'54 15hp Evinrude, won't stay running

[Rwed]

I've been working on this motor for a while, and now, i hope its my final issue to solve.
I can't get it to keep running. I've rebuilt the mag plate and it has hot spark. I can get it to fire up, if i choke it first, and then pull then unchocke then pull again, it fires up briefly, and the dies. I've taken the carb apart, and it is clean. gas goes into carb no problem, it even pukes out little out the front if i choke and pull too many times.
fuel pump #304089, i tried taking it apart to see if its busted, but i could only get first layer off, it appears no easily available videos on those either. i'm almost 100% that this pump was aftermarket, as my 56 johnson has a dual fuel tank line, and this motor appears to have air line plugged up, and then they converted this motor into a single fuel line motor by adding that fuel pump
below are 2 pics, one is showing where that fuel pump was mounted on the block, and the other is showing that air line on the right of the fuel line fuel line has yellow zip tie, that air line is capped off.
I'm new at motors, so if more info is needed, i'd be glad to add it

 

[F_R]

That fuel pump is genuine OMC. It first came out in 1955 on Gale motors, which is why you have a brown Gale Buccaneer bypass cover to mount it. Parts are no longer available for the pump so don't take it apart, but it can be directly replaced with some newer OMC or Sierra pumps.

The motor should run a half minute or so on the gas that is in the carburetor, even if the pump is not working

 

[Rwed]

So, if it's not fuel pump, what are my next options? The best i got it to run was about 3 seconds of good running before it died, i set the valves on 1.5 turns. I didn't rebuild the carb, but took apart and cleaned it thoroughly, and replaced bad gasket that goes around high speed jet.

 

[Rwed]

i put pump back on, and got it to start, actually had it running in the barrel for about 30 seconds at least before it died, i could get it to start again and then it would die right away, couldn't replicate that 30 second run. i got it started by choking and pulling handle few times till it sputtered, then unchoking and pulling. but it keeps dying.

 

[F_R]

Well maybe it is the pump after 30 seconds. Did you try to keep it going by squeezing the primer bulb? That does manually what the pump does otherwise.

1.5 turns are way too much on the high speed needle. Try 3/4 turn for a beginning point.

 

[Rwed]

after it died after running about 30 secs, i couldn't get it back up again. then it got dark, i'll try it again tomorrow, i'm gonna lower the high needle and try it then. i'll try squeezing the bulb to keep it going if i can get it back up running again

 

[Rwed]

i had no trouble starting the motor, once the gas got into it. and again, it ran for 30 seconds, and died.
i forgot to squeeze the bulb to keep it running. so, after it died, i was like, oh yeah... then started to squuze the bulb to try running it again, and i heard gas squeeshing its way into the fuel pump... which i thought meant it was empty, which made me think that fuel pump don't work. soi... where can i get a new one like it? i mean which newer pump do i need to order to replace this one? also am i right in my assumptions based on squushy sound in the fuel pump after motor died?

 

[Rwed]

restarted with no problems, ran it over 2 minutes by squeezing bulb. runs like a beast ( i think)
Was able to test reverse, but not able to engage forward gear, i can engage it when its not running, but couldn't while it ran in the barrel. my buddy says, adjust linkage, can somebody help me explain what that entails?

 

[Rwed]

btw, the reason i had hard time starting it...... bad gas.. it was in the tank when i bought it, and i finally looked at it, and was horrified

 

[Rwed]

there she is, final thoughts:
1: points must be parallel
2: check the gas from bought gas cans, even if it runs their motor
3: sometimes, shift linkage just needed a good cleaning
thanks guys, im waiting for a fuel pump, motor runs great while squuezing the bulb