volvo penta starts and dies

[lordblitzalot]

took my boat out today to do a little trolling, started up my inboard motor (kinda hard starting) and went to the other side of the lake and turned it off and used my kicker for trolling the rest of the day.
but anyhow it was time to head back and i fired up the inboard and it ran for a good 50 yards and then died, and now after that i pump the gas and it starts right up but then dies after a couple seconds.
anyone know what the cause of this could be?
fuel pump?
not enough gas to suck properly out of the tank?

when i bought the boat the guy said that it doesnt like to stay going when it gets down to about a quarter tank, but also the gauges dont work properly, but i can hear the gas in there so i know there is a good amount plus it would start then die (about 20 times before i gave up) so i know it wasnt out of gas

it is a older boat (1971) with a volvo penta motor and drive

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: volvo penta starts and dies

You're gonna have to inspect your fuel system. Are the hosed all hard and cracked? Are the connecters crimp on or screw type? The lower the fuel level gets, the farther the fuel has to be lifted to the carb. Cracked fuel lines or loose clamps can leak when the vacuum required to move the fuel rises, allowing air into the fuel lines. More likely the fuel pick-up inside the tank is damaged, or simply not reaching the bottom of the tank.
The symptoms you gave are identical to what happens when you simply run out of gas.

 

[lordblitzalot]

Re: volvo penta starts and dies

thank you.
i will check all the lines, and i will open the tanks up (has 2 tanks) and see if they have fuel in them and try to figure out why they arent reading right.

also i forgot to say it is a mechanical fuel pump, not electric.

 

[lordblitzalot]

Re: volvo penta starts and dies

there is a 20 gallon tank under each seat and a mechanical fuel pump bolted to the engine.
the guy that i bought it from said he was gonna change it out to a electric pump because when it gets low on gas (1/4 tank and under) it doesnt like to stay started.

 

[Bondo]

Re: volvo penta starts and dies

Ayuh,...
Changing the fuel pump from mechanical to electric isn't going to Fix anything....
They both pump fuel....

 

[Volvo Penta 5.7 Gi-C]

That happened to me as well. My boat isn't old (2012). I filled it up with gas and left the marina. I put stabilt in it and had been idling out of the no wake zone, then it died and I couldn't get it restarted. Tried to start it about 20 time. Started for 3-7 seconds then died.