yrs on Rudes he hasn't missed much. Tell him where your from, he actually was at Anclote with us. 727 938 9796

[gofastsandman]

Thanks Dixon. I`m hoping it`s the bulb.
GFS

[3rdday]

I had a 150 Spitfire with the slow system. You should be hearing a beep when you turn the key, that is a system check ok indicator. If it was lacking /restricting fuel and the system is functioning properly, you will her repetetive beeps and the frequency of those beeps will increase as throttle increases.
If the computer is functioning correctly. My computer failed and had us stumped, some times it would start and sometimes it wouldn't. It would also drop into slow "overheat protection" without the beep or alarm & it would limit rpms. If I stopped, shut down and immediatly started it, it "trick the computer". One other tip you may already know; if you lift the little throttle advance lever you will override the SMART starting feature. If you need to replace the computer, get the part number off the computer, I found out there were a couple different computers. BTW I disabled the VRO and mixed my own fuel also.

[gofastsandman]

Thanks Brian! When do we get to buy tix for rides?
I went to see George @ G&S to kick this around and borrow a vacuum guage for the weekend. Between the filter and bulb I got 1.6 #s of vaccuum at idle with no load. Should be much lower if anything at all..... I have a feeling that the Star Tron enzyme has loosened some crap out of the tank and clogged the pickup. It does have two so I`m soaking them w/ PB blaster as I haven`t found Kroil locally yet. Linda from AFP/BDS said that some of the nylon pickups had screens and some no, so wont know `til I get them out. Gonna run both and a y to help this crud problem. If they have screens they are gone. George also had a neat tip. Cut a little way into the tube a couple of times just above the bottom to increase flow and to let things fall off the bottom without losing too much usable range. Spare filters and some A1 fuel line at BOW tomorrow. The horn did beep for a second before firing it up today so maybe I just didn`t notice it at the ramp. George also said to ground the top two brown wires by the t stats to check the horn.
GFS

[3rdday]

Yep the two light? browns will test. Do you have a valve that alows you to switch the two pickups. They should have had screens that plug into the tube. There is a good chance the solvent did its job and caused crap to flake off and clog. I had a situation where my fuel line was deteriorating internally and I had an additional in line glass filter , kept seeing find black powder collecting, I go tthe fuel alarm and bogging while navigating standing 6 & 8 foot rollers in Sebastian inlet. I had a buddy in the back priming the bulb to keep her going, while staring at the face of the rollers about to overtake the stern.

[gofastsandman]

[, I go tthe fuel alarm and bogging while navigating standing 6 & 8 foot rollers in Sebastian inlet. I had a buddy in the back priming the bulb to keep her going, while staring at the face of the rollers about to overtake the stern.

[/QUOTE]I have dreams like that , but I`m in Boynton The monster hole in Sebastian would surely do it as well. Do you see a benefit of having a valve over just running both? I guess it would be a faster way to power up.
Thx,
GFS

[JohnB]

95% of the time, it's the primer bulb, I always carry a spare, and I have had new ones that were bad. If it isn't that, then try it with a 6 gal pony tank. Hook the pony tank behind the filter so you can rule that out. If it works fine with the pony behind the filter, your looking at stuck anti siphon valve in the gas tank.

I had a 140 johnson do that in Sebastian Inlet headed out one day, it was the anti siphon. This alcohol gas is "cleaning" everyones fuel system, and you probably have junk in the anti siphon valve. The suction lifts the stuff up into the inlet tube, but not all the way, so the stuff drops down, but not past the check ball, and you get restriction over time. I have seen 5 boats since we went on to alcohol do this.

[3rdday]

The primer bulbs seem to cause issues and fail, that antisiphon will stick especially if its not all stainless if there are dissimilar metals present galvanic corrosion, rust, oxidation will occour. You should be able to hear the check ball vibrate and gurgle when the primer bulb is released, have someone squeze and release while you listen. Without a valve/switch are if you are sucking air thru one of the pick ups or fittings you will lose suction and r prime on the other. With a valve you are drawing from one tube, and depending in its ID size it should be adequate. I am not sure if trying to draw from two tubes will negatively affect your fuel pump or dipraghms.

[gofastsandman]

Thanks John!
Pulled the pickups out and to my suprise they have been modified. No nylon just aluminum tubes 3/8 id notched on the bottom , kind of like Georges tip with a different twist. They came out more easily than imagined. They were clear. The filter was loaded with crap. Probably the result of the Star Tron and e10 combo whammy. The bulb is fine , but I picked up a nice Sierra e10 resistant and will change out and rotate my spare. I`ll take her to the lake by the airport and find out the final vacuum and test numbers. The filter was really loaded so I might get a spare for my spare. Horn sounds on the ground so off I go.
GFS