Engine losing power / shutting down

[byoung4653]

My 36 albin has 135 hp lehman engine. For past 3 months after good running for 1 hr. the engine bogs down and stops. Easy restart but runs another 30 min or so and stops. The intermittent loss of power continues. I have changed all filters, changed pickup pump, original I think, but my mechanic has not found the problem Fuel appears good, no water in racors or junk, no air leaks, etc. Has anyone else experienced this problem. If so please post or email me. HELP.

Barry "0 Regrets"

(Subject edited by admin)

[jleonard]

Bad title for this thread. Ypou are not losing power, you are shutting down.
Totally different thought pattern required.
Check for a hose that is delaminating and shutting off the fuel. (that happened to me).
Check for clogged fuel tank vents, they will shut you down as described.
Touch EVERY fuel connection with a wrench, if you think you don't have an air leak, think again and double/triple check.
Also check the seal on the Racor unit.....yes it has happened to several of my boating mates.

[DougSea]

Do you have a vacum gauge on your Racor? It does sound like you have a fuel restriction of some kind. You could try running with the fill pipe cap loosened, that would tell you if the vents are clogged.

[RobS]

You state "no air leaks" ? How are you sure of this ?

I would check/clean the vent, replace fuel hoses and grease/reseat the o-rings & cover on the Racor.

Before replacement of the fuel lines you can try resealing the connections if you have enough length in them. Pull off the ends cut them back just passed the indentation from the hose clamps to give a fresh end. Reinstall the hoses with RectorSeal No.5. This will solve any air leaks at the hose connections.

[byoung4653]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. WE FOUND THE PROBLEM. The fuel line from tanks pass thru an auxiliary fuel pump just used for filling racors. However, the wire filter in this pump was blocked. Go figure. Cost me a fortune with mechanic but he finally found the problem. On to cruise the Tennessee River starting 10/01/2012.

[mike66]

Wow. So the pump screen was before the filters and it got clogged? Bummer. At least the old 135 is still chugging away unharmed. Off topic, but I chased a genny overheat for quite awhile before finding the delaminated raw water intake hose. Always nice to know it's something cheap(er) to replace than expensive engines. Now you know your boat a little better. Have a great trip!

[RobS]

Yes, have a great trip! BUT...a mechanic charging you a fortune for finding a blocked filter when you had a known fuel delivery issue, that one hurts.

[jleonard]

I also have an auxillary pump, but it is plumbed with a bypass loop so the fuel does not pass thru that pump unless I want it to.
You might consider a bypass loop for the future as it would eliminate the problem you had (because you know it will repeat itself sometime).

[mike66]

Funny, I have a pump plugged in to a loop that includes 500 and 900 Racor filters, with valving to isolate any part of the circuit. Didn't know what the setup was for, possibly fuel polishing, but I never found a switch for the pump. Maybe it's right there under my nose...... So j, how does yours work? When I changed the filters, I just shut off the supply and topped up the filter with diesel. Maybe the pump would be easier, and can it be used for fuel polishing? And how is your pump wired? So many questions............

[jleonard]

For some reason my PC is shutting down explorer when I try to attach a picture file.
I did the install myself and the plumbing is pretty simple. Just a loop ahead of the pump with a shut off that stays open to let the fuel flow with the pump out of the circuit. I would close that valve and open another to use the pump.
Pump is wired with only an on-off switch next to the pump. I have it Td and plugged so that IF I ever want to polish fuel I can plumb it the rest of the way. However I am not a big fan of fuel polishing. I believe in and use multi-stage filtration and have not had a fuel issue since I installed that system.
Fuel first goes thru a Racor 900 series with a 30 micron element, then to a dual Racor 500 with 10 micron elements, then to the on engine filters which are 7 micron.

Mike...My boat is on the hard in Portland, Ct (Yankee Boatyard). You are welcome to come and take a look at the system. I am retired now and can make it there just about any day...so come on down.

fuel system.JPG

[mike66]

I'd like to visit and check out your improvements. Heading to my son's wedding in NH in a week and then off to FL for 6-7 months. (boatless for now). I'll contact you in the spring about a visit or rendezvous if the creek don't rise and the good Lord's willin'. Keep comin' with all your great posts and words of wisdom. Off topic, but how does it feel to have the journey behind you and the boat on the hard?

[jleonard]

but how does it feel to have the journey behind you and the boat on the hard?

Last week I was itchin' to get off the boat, now I'm "almost" ready for another extennded cruise.
Lots of repairs and changes to make over the winter though. I'll be busy.

[amber jj]

John,does the fuel transfer pump on your filter system make it that you don't have to bleed the injectors when you change the filters?

[jleonard]

John,does the fuel transfer pump on your filter system make it that you don't have to bleed the injectors when you change the filters?

You do not have to "bleed the injectors" when you change a fuel filter. You may have to bleed the injection pump, but only if your method is not right and you lose too much fuel. That has happened to me only a few times in my 20 + years of diesel boating (and diesel trucks and cars).

An auxilliary pump, or a squeezeball rig can make bleeding easier and faster, but normally using the lift pump will suffice.

If you need help in getting a filter change method down, let us know and we'll help you get it right.

[amber jj]

Thankyou.I know when I started her up this spring I had a friend come over to crack a injector on each engine.It didn't take much and no fuel cleanup.Probably needed that this time because I relocated the filters and fuel lines.I had already filled the filters and primed to a degree with the manual primer pumps.I had just thought when I saw your setup with the electric pump that I may have been able to do it solo.Thanks so much for the explanation.Bob