fuel pump question on merCruiser 470

[vicharem]

Hi guys,

I'm new to boating and have a question for you. I have a 1983 205 Gulfstream with a merCruiser 470 engine. It was winterized since 2007 and never used since. The boat cranks but won't start. If I spray starter fluid into the carburetor it starts for about 1-2 seconds. This is what I've done so far to troubleshoot the problem:

I had a friend come over to look if the carb was getting gas when I cranked it, it wasn't.

At first I thought it was out of gas so I fill the tank up with 10 gallons of fresh gas. That wasn't it, still no gas going to the carb.

Next I pulled the fuel hose going into the fuel pump and tried to suck out gas. This worked which shows the fuel hose isn't blocked (note: the gas smelled like gas so I don't think it's bad fuel).

I connected the fuel hose back onto the fuel pump and disconnected the pipe from the pump to the carb. When I cranked the engine, no gas was dribbling out of the fuel pump. I had my friend place his finger on the output of the fuel pump and he said he wasn't feeling any suction.

Next I popped off the top of the fuel pump (where the fuel filter is). The filter is bone dry. The rubber gasket under the filters it also bone dry. It looks like absolutely no gas is going through the fuel pump. The entire component is dry.

Does anyone have suggestions on what I should do next to troubleshoot the problem. Is it time to buy a new fuel pump?

 

[JeffN]

I'm not much of a mechanic but I did have a pair of those for twenty years. As far as I know all of the 470s had mechanical fuel pumps and if nothing is coming out it sounds like you need a new pump. They are easy to change as I recall, I think I only had to do one in all that time. How much is a new one? That was a nice thing about having the twin install, a couple of times I just swapped parts from one to the other to check function.

 

[Grog]

Mechanical pumps should pump enough when cranking for you to notice. Odds are it's shot, but relatively easy to replace. Just be sure the lines are tight, any leak would be NASTY.

 

[JeffN]

Did you find a new pump? I think I may have one I bought "just in case" Let me know.

 

[vicharem]

Hi guys,

It ended up being a shot fuel pump. As soon as a replaced it, the engine started right away with a little engine starter fluid in the carb. Thanks for all your help.

- Mahendra

 

[JeffN]

Sorry I did not remember that I had one sooner.

 

[vicharem]

No problem, thanks for the offer though. I found a new fuel pump online for $107, not a bad price.

- Mahendra

 

[JeffN]

Glad she is up and running. Those engines a pretty simple with just a few oddball problems peculiar to that engine that pop up once in a while. Have fun.