Grady 208 primer bulb

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Hulagirl

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Need help. I have a 94 208C. I replaced my fuel line, anti siphon and fuel filter. However, I am still running and the motor will stall and the primer ball would be completely flat.
Any advice on what I should do?
Thanks,
Art
 
Hulagirl said:
Need help. I have a 94 208C. I replaced my fuel line, anti siphon and fuel filter. However, I am still running and the motor will stall and the primer ball would be completely flat.
Any advice on what I should do?
Thanks,
Art
Click to expand...

I think I see the problem... Stop running around and go boating! :D

Can you provide more information? Did you replace these things to try and solve this problem, or did this problem pop up after you replaced these things? Was the bulb replaced, as well? How long does the motor run for?

For now, I'll assume it doesn't run very long. Sounds like you have a restriction. My guess would be the something fouling the pick-up tube in the tank. Remove that and check it out.
 
Very Funny!! But thanks for the response.. To answer your question, I did replace the primer bulb. I also cleaned out the screen on the fuel vent.
I spoke to the guys at Florida Tank who manufactured the fuel tanks for GW. They said there was no screen at the bottom of the pick up tube.
I think I will check the pick up like you suggested..
Thanks,
Art
 
Vent screening was a good idea, too. Just to eliminate the vent line (which if it has a low spot, could collect moisture creating a blockage), open your fuel fill and try running the engine that way. If it runs fine, you know the problem is with the vent system - either the line or further in the actual vent.

When you changed the filter (I assume this is one that is BEFORE the bulb?), how did it look? Maybe check it again.
 
It's either the vent or the anti-siphon valve. Try running it with the fuel fill cap open and see if that helps. If not, then you can eliminate the vent.
 
Assuming by your comment checking the pickup means checking the anti backflow valve in the pickup line. The fitting that screws directy into the tank has a spring and ball. I had one on my other boat that got restricted and caused the issue for me.
In that case, I removed the ball and spring against some others in saying my boat would blow up, but never did hear of any doing that and many others have removed them due to this issue.
The cause of my other one was due to my mechanic had siphoned out all the fuel from the tank using a green garden hose. The sharp corner of the fill on the tank sliced a long sliver of the green plastic which was sucked up into the ball and got stuck.

I have not had to do anything so far to the Grady though as I am careful not to stick a hose down in there and repeat this type of issue. Hoping other stuff is not in the tank. I have checked both tanks multiple times and never found anything in there other than some very fine particles sitting in the bottom that the filter would eventually get out if they ever got sucked up. Normal debris as I understand it.
 
Had a similar problem. I would come back to the boat after it sat dormant, maybe an hour or two and the primer balls were flat. It sounds like you are losing prime. Check connections for an air leak. Maybe a leak around a seal on the separator/fuel filter(s), hose clamps or brass threads at the tank pick up. Temporary installation of some clear fuel line will show air bubbles and might reveal something. Also make sure to have the primer bulb as level as possible at rest or better yet elevated discharge side up. this allows air to be more readily purged. Confirm that the primer ball is installed correctly, ie check the direction of fuel flow to the arrow on the ball. Hope this helps.
 
captain swag said:
Had a similar problem. I would come back to the boat after it sat dormant, maybe an hour or two and the primer balls were flat. It sounds like you are losing prime. Check connections for an air leak. Maybe a leak around a seal on the separator/fuel filter(s), hose clamps or brass threads at the tank pick up. Temporary installation of some clear fuel line will show air bubbles and might reveal something. Also make sure to have the primer bulb as level as possible at rest or better yet elevated discharge side up. this allows air to be more readily purged. Confirm that the primer ball is installed correctly, ie check the direction of fuel flow to the arrow on the ball. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

If you have an air leak, either before of after the primer, the bulb will not go flat. It may get soft but not flat. It only goes flat when there is an upstream (bewteen bulb and tank) restriction to flow. Running with the fill cap open is a way to see if the vent is blocked. If the bulb doesn't colapse, then the vent is bad.

Even if you don't have a screen on the pickup, it can be blocked by something in the tank. A common culprit is the round flat seal from the cap of an additive. Others have dropped bottle caps into the fill. I have experienced leaves plugging the pickup.
There is also a posibility that the fuel hoses are colapsing or restricted on the inside. This seems to be common problem on older mercury riggings but is not related to Mercury per se but the hose they used at the time. It can quite frustrating to identify a colapsing inside wall of a fuel hose since often the outside often looks normal.

I am sure you checked that the primer is installed in th correct direction:)
Good luck
 
Was taking the OP's use of the word "flat" to mean not pumped up. What I believe you are interpreting as flat would be a primer ball being collapsed. With today's ethanol issues it could be an interior portion of hose that is collapsing or blocking a vent or supply line.
 
captain swag said:
Was taking the OP's use of the word "flat" to mean not pumped up. What I believe you are interpreting as flat would be a primer ball being collapsed. With today's ethanol issues it could be an interior portion of hose that is collapsing or blocking a vent or supply line.
Click to expand...
'Completely flat' to me meant colapsed. Perhaps the poster didn't mean that
My experiences also indicates that the number of ethanol related isses have delined significantly when E10 has been in use for a period of time in an area. Initially there were a decent number of varnish contamination issues, followed by failures of fuel lines, some pump diaphrams and a few floats here and there. As time goes on and those not exaclty compatible components were swapped out, E10 issues seem to occur less frequently that what used to be the more common troubles; Bad gas and water intrusion.
 
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