www.iFourWinns.com

Finally got the boat on the lake this past weekend for the first time. Boat ran fine on the muffs this spring. Started right up and did a few laps around the lake. Parked at the beach and the kids did some swimming. Boat sat for about an 1.5. Kids wanted to tube. Boat started right up and ran about 100 yards and stalled like it ran out of gas. Wanted to try to start but acted like no gas. A little back ground info. It is the 4.3 liter carb model. Changed fuel filter after it sat for the winter. Gas was treated when stored. I got it back to camp and took the fuel filter off. Fuel in filter but the gasket seemed swollen and was bigger than the filter housing. I let it sit over night. Took the fuel line off the fuel pump and it shoots fuel out of the pump. Took the line off the carb and the screen was clear and fuel came out there too. Put it all back together and sprayed a little ether in the carb and it wants to run now. Still have to hook it up to the muffs. Any ideas? Carb problem? Fuel pump? Could it have vapor locked? Could it have been the fuel filter? Thanks in advance. Pete

Vapour lock is certainly one reason. The fact that it worked after it cooled would support that. Check to see if the fuel lines are near any source of engine heat.

Where do you live? In colder climes the gas is reformulated for winter and will evaporate at lower temps.

Greg

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

I live in Pittsburgh Pa. Camp is 2hrs north of Pittsburgh. I am leaning towards vapor lock or water in the fuel.

Water in the fuel caused similar stalling in my boat. I had to add a couple bottles of Stabil to get it to run enough to burn the old fuel.

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Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing
2001 Horizon 180

Pete,
My 1999 180 with the same engine has been doing the same thing for the last couple of seasons. I believe that I have narrowed it down to vapor lock. The ethanol in the gas evaporates real easy. What I did was to create a bypass circuit that I can activate to run the fuel pump manually to get it started again. Once it restarts, I shut off the bypass and it runs fine. It is a really random problem, that only happens from time to time. I'm going to insulate my fuel lines, pump and filter to see if corrects it. Keep us posted, as will I.

Ric and Lou C. posted some good recommendations for insulations on the engine/drive thread under a post I started there.

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1999 180 Horizon LS 4.3 L GL Volvo SX
1994 Powerstroke
2002 Jeep Wrangler
not@work.gon
Happiness is an Empty Boat Trailer!!!

Well I took the boat out again over the 4th of July. Boat ran fine. Then the same scenario as the 1st time took place. This time I couldn't get any fuel to the carb. Tried a new fuel relay. No luck. Have 10 volts at the plug at the fuel pump when cranking. Got a new fuel pump and installed it today. No luck. Was racking my brain tonight. Found that the plug going into the fuel pump is bad. When I move the plug and wires around I can get the pump to run. Any ideas on where to get a new plug or how to rewrite it ? Thanks Pete