Fuel problems...

[Punk Freud]

I could use a little help here.
Two problems, both fuel related.

1st, 2003 21 SE w/Yami 150 & digital Yami gauges.
The fuel gauge never drops below 3/4 full???
The digital gauge will register full, but never less than 3/4,,,even when empty
I'm thinking fuel sending unit?


2nd problem, the fuel bulb is NEVER hard and will collapes at WOT but keeps running,
and the fuel line drains completely after 2-3 days without use and the engine tilted up?
I have to pump the bulb 20-30 times to get fuel to the engine and can hear
bubbles or a swishy sound in the tank while pumping.
Motor will not fire even with the small amount of fuel in fuel bulb?
It is a new bulb, and installed correctly. I replaced the old one due to this ongoing problem.
I'm thinking a small air leak somewhere below the bulb.
No fuel spill or smell anywhere onboard.

Any thoughts or help is appreciated.

 

[grouperjim]

I can address the first part. My question is: How long has the fuel level sensor been stuck?

The reason I ask is because in 2003 Shell and a few others put out some bad gas that had sulfur in it. It damaged alot of fuel level sensors both in cars and boats. It froze the sensor in the brand new boat that I had at the time.

Might be the problem, might not.

jim

 

[Punk Freud]

Jim, the sensor has been malfunbctioning since I bought the boat in March this year.
Don't know how long before that.
Previous owner never mentioned the problem and told me I had 3/4 tank of gas :?
Guess how I found out it was malfuntioning.

 

[DaleH]

Fuel Sender:
I'd be back to the dealer sooooooooooooo fast there head would spin.

Also, check out this post if you feel you must replace it, the WEMA units are outstanding, click here.

Primer Bulb:
Replace it. Buy a Bombardier primer bulb as a replacement, it is arguably the BEST primer bulb on the market, made of superior materials and design. They are so good that Mercury buys them and sells under their label. NEVER buy one from Tempo.

For best results, the OB end of the primer bulb must be pointed UP and be higher than the tank side of the bulb/line. See the arrow dictating the flow? That should be UP too and when in-line must be pointed towards the motor, dictating the flow. There is a check valve in there and gravity (by OB end UP) helps the valve work better. Use slow deep pulses.

Sounds like your fuel-line is draining as most likely there is no anti-siphon valve equipped on your fuel tank (not mandatory on OB powered rigs). Using the trick of the primer bulb end UP you should be able to primer that puppy fast! Note, for $11 or so you can replace your fuel line barbed fitting with the a/s valve version. Just take care to check it every other season or so ... there is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much crap in today's fuel that it could gunk up. Most remove it and the screen on the fuel pickup end when running a Racor-type fuel/water separator.

 

[Punk Freud]

Dale, Thanks for the heads up on the OEM replacement thread.

A question though, my fuel sending unit IS a WEMA?
Does Parker use WEMA or did the previous owner install a new sending unit?

I'll definitely change out the Tempo bulb to a Bombardier.
I'll also change the A/S valve as well.

BTW I do have a Racor 10mm water separator w/see thru bowl.
Will the separator act as an A/S valve if I remove the actual A/S valve?

Thanks.

 

[Megabyte]

Primer Bulb:
NEVER buy one from Tempo.

The shame is that a LOT of people get caught on this one.

Folks buy a new (Tempo) bulb and think they are good-to-go, when in reality they have just traded one problem for another.

 

[DaleH]

A question though, my fuel sending unit IS a WEMA?

No it is not. It is most likely a cheap swing arm-type unit. These work on resistance and I'd bet $$ the swing arm is swinging correctly, but the 'scale' that it swings against and gives the signal is corroded.

Will the separator act as an A/S valve if I remove the actual A/S valve?

GREAT question! No one ever asked. I called Marine Filters for an opinion, will report back when/if they call back. It does take a certain amount of inches of mercury of vacuum to 'pull' fuel through the filter, but an a/s valve would STOP a fuel line rupture anywhere after the tank, like below decks. I am not sure a f/w separator filter would, though my bet is that it most likely would, based on experience.

 

[grouperjim]

"A question though, my fuel sending unit IS a WEMA?
Does Parker use WEMA or did the previous owner install a new sending unit?"


I pulled my fuel level sensor yesterday.

FYI my 2006 2320 has a factory WEMA-looks to be a SS rod with a round black plastic float.

jim

 

[Punk Freud]

Great news, my current fuel problems are over 8)

Thanks to everyone who offered thoughts on this problem.

I finally found the problem and and happy to report all is well again.
Two weeks ago the motor started bogging at all speeds, so I knucked down
and pulled the fuel system apart from the pick up to the fuel bowls.

What I found were two related problems.

First, the fuel pick up has no screen and has an angle cut in the tube end.
The pick up is about an inch or two longer than the tank is deep
so it presses on the tank bottom.
The angle cut in the pickup tube was turned so it was suctioning on the tank bottom.
A few extra cuts and a 90 degree turn solved that problem.

The second issue was a 3/4 inch corkscrew shaped piece of red gas tank plastic caught between the pickup tube and the anti-siphon valve.
Because of the angle of the pickup and tank bottom, it was trapped
in the fuel line and was too large to pass through the A/S valve.
The engine only bogged down when the plastic piece worked its way
into the A/S valve restriction the valve operation and would later drop back down into the pickup tube, causing the problem to only occure intermittently.

The boat is now running 44-45 mph compared to 39-40 previously,
and topping out at 5400 rpm compared to 50-51 rpm.


I also replaced a faulty WEMA SSL fuel sending unit.
I pulled it out and replaced with a Tempo swing arm, much better solution than the WEMA SSL unit IMO.
The WEMA unit is waaaay over engineered and failed due water intrusion
into the electrical components. (see attached pics)
Bottom line on the WEMA...not adequetly sealed or protected, over priced, and over engineered.
BTW, I poured about 2 ounces of water from the WEMA unit once I disassembled it

 

[Megabyte]

I'm impressed! Nice job. 8)

 

[Punk Freud]

Thanks captain.

It's always a good feeling when we finally puzzle out an elusive problem.

BTW, the original fuel line from the tank was in pretty bad shape too.
The original line installed in 03 was spongy soft and showed a fair amount
of friction wear from rubbing on the hull bottom.
I replaced that too with the alcohol resistant line.

 

[Outta Here]

Good job! Nice report w/photos.

If you're interested in how much fuel you have, why not a Yamaha Fuel Management guage? Plug and play. The're fairly cheap as Yamaha seems to be going to the square guages.

 

[DaleH]

FWIW my anti-siphon valve started acting up offshore the other day, after a 30-mile run out to fish. I started getting a 'lean/vaccum alarm' from the motor @ 4500 RPMs, which then went to 4200, to 4000, and then below 3800. I made it to the bank and drifted while the crew fished, but nothing but doggies came over the side .

I replaced the AS valve with a std 3/8" ID barbed fitting. As it, my fuel line is suspended from the tank port up to the f/w separator, so she never drops below the level of the tank. I for one am glad I removed it and VERY GLAD I wasn't in really serious seas and needed 'more power Captain'!

oh yeah ... it was clogged up with lint like serious naval lint you'd remove from ... well, I think you get the picture ...