Fuel Issue, '93 Merc 60HP

[Ralph Wiggum]

I ran into a problem with my '93 Merc 60HP last night. It ran great till it used up all the fuel in the primer bulb (bulb got soft). Then, I had to squeeze the bulb till full, and it ran fine again till it used up all that fuel. It was a bit of a challenge to drive down river while pumping the bulb every 5-10 seconds!

Other than that, it runs great at all speeds--idle to WOT. It is run off of a portable 6.6 gallon tank. The vent was open. I even tried it with the gas cap off, just in case the vent somehow got plugged.

I plan on picking up a new fuel line and primer bulb. Does that sound reasonable? Alternatively, is there a fuel pump that could be going out?

[marine_man]

I'd start with the hose and bulb Ralph... if that doesn't cut it, then I'd buy a fuel pump rebuild kit (pretty easy to do) and that should take care of your issues.

marine_man

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'd start with the hose and bulb Ralph... if that doesn't cut it, then I'd buy a fuel pump rebuild kit (pretty easy to do) and that should take care of your issues.

marine_man

Is there any troubleshooting technique that would help me distinguish bewteen a hose/bulb problem and a fuel pump problem?

[BoxMN]

I would recommend getting a real Merc brand fuel line and bulb from a dealer, not one of those cheaper versions from big box store. The extra money is worth it.

Good luck.

[marine_man]

Is there any troubleshooting technique that would help me distinguish bewteen a hose/bulb problem and a fuel pump problem?

Not off hand... if you had an air leak you might see fuel leaking out of a pinhole... depending on where the leak (and where it's getting air from).

I suppose you could disconnect the motor side of the hose, and prime the primer bulb and see if it stays firm... that would eliminate the hose, but not the fuel hose on the motor from the connector to the filter.

In my opinion, I think it's the fuel pump, but it doesn't hurt to check the easy stuff first.

marine_man

[Ralph Wiggum]

I changed the primer bulb, checked the fuel pick-up, and tightened all connections last night. Ran it on the muffs in the driveway for a half-hour and all seemed fine. I guess the real test will be on the water, though. Should be able to get it on a lake tomorrow evening.

If I do need to do the fuel pump, how easy is that? It is pretty accessible, or will I need to do some major disassembly? Do I just buy a rebuild kit (looks like they're about $10)? Anything to look out for?

[Ralph Wiggum]

Well, the primer bulb was the culprit! Cheap fix.

[marine_man]

Glad to hear it.

The fuel pump is pretty easy - no major engine disassembly... pull the pump off the side of the block and rebuild it on the bench, then put it back together.

marine_man