'83 OMC 3.8L 4 Barrel<br /><br />This boat had not run for 3 years or so. I'm fixing it up to sell it. Drained the fuel tank, new carb, new fuel line filter.<br /><br />Took it out last weekend and it ran great for about an hour and then quit, rapid loss of power, small backfire, RPMs fall off and engine stops.<br /><br />We let it sit for about 2 minutes, then it started OK, and ran fine for about a minute, then stopped as above. Repeat the last sentence about 20 times.<br /><br />Got back in (Had to get towed the last 1/4 mile, the battery was about gone).<br /><br />When I got it home and was preparing to price a fuel pump, I remembered that I had not changed the fuel filter in the water seperation can. Took it out, looked pretty gummed up, but did not appear bad enough to stop the fuel flow - I could be wrong about that!. Anyway put a new filter in, it cranks and runs fine with muffs.<br /><br />I have a see-through filter between the carb and the water-sep filter can, and one thing I noticed when it was not running, I could see fuel splashing into the bottom end of this filter, then just draining back out. The filter never filled up. Now that I've changed the water sep filter, it's filling up like it should.<br /><br />The question is, was it for sure the filter or could the fuel pump be going out? The pump is about 5 yrs old, no sign of oil in the clear vacuum tube.<br /><br />I just don't want to get stranded again, or sell the boat if it has a possible problem. <br /><br />Any thoughts appreciated!!<br /><br />Tom
