90 mercruiser 4.3 bogs at WOT - Where is fuel filter?

[cmala]

Testing out a new used boat and it's been sitting awhile so it won't run at WOT. Bogs and dies. Idle is good and revs good in neutral but not under a load.

I thought I would replace the fuel filter as a start. Looking in the service manual I see nice instructions on how to replace a fuel/water separating filter that it says all models have. The problem is that I can't find anything that looks like that. I see where the fuel line is coming into what looks like a diaphragm housing and then leaves there to go to the carb. I'm guessing that's the filter but it's not obvious to me how it comes apart.

I'm looking at page 1B-13 and what I see on the engine is almost flat and doesn't look like it would have an oil filter looking thing inside of it.

Am I missing something or do I just need to try harder, climb in there with a flashlight and find the latches and pull it apart? Will fuel run when I open this? Do I need to disconnect and plug the fuel line first?

I'm sure any filters can use replacing on this boat but am I looking in the right place to solve my running problem?

Thanks
Craig

 

[cmala]

The part I'm looking at on the engine has a bolt on the top that is safety wired. It appears to be holding some metal straps that might be holding it together. Below that it's just a ring of bolts around the circumference.

 

[cmala]

I opened it up and it has a ceramic piece with a spring on the top of it. The ceramic piece has a recess in the center and it was full of junk but this doesn't seem like a filter that I need to replace.