Trouble with primer bulb??

[khenke413]

I recently siphoned my tank in order to drain the gas for the new season. I also just installed a fuel water separator before my primer bulb this year due to the fact that the previous owner never had one. I filled my tank and tried priming my motor, but I couldn't get any fuel flow by pumping my primer bulb. So then I disconnected the fuel line connected to the fuel pump and siphon some gas out to make sure the fuel was flowing properly. And sure enough the fuel came out of the line. Then I went back to the primer bulb, the first few pumps fuel came out but then it quit. So does that mean that my primer bulb is bad?

 

[GA_Boater]

Fill the filter with gas. The bulb is sucking air until the gas gets to the bulb and if you pump long enough the filter will fill. Much easier to put some gas in the filter first.

The arrow on the bulb is pointing to the motor, isn't it?

 

[khenke413]

Bulb is pointed the right way, and the filter is full with gas. But bulb still won't pull gas to motor

 

[GA_Boater]

It could be still trying to suck air. You could remove the output hose from the bulb and try it into a container or suck on it. No smoking.

 

[khenke413]

Is there anyway true way to know if the bulb is bad?

 

[GA_Boater]

Put some gas in a jar and stick the input end in the gas and squeeze. Keep bulb pointed away from you and your eyes.

 

[khenke413]

Tried putting some gas in a jar, and the bulb sucked it up. My tank has only about 4 gallons in it, does it have to be plump full for it to prime?

 

[redneck joe]

no

is the engine not starting or you just not getting hard? (no double meaning there)

are you sure your connection is seated properly at the outboard?

 

[khenke413]

Yep, as far I know everything is seated correctly and all the connections are good.

 

[khenke413]

It's not getting hard, there is no fuel reaching my motor.

 

[Scott Danforth]

then since you tested the primer by itself and that is good, my guess is you have a leaky connection between the bulb and the tank pickup that is allowing the primer to suck air

 

[redneck joe]

is it not getting hard but full of air or does it stay squished?

 

[khenke413]

I got it to work when I put the bulb before the fuel water separator. Does it make a big difference if it's before or after?

 

[redneck joe]

don't know - i've never put ahead of.

 

[ajgraz]

Always have put my primer bulb after the separator, just easier setup, I don't think it matters...Except that the bulb is supposed to be vertical (arrow pointing up) for best sucking power.

I wonder if maybe you just had a loose fitting that got correctly tightened after you changed bulb position?

 

[khenke413]

It's working the way I have it. So I'll probably just leave it, the only problem is that it's a little inconvient having the bulb close to the filter