'89 150XP leaks fuel under cover when primer ball is used to start.

[smaki]

Began to not start reliably and only stranded me a couple times in the last year as sometime simply would not fire for no apparent reason. This season went out to get boat ready and noticed a leaky part on the passenger side of the engine when using the primer ball before starting. Attached is a picture of the part I need and also the side of the engine where it is. This is an '89 Evinrude 150XP and not sure if the part I need is a leaky primer solenoid, anti-siphon device, or something else. Looks simple to install if I can find one. My white plastic leaks fuel from a crack toward the rear when prime to start.

Any help is appreciated getting us out on the water with a more reliable boat.

 

[ob]

Re: '89 150XP leaks fuel under cover when primer ball is used to start.

The unit pictured with the white plastic on the bottom portion is a vacuum switch.If fuel is weaping from it when the fuel bulb is pumped up ,then you likely have a ruptured air motor diaphragm in the vro pump,as it is driven by the pressure and vacuum pulses from the engine crankcase.

 

[smaki]

Re: '89 150XP leaks fuel under cover when primer ball is used to start.

Thank you for your message and advice. Can not use primer ball to pump up to normal pressure as the vacuum switch quickly leaks at the step in the white plastic toward the rear of the boat on each pump of the primer ball and suspect air in the line as just a few seconds later when pump the primer ball again it is not tight holding fuel pressure as recall used to be the normal where once I pumped pressure in the system before starting the pressure used to stay in the line as could be felt on the ball. The bottom of the vacuum switch has two wires which have some sort of wet insulation between them falling out and hard to say if also leaking there as drips down by gravity to it from the leaky step (the stuff that falls out the bottom feels like wet fiberglass and is brown in color). Is is possible just the vacuum switch is bad as seems to have a fuel line connection or are you fairly sure it is the vro air motor diaphragm? When you say vro pump I get nervous! If it is a ruptured air motor diaphragm in the vro pump is it relatively inexpensive to fix or get fixed? Can I do myself if I take my time with normal tools for working on cars, airplanes, and dirt bikes - or is this something better left to a pro? Found great VRO info and history at: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/VRO.html including the air motor diaphragm kit that might be needed based on your advice is OMC part number 435921

 

[smaki]

Re: '89 150XP leaks fuel under cover when primer ball is used to start.

Local dealer in Portland, OR wants $27.95 for the air rebuild kit with three day availability.

The vacuum switch is $129.15. My local dealer says the switch is being obsoleted and they don't make them anymore so could be a hard part to get and set my expectations at 10 days.

Guess I should go for the rebuild first then if still leaks do the vacuum switch.

Have heard of a VRO upgrade. Is that where I should be headed? If so does anyone know the OMC part # for my engine? Still confused and trying to decide how to proceed to make the leak go away an allow me to keep pressure in the fuel line.

 

[txmei]

Re: '89 150XP leaks fuel under cover when primer ball is used to start.

I am having the same problem with my 1989 Johnson 225. Did you replace the vacuum switch and or the air motor diaphragm?