So, here we go.
I was out 2 weeks ago, boat ran great on the first outing, ran maybe an hour on it no issues whatsoever.
We came home, I put the cover on the boat. There was rain and some fog that week. To be honest, I don't think that has anything to do with what is going on, because it was fine parked indoors all winter and the boat wasn't wet inside when I took her out last Sunday.
I get to the lake. Idle out, no issues. start filling ballast, and go to hit it. Starts to go, then power loss and a couple of back fires. Tried again, same outcome. Still running (poorly) and limped back to the dock. Turned off, started up again, ran the motor at the dock, revving it without any issues. Pushed off and tried to see if I could just burn through gas and fix the problem or whatever. Ran ok full speed, then again, the power cuts out, then runs, then engine dies. Fires up after a couple short attempts, not running great. Finally pull the boat.
It has the Marine Power 5.7l 340 HP engine.
Bring it home, park in my driveway (Nose up the driveway) attach the fake-a lake, start it up. Runs ok, for a minute, then it starts cutting out and such.
Buy a fuel pressure guage and hook it up. Key on, engine off, it runs up to 55psi, and starts dropping. Takes about 2 minutes to get to about 10 PSI. I try and cylcle the key again, and I start the boat and the pressure drops to below 10 and obviously it runs like crap. I use the pressure relief valve on the guage and take a fuel sample and put it in a mason jar and look at it really closely, don't see any particulate or water separation. (I only use ethanol free gas and haven't filled it since I topped it off after addiing staybil last year). I'm frustrated at this point, so I park the boat in the parking spot (nose slightly pitched downward).
I go out last night and re-run the test with the fake a lake. Fuel pressure goes to 55, and starts going down. I start the boat, drops to maybe 46 PSI, I pull the hose off the regulator and it hops up to 55. Rev the engine a few times. Runs great, no signs of the boat running poorly. Everything is running fine. I shut it down and go inside and order a new fuel filter (replaced 2 years ago). I will replace Friday.
Anyway, I find the procedure for checking the MEFI system and look at the procedures. The first recommendation is to pull the codes.
So heres the issues.
1: I have no way to pull the codes. I have a BlueDriver for my cars that I can pull codes with, but I have no way to hook that to my boat to pull codes.
So where do I need to buy one or do I need to?
2: If that turns out fine, I need to run the test I just did, but additionally I have to run a test where I hook up a J37287 (Fuel Line Shut off Adapters) to the supply and return lines and figure out what is the cause of the problem. I can buy them, but I don't want to drop 400 dollars if I don' t need to, or if there is another way I can test this.
3: I would hate to just buy a new fuel pump, regulator and replace everything if I don't have to. If it was the filter, would the pressure in the KOEO still drop like it does? Is that indicating a check valve is off, or is the actual fuel pump bad? I would hate to replace it and find out its actually a leaky injector.
4: It's summer and if I take it to a boat shop, my summer will be half over before I can get it back. Can someone point me in the right direction here? I am comfortable doing the work myself, I just don't know if it would be cheaper to buy all new parts and install them, or spend hundreds on specialty tools to chase down the problem, only to find out that there is actually water in the fuel after all.
I was out 2 weeks ago, boat ran great on the first outing, ran maybe an hour on it no issues whatsoever.
We came home, I put the cover on the boat. There was rain and some fog that week. To be honest, I don't think that has anything to do with what is going on, because it was fine parked indoors all winter and the boat wasn't wet inside when I took her out last Sunday.
I get to the lake. Idle out, no issues. start filling ballast, and go to hit it. Starts to go, then power loss and a couple of back fires. Tried again, same outcome. Still running (poorly) and limped back to the dock. Turned off, started up again, ran the motor at the dock, revving it without any issues. Pushed off and tried to see if I could just burn through gas and fix the problem or whatever. Ran ok full speed, then again, the power cuts out, then runs, then engine dies. Fires up after a couple short attempts, not running great. Finally pull the boat.
It has the Marine Power 5.7l 340 HP engine.
Bring it home, park in my driveway (Nose up the driveway) attach the fake-a lake, start it up. Runs ok, for a minute, then it starts cutting out and such.
Buy a fuel pressure guage and hook it up. Key on, engine off, it runs up to 55psi, and starts dropping. Takes about 2 minutes to get to about 10 PSI. I try and cylcle the key again, and I start the boat and the pressure drops to below 10 and obviously it runs like crap. I use the pressure relief valve on the guage and take a fuel sample and put it in a mason jar and look at it really closely, don't see any particulate or water separation. (I only use ethanol free gas and haven't filled it since I topped it off after addiing staybil last year). I'm frustrated at this point, so I park the boat in the parking spot (nose slightly pitched downward).
I go out last night and re-run the test with the fake a lake. Fuel pressure goes to 55, and starts going down. I start the boat, drops to maybe 46 PSI, I pull the hose off the regulator and it hops up to 55. Rev the engine a few times. Runs great, no signs of the boat running poorly. Everything is running fine. I shut it down and go inside and order a new fuel filter (replaced 2 years ago). I will replace Friday.
Anyway, I find the procedure for checking the MEFI system and look at the procedures. The first recommendation is to pull the codes.
So heres the issues.
1: I have no way to pull the codes. I have a BlueDriver for my cars that I can pull codes with, but I have no way to hook that to my boat to pull codes.
So where do I need to buy one or do I need to?
2: If that turns out fine, I need to run the test I just did, but additionally I have to run a test where I hook up a J37287 (Fuel Line Shut off Adapters) to the supply and return lines and figure out what is the cause of the problem. I can buy them, but I don't want to drop 400 dollars if I don' t need to, or if there is another way I can test this.
3: I would hate to just buy a new fuel pump, regulator and replace everything if I don't have to. If it was the filter, would the pressure in the KOEO still drop like it does? Is that indicating a check valve is off, or is the actual fuel pump bad? I would hate to replace it and find out its actually a leaky injector.
4: It's summer and if I take it to a boat shop, my summer will be half over before I can get it back. Can someone point me in the right direction here? I am comfortable doing the work myself, I just don't know if it would be cheaper to buy all new parts and install them, or spend hundreds on specialty tools to chase down the problem, only to find out that there is actually water in the fuel after all.
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