After Market Fuel Pumps

Cobalt226

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Jul 16, 2012
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I have to replace the fuel pump on my 1999 7.4L Mercruiser and cannot find an OEM pump without it being in a kit with the cooler which I do not need. Does anyone have experience with Sierra, Boaters Best or Protorque after market pumps?
 

Bt Doctur

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is this the fuel cooler on the lower stbd side under the motor mount? Do you have an engine serial number
 

alldodge

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What you have is a mercruiser 861156A1 and they stopped selling it for the main reason it does not have any threads on the exit end. Airtex makes the pump and can still be fond. If you google "mercruiser 861156A1" it will come up with several that have them for sale.

Are you sure you need a pump?
 

Cobalt226

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My boat has been having vapor lock issues for a couple years but would start after a short period of time. A few weeks ago it would not start at all and my son in law who does most work on my boat and is very good tested fuel pressure and determined it was pump. And yes the pump is way down under side of engine and he had to disassemble a lot to get to it. I had already purchased the mercruiser vapor lock kit and now going to replace pump and pressure regulator and install secondary vapor lock pump. I am tired of not knowing for sure if it will start all the time. I love my cobalt so going to try and cover all bases. I am looking for any feedback on aftermarket pumps.
 

alldodge

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Vapor lock is a different issue and is not caused by a weak pump, its caused by the fuel getting to hot. The booster pump can help but does not stop it in most cases. Ethanol gas also plays a part in the problem. The only way IMO to stop it completely is to reroute the fuel return which goes back to the filter canister, and return it back to the tank. Rerouting the fuel line can go back to the tank via the fill hose if the tank does not have an extra fitting.

Vapor Lock Fix.jpg
 

Cobalt226

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Thanks for info AllDodge! I will pass this along to Chris, my Son in Law. I have never used ethanol gas as I have always been very careful about that and the marina where I have my slip only sells non-ethanol fuel. The reason we feel that the fuel pump is bad is that is would not start while cold after a week of not running it and Chris then tested the fuel pressure and pump and it was not working. Most of the other times I experienced vapor lock was after running and engine hot.When it cooled down, it would fire back up.
 

alldodge

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Vapor lock is the running and motor is hot, then you sit for a while and it won't start. May get a cough every so often, but will not hit. You keep at it and after some more cooling down it will fire right up. Most vapor locks happen after sitting for about an hour or more.

Sitting for a long time and it won't start may be your anti-siphon valve could be allowing the fuel to drain back. The electric fuel pump does not suck very well at all. The older diaphragm pump can suck fuel up quite a bit easier. Not trying to talk you out of a fuel pump, but if you have good pressure after its running, then in most cases the pump is fine. The pump won't pump and then later get weak and then get good again.

Fuel pressure should be right at 40 psi, manual shows 43 psi running. A check you can do is get the motor running and after a few minutes shut it off. Install the pressure gauge and turn key to ON (don't start) and see the reading. Now watch it and see how fast it takes to start to drop. If it drops kind of fast it could be an injector or regulator. The pump may also be leaking but need to get a good picture of what's happening.
 

Rick Stephens

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All it takes is the slightest leak between pump and tank to drain the prime. More likely than a pump that doesn't work 'sometimes'.
 

Cobalt226

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Thank you for the suggestions. Someone above asked for my engine serial #. It is OL362290
 

garbageguy

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As AD mentioned, suggest remove and inspect the anti-siphon valve - easy to do, depending how easy it is to get at. A stuck, or barely opening anti siphon valve can starve the engine of fuel
 

Cobalt226

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Jul 16, 2012
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AllDodge - Above you stated "Rerouting the fuel line can go back to the tank via the fill hose if the tank does not have an extra fitting"

My tank does not have an extra fitting, Can you tell me how we would tap into the fill hose? Do we add a fitting by drilling a hole? Can you explain in more detail?

Thank you very much for the information, If we can figure out how to reroute the line, I am going to return the vapor lock pump kit.
 
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