Fuel line obstruction

[fishstock]

Hello all. I have been trying to track down a fuel problem with my 2002 Sailfish with twin f225s. There was no fuel to engine and checked the prime bulb and it was soft. I replaced it and still no pump. I bypassed the Racor seperator connected the new prime bulb to the line and still no fuel thereby eliminating the seperator as the culprit. I switched the Main and Aux valve selector to Aux (reserve) and Viola; I have fuel. So, it seems I have a feul obstruction or something going on from the tank to the valve.

My question is has anyone had a similar experience and found a solution to this problem?

Thanks,

Seb

 

[jbrinch88]

Your fuel pickup tube can be either clogged or has fallen off. Makes sense since you switched over to your aux and it works fine. Find your pickup on the main tank, remove your hose, remove barb/fitting, and unthread your pickup tube.

 

[fishstock]

Hey jbrinch,

Thank for your reply! Makes sense. Ill check this and and update.

 

[DennisG01]

Also, check the vent for the main tank. If that's clogged it will slow down, or even stop, the fuel from flowing to the engine. An easy way to check this is to simply remove the fuel fill cap. If that solves the problem, the vent is the issue. If not, proceed with above.

 

[fishstock]

Hey Dennis. Right, makes sense. Will check that too.

 

[seasick]

Hey Dennis. Right, makes sense. Will check that too.

If the vent is plugged, the motor will get fuel for a while and then starve. Opening the fuel fill cap will restore flow. That is not your problem.
If the fuel line were blocked and the primer bulb is good, pumping the primer will result in the bulb going flat, not just soft. So it appears that you might have a broken pickup tube. You might have a leaking fuel line somewhere between the tank pickup and the main/aux valve. To check, pull the hose off of the pickup and plug it. Pump the primer and the bulb should collapse. If it does, bad pickup tube. If it doesn't that could indicate an air leak in the line or valve.

 

[DennisG01]

JB and SS - hmmm, I read the OP's post differently than you guys did. But looking at it from your line of thinking, yes, I agree - if the bulb is 'soft', yet still quickly/easily bounces back to it's normal shape then there won't be a blockage. As mentioned, a blockage would cause the bulb to stay flat for a certain amount of time before returning to it's original shape. But it would still draw some fuel - just not very quickly.