GW 330Express 2006 Fuel not flowing from Alt tank?

[ceadmilefailte]

Gents thanks for all the posts! Here is what I've done so far: checked the fuel supply in main tank and alt tank, good to go. A also removed both fuel fill caps to relieve any vacuum? Then I ran on alt tank both ran fine. Switched both engines to Main, 5-7 minutes both conked out first port then starboard. I'm still thinking it's in the transfer switch?

 

[Fishtales]

you could take it out of the equation. would need some nipples or other connectors. did you check the fuel separators to see if there is water? might want to change them out before going after the fuel switch.

 

[drbatts]

Could be a fuel issue. I had a similar problem in my old boat. In my case one tank had some bad fuel the other tank had good fuel. When ever I switched over to the bad tank after a couple of minutes the engines would stall out. Ended up having to pump the fuel out of the one tank which solved the problem. Funny thing is that I have been running the old fuel through my lawn tractor, leaf blowers ect. and they seem to run fine on it.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Gents thanks for all the posts! Here is what I've done so far: checked the fuel supply in main tank and alt tank, good to go. A also removed both fuel fill caps to relieve any vacuum? Then I ran on alt tank both ran fine. Switched both engines to Main, 5-7 minutes both conked out first port then starboard. I'm still thinking it's in the transfer switch?

Your first post said you were running on Main and switched to aux and motors died. This post you were running on aux and switched to main and motors died.
This suggests that it is not a tank problem since it can be made to run correctly in either position, only giving a problem shortly after switching tanks.

You have two fuel switches, one for each motor to choose Main or Aux...correct?
both switches bad, in both positions....not likely...but possible?

I suspect that you are losing the prime when switching. Primer bulbs being the number one culprit. Yes, they could both be bad. (brand new ones can be bad...they suck)
Also, they may be positioned wrong. The arrow on the bulb should point UP at the motor for them to work right. let me say that again....
The arrow on the bulb should point UP at the motor for them to work right.

If they are pointing down...very bad.
If they are lying horizontal they might work until they don't sometimes and then maybe they'll work again for a while....

 

[Halfhitch]

I am not familiar with the fuel system on that model boat but it seems odd to me when you guys are talking about each engine having a separate pickup in each tank. That would mean 4 fuel/water separators. I would think that there would be a single pickup in each tank going to a fuel/water separator and then each engine pulling off of either the port or starboard filter housing. It could be fore and aft tank, I don't know his boat.

I agree that if the fuel lines have some age on them then having the hose lining separating and sucking flat is not uncommon. Also if they are plumbed as I mentioned then if the single anti-siphon valve is stuck on the aux tank then both engines would starve.

 

[journeyman]

I am not familiar with the fuel system on that model boat but it seems odd to me when you guys are talking about each engine having a separate pickup in each tank. That would mean 4 fuel/water separators. I would think that there would be a single pickup in each tank going to a fuel/water separator and then each engine pulling off of either the port or starboard filter housing.

There are separate pickups for each engine at each tank. They go to the fuel select valves and then to the fuel water separators.

Your first post said you were running on Main and switched to aux and motors died. This post you were running on aux and switched to main and motors died.

I also find this very odd????????

 

[Fishtales]

Maybe time for the OP to resynch everyone....

 

[ceadmilefailte]

Ok sorry for the confusion! Here is where the switch over valve handles are: I got down there and looked close, they are both on Alt tank, I originally thought the long portion of the switch handle was the pointer , but I was wrong, it's the pointer short side that is pointed to either tank.
That being said, they both run fine on Alt tank, I checked the fuel level and topped both tanks, then ran the boat and she ran fine. As I switched to main they continued to run for a few minutes and then port coughed and conked out, then the starboard coughed and conked out. I switched both switched back to Alt, pumped the bulb and they both started. Went back to Marina confused even more! The thing that's befuddling is that I have been running this way ( off Alt then switch to Main) for years and all of a sudden can't get motors to draw off main?
Hope this clears up the switch confusion. All the help is greatly appreciated. "Not one and done!"
Ceadmilefailte is Gaelic and means "A Hundred Thousand Welcomes" just sayin! Thanks again! Frustrated!

 

[SkunkBoat]

ok. first thing first...
swap the fuel hoses at the switches...Aux where main is and Main where aux is.
(pay attention to whether fuel spill out from both the Aux and Main hoses)
do it on both switches. You will have to prime the lines because when you disconnect the lines from the valve, the fuel will run back into the tank

You should now be able to run in the Main position(actually the Aux tank) and it should conk out when you switch to Aux(Main tank)

If it won't run in Main position, the valve is bad(in the Main Position) because you already know the Aux tank and associated hoses are good.
I would not expect Both valves to be bad like that though

If it runs in Main position and conks out in Aux then the problem is between the valve and the Main tank.
Your main tank could have bad gas or the pickups are clogged or both hoses are kinked or both antiphon fittings are bad/clogged.

Troubleshooting tips...
get a small gas can or portable tank and a fuel line with a primer ball.

Try hooking that up, in place of your main tank, on one of the valves. You will have to prime.
See if it runs.

Connect the the fuel line/primer bulb to the main tank and try to pull fuel from the main tank thru its pickup.
Squirt it into a can and see what it looks like

 

[DennisG01]

First thing I would do is to switch the feed hoses on the switch. Thank you, Skunk, for replying before me and saving me the extra typing!

 

[seasick]

First thing I would try running with the main gas tank fill cap off and see what happens. You may have a blocked vent.

 

[Halfhitch]

I don't know what part of the country you live in but from what you just described, that the engines run for awhile before they konk out, if that was going on with a boat here where I am, the first thing to check is the through-hull fitting for the tank vent line for mud dauber nests. If they have plugged the outlet it would cause a vacuum in the tank to cause the engines to starve. If you take the vent hose off the tank you should be able to blow through it easily with your mouth. My last boat had a drain fitting on the anchor rode locker and it was continually clogged by those devils. They loved that hole especially. I kept a piece of welding rod by the bow of the boat where I parked it so I could clean it out it was so common. Their nest are surprisingly tough. My RV is also plagued by them.

 

[DennisG01]

Totally agree with vent line theory... but he mentioned above that he ran with the fuel caps off.

Seems he's getting 5-7 minutes of run time till it chokes out. That sounds reasonable with the amount of fuel that would be in the VST.

Ceadmilefailte... another easything to do... bypass the tank selector switch. Use a barb fitting and connect the tank feed hose directly to the engine hose. Do that, of course, for both tanks.

 

[Fishtales]

Did you change out the water separator for the main tank? If both engines are behaving the same, you must be looking at the tank switch, fuel line (maybe a breach), fuel separator, tank or fuel.

 

[seasick]

Totally agree with vent line theory... but he mentioned above that he ran with the fuel caps off.

Seems he's getting 5-7 minutes of run time till it chokes out. That sounds reasonable with the amount of fuel that would be in the VST.

Ceadmilefailte... another easything to do... bypass the tank selector switch. Use a barb fitting and connect the tank feed hose directly to the engine hose. Do that, of course, for both tanks.

The original info was kind of misleading and I was not sure what was done exactly. He did mention several times that when the motors dies and he switched tanks, he had to pump the primer bulbs to get fuel to the motor. He didn't say if the bulbs were collapsed which would be the case for a blocked vent.
I think the best approach is start all over with the diagnostics. As a simple test, assuming he now knows which tank works, he should add some gas to the other tank and see if it now works. There are several not so common things that could account for the trouble but I suspect it is something relatively simple. Just adding gas, switching to that tank and pumping the bulbs will tell him is gas is flowing at all.

If the VST is being sucked dry, the on motor fuel filter will be just about empty. It also should not be completely full either. That would indicate that it has an air leak.

 

[ceadmilefailte]

Howdy and thanks for the posts! I have fuel in both tanks so I will try a few more things before calling my "guy" the mechanic. its just $$$. So I will try the above suggestions and get back to all.
Thanks!

 

[Fishtales]

If you want to take the manual fuel select valve out of the equation, you will need a tube with each end having a 1/4" male by 3/8" barb. Connect one end to the engine and the other to the tank you are testing.

 

[journeyman]

So I will try the above suggestions and get back to all.

Crickets chirping...................................