Am I the Only One…

… who didn’t know this? Looks like I’ll be buying some fuel hose to fix this.

I’ve been pretty steep into boat repair lately, so I’ve seen it mentioned on forums several times. Whatever works I guess.

I’ve been guilty of pumping for upwards of 20 minutes at the landing. Quite embarrassing.

I also have an issue of losing prime after about 30 minutes.

That’s alot of pumping!

When you say lose prime is it caved in or bulb just goes back to normal?

As far as I know, fuel bulbs are “primed”, primarily for the reason to create pressure for the actual fuel primer to dispense fuel. Once the primer gets it signal it releases the gas into the cylinders and fires up, once running and that extra pressure is no longer needed the bulb goes back to being just a gas hose.

Well, I had another problem. My carb float bowls were warped which likely resulted in air intrusion allowing the fuel to go back to tank. Now if the check valve was working in the bulb, I would think it would slow this issue.

After replacing the float bowls, I get about 1-2 hours before I NEED to pump the primer to start the motor. I also think there is probably 15-20′ of hose to the tank bulkhead. That seems like a lot compared to most boats and probably isn’t helping.

So, with this new info, I gotta think that this would help. My crestliner bulb would stay firm for hours. <Tried to choose my words carefully there.

nhamm wrote:

That’s alot of pumping!

I almost went home but managed to get it going.

Interesting, do you always need to pump it to start even after it’s warmed up for the day?

Granted your trips on Superior may keep it colder than typical outings.

Have a buddy with a 150 faststrike and his biggest complaint these big 2 strokes are freaking cold start bears. Haven’t had enough experience with mine to tell yet.

Have read this several times over as well for start procedure, thought I’d throw it in here for $hits and giggles.

That is after squeezing the primer bulb, turn the key to RUN (not START) and then push the key in for an 8 to 10 count. The turn it to start. Every Johnson/Evinrude and my current Merc all start better using that technique.

My guess is that is for CHEAP bulbs. Mine has been horizontal since 1991 and never takes more than 3 squeezes to have gas flooding the carburator:???:

I’ve always held in in the “correct” vertical position when pumping (and it does help), but once gas is flowing and the motor is running, I don’t think it matters.

Randy Wieland wrote:

My guess is that is for CHEAP bulbs. Mine has been horizontal since 1991 and never takes more than 3 squeezes to have gas flooding the carburator:???:

Amazing that your bulb has lasted that long.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a boat where it’s been mounted vertical. I guess it all depends on the type of check valve it has.

The owners manual for my motor says to have it vertical when you pump. Before that I never knew it made a difference.

John S.

If I have to wait at a ramp for someone on a beautiful day I tell myself “if waiting for this guy on a beutiful day with the birds singing is my biggest problem I must have a great life! If it is a rainy day I usually get the ramp and the lake to myself and the fishing is great. Or I just go out earlier- get to a ramp at 5 and you have it to yourself (unless you go to ‘Tonka people who fish there are hardcore, you may not get a parking spot at 5am!) I digress.

Interesting. Have not heard that. I haven’t pumped my bulb in months. Things must be working.

Well, I re-plumbed so it lays vertical a couple months ago and I’m happy to report this completely solved the problem. I also haven’t had to prime it after sitting for a couple hours either.

Thanks for sharing – I didn’t know about the need for vertical placement. That may be my problem as well as it always seems it takes a bit that first start to get things firm.

Once started, I usually don’t have a problem there after.