Oh, the ball check in the 90 deg. fitting at the top. Yeah, that's good, I checked it when I pulled the pickup. Fuel delivery isn't a problem, I disconnected the fuel line and pointed it into a bucket while I bumped the engine. Good strong blast of fuel from just a bump of the key.
No, didn't adjust anything, just replaced the cap, rotor, wires and plugs, at first. After I realized it wasn't running right, I installed a new coil. Then the ECM (the e-spark from Mallory). Then a carb. While I was replacing all of this, I was checking the compression, timing, fuel delivery, all of that. In fact, the only thing related to fuel and firing that hasn't been replaced is the distributor body itself.
Mercruisers have a glass bowl attached to the fuel pump with a little plastic sign in it that says "Replace fuel pump if gas appears in this bowl". It's a catch for a blown fuel pump diaphragm. And the fuel hose from the tank to the pump is a cloth inserted rubber USCG type 1. It's a rubber hose so that the engine torque doesn't damage it and cause a fuel leak in the bilge.
