www.iFourWinns.com

1996 258 Vista 5.8 Volvo Penta

Bad day out. Last week it did this once on the way back in and today on the way out and back again. The engine started sputtering, power on off intermittently. I went in and replaced the fuel filter. I keep a few parts on the boat for most common problems. Old filter was dirty when I checked out the fuel inside it. So I'm thinking this is the problem. Pulled out of the slip and started out. After about a mile I turned around again. Still doing it. It ran great until then. A buddy of mine on the boat, a good mechanic, was thinking the same thing I was that it acted like fuel. So now we are thinking high pressure pump. We are going up on Wednesday with a pressure tester to check out both pumps. I'm asking if anyone might have other ideas. When the engine sputtered I had to idle back, engine stalled a few times and back fired. I've never heard a fuel injected engine back fire before. Ended up coming in at about 1K rpms because it wouldn't do any more and it had a hard time keeping this up. OK one other quick question for anyone who has replaced the high pressure pump. How messy is it, fuel spilling wise. Just want to know if I need to get the trailer out and pull the boat to replace the pump if thats what it is. I keep it in a slip during the summer but it doesn't have a lift. My sensible side says yes. I do have a fear of a fire in the engine, I was a burn patient 25 years ago and no it wasn't because of a boat.

Thanks for any feed back,
Eric (elmwood)

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1996 258 Vista 5.8L Fi Cobra SX
2007 (NBS) 2500HD Ext Cab, Long Bed

Maybe check out some of the other threads on similar problems... common path seems to be fuel- especially ethanol ....

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6107

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6069

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5788

Probably lots more than these - this was just in the last week!!

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Just called the marina where I recently, 3 weeks ago, purchased gas. They said they do not use E-10 that it is straight gas. I did however have about a half a tank of older fuel in the boat from last season. When I changed the filter I did look at what I poured out and didn't see any water but I didn't pour it into a cup to look. There was a fair amount of other stuff coming out, looked like rust particles to me. The tank is aluminum though. At the begining of the season I had put about 1/2 gallon of Seafoam in the older gas and ran that for a few weeks and the boat ran like a champ. Then topped off the tank and it ran for the 3 weeks just fine. This is the only thing I'm using in the thought process that water is not the issue here. I'm not saying it's not possible but haven't had a problem until now. I'll post results of the pressure tests on the pumps. Looks like Wednesday is a good day for both of us to run up to the lake and check it out.

After we changed the filter as I said the boat ran great for about a mile then it started again. My buddy thinks it's a pump and I also am pretty sure that this is a fuel problem and not electrical. He explained that as the pump got warmer from running is when the problem starts. I'm not sure of that as I'm not a mechanic but I do do my own work on most things. I am mechanically inclined and do shy away from it. I do know my limits though.

Thanks for chiming in,
Eric

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1996 258 Vista 5.8L Fi Cobra SX
2007 (NBS) 2500HD Ext Cab, Long Bed

Well just got back from the lake. Spent the afternoon going over the boat. A friend came along who actually did 99% of the work. Put the fuel pressure guage on and cycled the engine and pressure slowly came up. We took it out then and watched the guage and waited for the boat to start acting up. After about 2 miles it finally started sputtering and lose of power. Limped back to the slip. Now after talking to the parts man at the marina we started in on the anti-syphon valve. After finding the access panel to top of the tank pulled the valve out. Sure enough stuff in it. We at first couldn't figure out what it was while just looking at it. Took an awl and started working on pulling out the stuff. I looked maybe like a disintegrated o-ring? But it was green. It finally hit me. About 4 years ago someone tried to syphon my gas out and failed. I figured it was the same color as a green garden hose. It must have scraped on something to peel off fine shavings and they were in the tank. It took a while for it to clog the valve but finally filled it up. Put it all back together and yep, that did it. If anyone else reads this trying to figure out I'm not saying you have garden hose in your tank but contaminates can, if big enough, fill that valve and clog it.

Oh and yes, we did take it out and spent a few hours out having fun. Me the pessimist thinking the boat was going to need to have a part bought for it and we wouldn't be boating today, didn't bring any trunks. Boy was it hot and I couldn't jump in for a dip.

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1996 258 Vista 5.8L Fi Cobra SX
2007 (NBS) 2500HD Ext Cab, Long Bed

Good to hear you had a win Eric and even better that you shared your findings with everyone here! I have no doubt someone in the near future will have exactly the same problem and your findings will save them a heap of time, money and frustration.

Seems these anti-siphon valves give a fair bit of grief - might have to look at where mine is and how to get to it so I can add it to my annual maintenance list of things to check...

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Good detective work!

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner