I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

[E_S_A_D]

So... I'm always quick to be able to rip on myself when I've done something moronic... yup, I have...

So last year I got a complete overhaul of the carburetors on my 1972 Johnson 50 HP. I got out on the Lake and it bogged down after 15 minutes of cruising. I tried 'everything' I thought to fix it. New fuel, new gas tank, the works...

Turns out... *drumroll please*.... I had the f'ing fuel line on backwards! I honestly had no idea that a fuel line even has a right way to go on... Anyone else know this or am I the only moron?

 

[cgd7777777]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

I didn't know!!!
i have forgot to vent the tank before and about colapsed the tank!!
Atleast you know the engine is good now
I' bet you never do that again!

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

I know it, I feel stupid for sure! haha How do you know what's the front to back or 'right' direction to put the fuel line on anyhow? I still don't get it... but I'm glad it's fixed for $28. He said I fouled the sparkplugs too.

 

[79Merc80]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

There should be an arrow on the primer bulb that shows the direction of flow

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

Thanks Merc, does this make sense to you that if it were backwards it'd run for a while then stallout after I've pumped the ball? Also, why would I have fouled the plugs like this?

 

[Lindeman23]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

I didn't know!!!
i have forgot to vent the tank before and about colapsed the tank!!
Atleast you know the engine is good now
I' bet you never do that again!

I did the same thing on my parent's pontoon boat. Drove around for about 15 min on the lake and then it just stopped in the middle of the lake. Took me about an hour to realize that it wasn't getting any fuel. I took the cover off where the gas tank was and it was shriveled up. I opened the vent, primed it a few times and we were on our way.

OP we all make stupid mistakes. I've made my far share of them including not putting hte plug back in the boat. But I learned from it and it wont ever happen again (hopefully)

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

No doubt about it Lindeman! It's a bummer of a feeling when it happens, but even worse when you realize how simple it was! Oh well, glad it wasn't a major repair.

Yes, our funniest moment with the boat was launching on a river where a damn was about 1/4 mile away. We stepped off the boat to tie it up at the launch and it was in reverse. Fortunately, someone jumped on board at the last second before it reversed itself into the dam.

 

[robert graham]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

The older I get, the more I double and triple check behind myself for screw-ups, but they'll pop up from time to time, anyway! The primer bulb is a hand operated fuel pump with a check valve in each end, and it has to go aimed towards the motor! Good Luck!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

I made this mistake on our first outing with my dad's little boat (4HP motor) last year. He put the fuel line on though so it's really his fault. I was cranking and cranking and cranking that little motor till my shoulder about fell off. This is a motor that usually starts on 1 or 2 pulls. Really glad I figured it out before calling it a day and leaving.

 

[KBHumphrey]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

Sounds like something I'd do, so thanks for letting me know it's not a society of one. But how does it control the flow one-way? Are there some kind of flapper valves or something inside the line?

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

Sounds like something I'd do, so thanks for letting me know it's not a society of one. But how does it control the flow one-way? Are there some kind of flapper valves or something inside the line?

I was wondering the same thing. I had no idea it wasn't universal. It explains why it ran great for the first 20 minutes then died.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

I have been told that after you have run it the wrong way, you can mess up the seals in the clips at the ends of the hose. I'm not sure this is true since they are the same at both ends.

I share a boat with a group. We were taking it out and a friend with me said he couldn't get the hose to attach to the tank. Sure enough it wouldn't fit although the motor was hooked up, so I went scrounging around for an OMC clip, cussing at who ever put a bad clip on the hose, why in the world would they do that, etc. And then....realized my friend had hooked the hose up backwards--the OMC clip that goes on the tank was on the Yamaha motor, and that's why the Yam clip wouldn't go on the tank! I couldn't call him stupid; he just didn't know, but I kicked myself around for not seeing the obvious, and also not looking for the obvous problem before embarking on a more complicated fix.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

And then....realized my friend had hooked the hose up backwards--the OMC clip that goes on the tank was on the Yamaha motor, and that's why the Yam clip wouldn't go on the tank! I couldn't call him stupid; he just didn't know, but I kicked myself around for not seeing the obvious, and also not looking for the obvous problem before embarking on a more complicated fix.

The subtle difference between an OMC and a Yamaha connector is friggin' annoying!

 

[mlrman]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

You took my crown from 2011 when I pulled out of the water with my trim down....scraaaaaape!!!! Haven't done that again....yet. I haven't even tried getting off the trailer with the transom straps on this year!! lol

 

[royal0014]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

We all have our DUH moments. Mine was last night....gonna pull the riding mower out and load it up on the trailer, go cut Mom's grass in the AM. Friggin' thing wouldn't crank. Had the carb bowl, float, needle valve, and fuel line off before I realized....wait for it.........no gas in the tank!

Told the wife she married a part-time idiot


<<)))(((>>

 

[tboltmike]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

The first time out in my boat, I was pretty impressed with the gas milage. Ran some 30+ miles near WOT and the fuel gauge needle hadn't moved off "F". About the time I was getting pretty proud, things came to a grinding halt...TANK EMPTY!

The next day I started tracing wiring and came to a switch labled "FUEL". I pulled out the knob and and the needle on the gauge nearly bent in two going supersonic to the "E" peg. I proceeded to wire the gauge to the ingition switch ACC lug.

In my defense, the knob was somewhat hidden by the helm. The fuel switch is now my bilge pump switch.

 

[45Auto]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

You guys aren't even close to Moron of The Year. To even get into the quailification rounds you need to do something bad enough to make it into the "Stupid Human Tricks" forum ....

 

[V153]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

How 'bout this?

 

[royal0014]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

How 'bout this?

Ok, that looks like it'll qualify for SHT, but 'ya gotta tell the story

Kinda bass acwards there. Usually someone tells a story, and our fellow iboaters scream for the pics


<<)))(((>>

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: I win Moron Boater of the Year 2011 (Thus Far)?

You ain't the only one Bubba! I have been boating and fishing for well over fifty years and still make some dumb mistakes from time to time.

About three years ago I took my two grandsons fishing at Elephant Lake here in New Mexico.

I have a 14 ft. Mirrocraft with a 1995 model, 30 horse, tiller steering, Evinrude on it.

I knew the motor would run all right because I started and ran it for fifteen or twenty minutes in a barrel of water the day before. It started right away, idled fine and the water pump was running a good stream of water.

We got to the lake after an hour and a half drive and launched the boat without a hitch.

I started the motor and went to pull away from the dock and the motor died. I started it again and again it died. I pumped the bulb and the same thing happened. This went on for another half hour or so while I checked the fuel filter screen on the motor, disconnected and reconnected the fuel line several times, tried to check the spark and so on.

Finally I gave up and told the grandsons our over-night fishing trip has just been canceled.

I paddled the boat back over to the dock by the ramp and prepared to go get the truck and load the boat for the trip home.

In desperation I took one more look at the motor, the gas tank, and fuel line ????????? and????????I had put the blooming gas line on backwards!

With two teenagers watching me all the while I couldn't even pretend that I had suddenly discovered some obscure problem and fixed it. I had to own up to the truth - I had made a really dumb mistake (a painful prospect for someone as near perfect as I am).

On the positive side, the rest of the weekend went off with no problems and we all had a good time.

Now, each time I go to connect the fuel hose, I remind myself that there is an arrow on the primer bulb and I look at that arrow before I attach the hose to the tank and motor.