Anyone good with outboards?

[TexanSam]

I need help, and surely someone here is willing to share some knowledge:

I have a 1990 Force 50 HP outboard that when I go to start it, it fires right up and runs for a second and dies. This happens no matter what I do, whether I let it idle, rev it up, pump the bulb, choke it, use ether, you name it.

Here's what I know:

Has good compressions
Has new spark plugs
Has no leaks in the air line
Carburetor appears to be clean (from what I can tell)

Last time I was on the water, a gasket on the fuel pump started leaking, so the next day I replaced the gasket and it fired right up and ran a little bit with the muffs on.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Talk to BigFin apparently he loves working on outboards so much he requests broken ones for all his hunts.

 

[Bulldog0156]

I bet it's either the diaphragm on the fuel pump or the carb. The fuel pump diaphragms wear out eventually and you can't necessarily see it.

I am not a fan of Force motors. My dad taught me a long time ago to stay away from them.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Also check your filter(s). Some motors have more than one.

 

[TexanSam]

Diaphragm was changed with the gasket, and filters are all fine.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Carburetor jets?

 

[JCS]

Check your fuel hose. Sounds like a problem I had on my boat. The motor would run fine until you gave a little gas then it would die. The fuel hose was weak and would collapse when you gave a little gas

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Motors not getting fuel. You pump the bulb which puts a little fuel in it that you start it up, burns all the fuel than dies. Fuel line problem.
Matt

 

[R.K.]

That being said- did you crack the vent on the fuel tank? I've seen the fuel pump pull a vacuum in the tank to where it can't pull any more, but you can somewhat pressurize the system with the ball.

Otherwise, sounds like a fuel line issue.

 

[TexanSam]

Here's what I gather, I need to:

1. Start at the carburetor and work my way back to the fuel tank, making sure it's getting fuel.

2. Make sure gaskets and filters are in good shape and working right

3. See if the fuel line is collapsing

4. Make sure that I actually put the diaphragm on the fuel pump correctly (and not backwards)

I'm out of town for a wedding but will post updates when I get back. In the meantime if anyone has any other ideas please feel free to enlighten me, I'm all ears!

 

[tx_basser]

Sounds like a fuel issue if it is dying like that. Carbs, Floats, Jets, etc.

 

[Sytes]

Random thought... Are you opening the air on the fuel tank?

If the fuel tank air value/vent is not open, it will run the amount the fuel bulb you pumped squirted into the carbs but after that, the fuel will not continue and your engine will cut out...

 

[elker]

Try pumping the primer bulb after it starts. Had a similar problem with a Merc. Might be losing pressure somewhere. Definitely seems fuel related.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Random thought... Are you opening the air on the fuel tank?

Too funny how many times I used to do this lol, and I just laugh too myself when I see others do that.....
Matt

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Here's what I gather, I need to:

1. Start at the carburetor and work my way back to the fuel tank, making sure it's getting fuel.

2. Make sure gaskets and filters are in good shape and working right

3. See if the fuel line is collapsing

4. Make sure that I actually put the diaphragm on the fuel pump correctly (and not backwards)

I'm out of town for a wedding but will post updates when I get back. In the meantime if anyone has any other ideas please feel free to enlighten me, I'm all ears!

#4. Take the fuel line off at the pump and see if you are getting fuel to that point. After finding a problem was a dirty high pressure filter we could not keep the motor running unless someone kept squeezing the primer bulb. Traced it to the pump and sure enough it was assembled wrong.

 

[Gellar]

When I worked for a fishing resort in Northern Minnesota guests would complain on a weekly basis that their motor was junk and it would run for a few minutes and die. The first thing we always checked was the vent on the gas tank. Next was the fuel line for a kink or a bad spot. 9 out of 10 times that would solve the problem.

 

[119bowhunter]

I need help, and surely someone here is willing to share some knowledge:

I have a 1990 Force 50 HP outboard that when I go to start it, it fires right up and runs for a second and dies. This happens no matter what I do, whether I let it idle, rev it up, pump the bulb, choke it, use ether, you name it.

Here's what I know:

Has good compressions
Has new spark plugs
Has no leaks in the air line
Carburetor appears to be clean (from what I can tell)

Last time I was on the water, a gasket on the fuel pump started leaking, so the next day I replaced the gasket and it fired right up and ran a little bit with the muffs on.

Are you saying that the problem started after you replaced the gasket? If so I would start there...also, I would pump some fuel into a clear container and make sure that you have good quality fuel, kind of sounds like it could be a water in fuel issue

 

[oleefish2]

I worked at a Marina for a few years and what every one has stated fuel issue. One person state jets, we would rebuild carbs every year with plugged jets also. Good luck

 

[ol_spark]

Some fuel lines do not like ethanol fuel. They cake up and get scales inside. Run just like you described. Others have offered very good suggestions but if all else fails take the fuel line apart at the primer bulb to check the inside, that way you can easily use a hose clamp to put it back together if all is ok. Inside of gas line will look like tried up paint or lacquer if it has been attacked by ethanol. If so you need a new line.

 

[JTHOMP]

Your carbs can look clean but the jets still might be clogged. From my experience, that is usually the go to problem. I've cleaned the carb, gave it to another guy for him to clean, then still had to bring it to another guy for him to look at it only for him to find the jets clogged and worked fine after that.

Additionally if you replaced parts in the fuel pump then you could've messed it up like I recently did. It's definitely a fuel problem somewhere between bad gas and carb.