Hi folks,
I need some help. trying to get a Mercruiser 4.3L MPI (1999 I think) with an Alpha One sterndrive going again but I'm running into problems!!!
The history of the boat is that it was given to a relative who ran it aground breaking off the skeg and wrecking the prop. He also bent the prop shaft. I disassembled the drive and repaired all, but it justs seems as if we have had constant problems with it since. Because of a delay in getting parts delivered the boat was sitting up for a good while, i got it back together and serviced it and tested it and it worked fine. She was parked up for the winter and brought out as soon as the weather improved, but like I said we have had a lot of problems with it.
Since it was taken from storage, the fuel gauge won't work, appears to be the float which I am attempting to repair. There was a ball valve, I suspect this acted as a non return valve in the fuel line was very very stiff. When I tried to blow it through, it would hardly move. This was freed up and we got going again but there always seemed to be a hesitation in the acceleration. i began suspecting fuel pump problems as it would die, come back, splutter, back fire and then clear itself and go again. When the throttle was opened fully, it would die and sounded as if it was drawing air, but i suspect that it is not getting enough petrol for efficient burning.
Anyway, the latest is that the starter has stopped working, the bendix is spinning but not being sent out. I took this out and sprayed a lubricating solution in (WD40) but to no avail, made no difference. It is working intermittently. When it did engage, it would crank the engine but the engine would not fire and appeared not to be getting petrol. Now I cannot here the electrical fuel pump priming where I always could previously. Could the fuel pump have burned out as a result of having to draw the petrol past that half seized ball valve?
I am very frustated with it at the moment and really need some help to keep my sanity. Thanks in advance.
PS I followed the braided pipes from the Fuel/water separator and they go under the engine into a covered part on just under and behind the alternator, is this the fuel pump and is there any other way of getting it out without undoing the engine mountings and lifting the engine. Also do you know how much height I could get the engine with the sterndrive attached, don't really want to have to disconnect all that.
Sorry about the essay.
I need some help. trying to get a Mercruiser 4.3L MPI (1999 I think) with an Alpha One sterndrive going again but I'm running into problems!!!
The history of the boat is that it was given to a relative who ran it aground breaking off the skeg and wrecking the prop. He also bent the prop shaft. I disassembled the drive and repaired all, but it justs seems as if we have had constant problems with it since. Because of a delay in getting parts delivered the boat was sitting up for a good while, i got it back together and serviced it and tested it and it worked fine. She was parked up for the winter and brought out as soon as the weather improved, but like I said we have had a lot of problems with it.
Since it was taken from storage, the fuel gauge won't work, appears to be the float which I am attempting to repair. There was a ball valve, I suspect this acted as a non return valve in the fuel line was very very stiff. When I tried to blow it through, it would hardly move. This was freed up and we got going again but there always seemed to be a hesitation in the acceleration. i began suspecting fuel pump problems as it would die, come back, splutter, back fire and then clear itself and go again. When the throttle was opened fully, it would die and sounded as if it was drawing air, but i suspect that it is not getting enough petrol for efficient burning.
Anyway, the latest is that the starter has stopped working, the bendix is spinning but not being sent out. I took this out and sprayed a lubricating solution in (WD40) but to no avail, made no difference. It is working intermittently. When it did engage, it would crank the engine but the engine would not fire and appeared not to be getting petrol. Now I cannot here the electrical fuel pump priming where I always could previously. Could the fuel pump have burned out as a result of having to draw the petrol past that half seized ball valve?
I am very frustated with it at the moment and really need some help to keep my sanity. Thanks in advance.
PS I followed the braided pipes from the Fuel/water separator and they go under the engine into a covered part on just under and behind the alternator, is this the fuel pump and is there any other way of getting it out without undoing the engine mountings and lifting the engine. Also do you know how much height I could get the engine with the sterndrive attached, don't really want to have to disconnect all that.
Sorry about the essay.
