Fuel Filter Change?

Hey guys, the weather was nice today, so the wife and I, or I should say I decided that it was nice enough outside to take the first cruise of the season. We normally cruise around 25mph for most of the river, but open it up for a few seconds once in a while. We were about 30 min. into our journey when I let her rip for a bit and all of a sudden it started to sputter and like it was gasping for fuel or something. I backed off the throttle while it still sputtered and when finally in neutral, she died. Took a few pumps and about 3/4 throttle to get her back going again and was fine. I should mention thaqt last year on our last outing of the season, Amy pulled me footing at WOT and all of a sudden we slowed down considerably and then picked speed back up to normal, when I got in the boat she said the same thing happened, boat was as WOT and then sputtered, slowed down, and then picked speed back up. Engine has a new carb from two years ago, but I have never replaced fuel filter. I can almost be certain that it is still the original one, and if not, is relatively old. Am I on the correct path to fix this problem? 96' Ski, 351w carbed, 1-1:23 tranny. Thanks

Mark

It could be the filter but could it possibly be bad gas? Before throwing parts at it I'd siphon whats left and replenish it with fresh and see if the problem continues. If so then you could have a filter problem. If the filter is clogging up you might have to change the main fuel line from the tank to the filter. This wonderful alcohol blended fuel might be working on the rubber. That would be my first line of attack.

One more question, I went out and checked out the AS vavle and looked at the filter and found an inline fuel filter #R080024.   This is the only filter I could fine, and when I looked it up on DIM, that filter came up as a fuel injection filter. May be a dumb question, but is this correct filter for my appliction, or did the PO mess with things, and Eric, can you explain a little more in detail on how to clean the AS valve, I know I can figure it out, but I might as well get the proper instructions from you?   Thanks

Yep Brian, thats the one I have. Gonna order a new one and clean out the AS valve after work today and see how she runs. Looks like a nice weekend ahead of us up hers, so hopefully will be able get out again, maybe a ski this time. Any other suggestions?

I just took some parts cleaner and sprayed into the valve, then pushed the ball back and forth with a little pick, did that process a couple times. Hopefully any debris or crud stuck around the ball was broke loose. O.K., here is one more question or two. This may sound a little dumb, but I am no engine mechanic and want to figure things out. Can someone explain exactly how the fuel pump operates on my engine along with the carb? I see no wires to the pump, so how does it function in relation to the carb? There is no pump in the tank is there? Fuel is just drawn up through the AS valve, through the filter, to the pump, to the carb. Never messed around with carbs/fuel systems, so am trying to learn here. Thanks

Thanks Pete, I see how the pump is connected to the engine and understand what you are saying, thanks again for the insight

Thanks Brian, I'll give that a try. However, I'm still learning here, can you describe exactly where the spark arrestor is, or looks like?    Thanks for the guidance

I got myself one of these:
Thumb Screw

If you don't already have one, it's $3.95 well spent. You don't need a socket set each time you want to remove the arrestor and look at your carb.

levinmark wrote: 10-4, I didnt realize that the spark arrestor was a different terminalogy for a flame arrestor. Learn something everyday

Actually, that's my mistake on that one. Flame arrestor is the correct terminology. I incorrectly called it a spark arrestor.

Hmmm, sounds like a carb rebuild is in order.

That can happen for a couple of reasons. The float could be set at the wrong level, but that's not going to happen all of a sudden. More likely the needle and seat (part of the rebuild kit) are bad or there's some dirt stuck in there.

Sounds like a small piece of trash is holding the needle off the seat.(in the carb float bowls)

Thanks Andy, if there is debris holding the needle off the seat, what is the correct procudure to fix that. I dont know much about these carbs and how they function, but am mechanically inclined enough to be able to follow some instructions. I appreciate the help. Hopefully I can mess around with it tomorrow morning and take her out in the afternoon.

Brian, I have had no problems at all except for the cutting out at WOT I previously described. But after cleaning out AS valve, and new filter, that did not happen today. There have been a few instances last year where I had to give some throttle to start it back up, but today was the first time I actually looked down the carb and the excessive fuel is what I found. Other than that, the boat runs great, nice and smooth at "wine" cruising speed (25 mph) and I went for a few long runs at 34mph, which Amy said there were no issues at all, smooth as can be. It just stalled that time ideling back, and had to throttle up to start it on the other time.

^^ Mark, I'm not sure on that. I know those blue gaskets are supposed to be able to be used over and over again. Skidim sells those blue bowl gaskets individually. Not sure if the newer carbs come with them.

It's funny, I was just about to post here anyway. I had a funny theory about the carb problem. I'm thinking it's basically totally seperate from the fuel filter/fuel starvation thing.

But, I was thinking maybe the carb wasn't seeing enough fuel flow/pressure before to see any issues.

Good luck, I'm off for Southie St. Patty's celebration