So I am back to my engine problem hoping someone can help clarify things. I have had the engine quit several more times, but with no consistency as to when or why it happens. We were on a cruise recently and used it often and for long periods going in and out of harbors. Mostly it worked fine but had it stall several times: start and run for a few minutes, then stall, restart then stall, restart then stall, then run fine for 20 min or more. This happened in two separate situations a few days apart but no stall several other times. In all cases, it has eventually restarted and ran for extended periods. These intermittent problems are the hardest to diagnose in my experience. This seems most likely to be a fuel related issue so now I am trying to fully understand the fuel system.
I installed a Racor 500 unit last summer with a T-handle vacuum gauge on top. Fuel goes from the tank, through the shutoff lever to the Racor, then to the fuel pump, then to the secondary and on to the engine. If I understand this correctly, the gauge on the Racor unit will measure restriction in the fuel flow upstream of the gauge, ie the primary (30 µm in my case). I know the gauge works because if you partially shut off the fuel lever, you see the gauge gradually increase in vacuum reading. But it seems that it will not tell you if the secondary is plugged. 1. I don’t see how the secondary (10 µm in my case) could be plugged if the primary is fine but I guess not impossible. My temptation is to replace the secondary since the primary is not showing any sign of being plugged (from the gauge), but I don’t see how this could lead to an infrequent intermittent stall. 2. Fuel pump problem (loose wire etc.)? You can hear the fuel pump running when the engine is off and I have never heard it stop or pause. Can fuel pumps fail like this? Can that lead to an intermittent stall? 3. Air getting into fuel line- seems possible, but I don’t see how that can be the cause if the engine runs for an hour continuously once restarted. Any ideas welcome! Dave S/V Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT
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