Stalling engine

Team118 · Sep 11, 2011

Whew boy Hal....

I can only give the steps I (and many like me) have done.

Check the fuel lines between the tank and the filter, then between the filter and the fuel pump.

Check the vent hose...use compressed air...remember to disconnet the other end from then vent in the stern so anything can get blown out

Replace the filter...if you have one.

Check fuel bowl and make sure seal is tight, no leaks causing loss of vacuum pressure.

Check choke cable and throttle cable, be sure they haven't gotten bent or stuck

Electric or motor fuel pump? Check fuse or seals around pump...for loss of pressure.

Dump starter fluid in bowl...does it start right up?...probably fuel delivery issue

Remove carb and clean and use compressed air..get all the dirt out of jets

Check?

On to electical

Check or replace coil, rotors, points, conductors, plugs, plug wires, iginition switch

Is there a leak in muffler or those lines?

Also check over at MoyerMarine.com they have tons of posts that might help.

My feeling is that if you were out for a fairly long time, and it was as 'sporty' as you say, you may have stirred up a lot of crap in your tank and you've gummed up the carb.

If that isn't the issue, and you had to motor a good distance at a reasonable RPM, your engine may have heated to the point that the coil and it's associated parts got too hot and they shut down...

The addition of fuel treatment leads me to believe its a fuel issue.

Good luck
Chris

Stephen K · Sep 11, 2011

Most problems like this seem to be fuel related. I'd take a sample of diesel from the bottom of your tank and go from there. If you have crud and / or water, you need to get that cleaned out and then change all filters.

Stu Jackson · Sep 11, 2011

Help us help you: what engine, for starters (PI

).

dparilla · Sep 11, 2011

I would check filters, then the boost pump (the m25 has one just in front of the tank before the filters) and then the engine fuel pump. You will find crud at one of those points, or else the electric boost pump may have failed.

Stu Jackson · Sep 12, 2011

Try this, includes more than one page, Critical Upgrades, includes lotsa M25 series engine information: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5078.0.html

Bob S · Sep 13, 2011

Hal,

I've been having the same issues on pretty much the same boat. (1995 MK III). This was my first post.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=131990

What I've done so far:

I have an access port in my diesel tank. I removed it and looked inside with a flash light and didn't see anything that would cause it. It doesn't have a pick up screen. I think Catalina figured that out by 1995?

I replaced both primary and secondary filters.

I replace my fuel pump which definitely stopped working. No clicking sounds when the ignition key was turned over. Also pulled the line on the outside of the pump and had no flow when energized.

I bought new 50' of A1-15 3/8 fuel line from SBO (good pricing). I plan on changing the lines from the tank to the injectors.

It is running much better but I think I might have a small air leak somewhere because it still will run ruff on occasion. When trouble shooting I had played with the knurled knob before the injectors. I believe it's a bleeding valve. Now I'm not sure what position it is supposed to be in. I noticed when I screwed it all the way in clockwise which I assumed was closed the engine would begin to run ruff and eventually stall. When I screwed it out even partially it would run ok. That is why I'm replacing the fuel line. I figure it's possible there is gunk in it or that maybe I have a pinhole somewhere along the line.

Let me know how yours turns out, I'm curious.

Stu Jackson · Sep 13, 2011

bleeding 101 for M25 series engines: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6377.0.html

Bob S · Sep 13, 2011

Thanks Stu,

I might have air in my secondary filter. I didn't remove the nut.

2 questions:

Is the bleeding thumb knob closed when screwed all the way in clockwise?

Does injector cleaner really make a difference?

Stu Jackson · Sep 13, 2011

Bob S said:
Thanks Stu,

I might have air in my secondary filter. I didn't remove the nut.

2 questions:

Is the bleeding thumb knob closed when screwed all the way in clockwise?

Does injector cleaner really make a difference?

Clockwise is closed.

You will hear the change in pitch/run of the fuel pump from buzzzzzzz to click click click. I run ours closed on our M25 and most all folks I know close it for their M25XPs, contrary to what Ron Hill proposed and says he used on his.

Injector cleaner -- can't hurt. Just gets more air out of the system,, but based on Ken's "experiment" with an empty primary filter, it just takes longer for the pump to do its work and push the air out. Your boat your choice. I figger the cleaner gets into the fuel tank anyway that way, so it can't hurt.

Steve Walsh · Sep 13, 2011

If you have the same round electric fuel pump that I do, don't overlook that is has a screen filter in the bottom of it that can clog up. Uncrew the bottom cap to reveal screen filter. Mine was full of junk.

Stu Jackson · Sep 13, 2011

Good point Steve. And the fuel line plumbing, as noted in the Critical Upgrades topic previously linked, indicates that the primary filter should go first after than the tank, which is NOT the way many boats came from the factory. Doing it correctly avoids having the screen in the bottom of the fuel pump do the primary filtering instead of the primary filter.

It's a simple fix with two feet of new fuel hose and a couple of hose clamps.

Bob S · Sep 18, 2011

Hal,

Hope your troubleshooting has gone well. My problem was the fuel pump the whole time. I don't think a fuel pump just fails but rather fails slowly. I replace the cylinder style with a new Purolator/Facet cube pump that Maine Sail recommended. $43.00 :dance:.

I was still having on and off symptoms that baffled me. When at the boat this weekend I couldn't start the engine. I bled the secondary filter and playing with the thumb knob per Stu's bleeding 101 link.... and nothing :cussing:.
I traced the fuel line to the primary filter.

The hose clamps where loose on both sides of the filter. Guess when I was troubleshooting my failed fuel pump I never tightened the clamps. Ran the boat 2 weekends that way. After I tightened the clamps everything ran great and my injector bypass valve thumb knob is off.
It was a frustrating experience but I learned a lot about our engine.

jimmcgee · Sep 19, 2011

Hal,
Your symptoms sound exactly like mine(also a 1995 C30 MKIII).

I thought I didn't have a screen after a quick inspection a few years back The screen is INSIDE the pickup tube.

Pull out the aft cushions, and get access to the tank. You'll see three hoses on the tank (back to front) they are the fill, return and fuel. There will be a petcock on the fuel hose to the engine. Remove the hoses to the return and fuel and tie them back with a zip tie so they don't drop down behind the tank.

Next unscrew the return hose barb from the tank, followed by the fuel barb and petcock. You have to remove the return to have room to swing the petcock.

Pull the fuel barb out of the tank, the pickup is a hard tube extending down into the tank. Pull the tube off the barb and sight down the tube. You'll see a solid mass crusted onto the screen inside the tube.

I cut a piece cut out of a plastic coat hanger to push the screen out the bottom and clean out the crud. The screen is incredibly tiny.

Reassemble the whole works. Use a touch extra throttle when starting. She'll run rough for a few seconds until the air purges out of the system. The '95 25XP's are self bleeding.

Buy a $1 spray bottle at Home Depot before starting this job. Fill it with dish soap and use it to clean up ANY spilled diesel. You don't want that smell getting into your berth cushions.

This is a pretty easy job and my boat is running great since I did it The tough part was figuring out what the problem was to begin with -- see thread http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=133015

Best of luck,
Jim

jimmcgee · Sep 20, 2011

No problem. It drove me crazy until I figured it out.

Hope I see you out on the Bay.

Jim