Fuel riddle

[Gordie]

I have an oldder merc 20 hp 1977

I had problems with the starter so now i'm useing the pull rope but thats besides the point.

I had problems starting due to fuel not getting to the carb so I bought a new tank,hose and connections except for the male and female one at the motor. and still have problems starting.

So I hooked up the fuel line to the pump directly to take the fitting out of the loop but still have problems. I did thids on the lake as a last resort to figrue it out and it started after I pumped the p out of the ball and the gas came out of the over flow on the carb. Then it starts on half a pull. Also after starting and running across the lake the motor died and I looked at the ball on the fuel line and it was sucked tight. I opend the vent on the tank and even took the cap off and it was still sucked tight what would cause this . Fuel pump issue. when this motor is running it runs like a top doesnt miss a beat but this has got me baffled.

Any help from the pro's would be greatly appeaciated

Thanks in advance

[boatfixer]

Its plugged between the bulb and fuel pick up in the tank. Could be the old connector, pick up, plugged line etc.

[marine_man]

I'd pull the fitting that connects to the motor and pump the primer bulb into a jar / container other than the fuel tank.. do you get good flow?

marine_man

[CAMAN]

Is the arrow on the primer bulb pointed in the correct direction? Did you replace the primer bulb?

[Gordie]

Tank is new and I shortend the pick up tube, hose and primer are new, arrow is in the right direction and I can pump the tank dry ( good flow )I Hooked up hose directly to fuel pump no connections on the tank or the motor any more.

The only thing that I think it could be is the primer ball itself, I know they are a one way flow but maybe some how the flow flapper (not sure what they call it) is sticking. when its sucked tight and you take the hose lose it still doesnt release the air to it. wait a few mins and it goes back by itself??? baffleing

boatfixer I will try and blow out the line to see if that is it.

My other question is why do I have to have gas come out of the over flow to get it to start and when I pump the primer its hard to compress the primer . Would that be dirty needle or gummed up float?

[Eric Wettschreck]

The float could be riding high but that wouldn't explain the primer bulb thing you have going on. It kind of sounds to me like you have 2 seperate things going on, one may have caused the other.

If it were me, I'd replace the primer bulb, again. They're only a couple of bucks. There is a ball check inside the bulb that I've had stick on brand new ones. I'd also invest a couple of bucks in a carb rebuild kit and go through the carb.

[ozzie]

I am not sure if this has anything to do with your problem but myself and my father in-law have had troubles with our motors starting and we both say it has to do with fuel to the motor. He took his to a mech. and the mech. came up with that we are using the hose set up that come off the shelves at stores like Wal-Mart or Fleet Farm and they just don't work like a dealer kit would. My father inlaw hasn't had an issue since.