Fuel pump plight

[gmilburn]

I thought I would share a bit of my plight with the group in the hopes that it will save someone some time and grief!

I replaced my old mechanical fuel pump with a new electric one from MM. I chose the block mounted version and after painfully mounting it with only about an inch of side clearance (Ericson 29) I discovered that it blocked the throttle cable from attaching to the carburetor! So on a rainy day, prior to sailing weather, I decided to remove it from the engine block and mount it to the rear of the engine compartment. After all mounting, electrical and plumbing connections were complete, I turned the key. There was no clicking pumping sound. Thus I started troubleshooting fuel to the pump, I bypassed the oil pressure switch, primed the pump with a fuel bulb, etc.--all to no avail! After a couple of hours of working on it, it dawned on me that it was an electric pump, but only had a single wire to attach to the coil (via the oil pressure switch)--thus it needed a ground! I added a ground wire to the metal mounting bracket and walla, I had clicks, fuel, my A4 purred and all was well.

Of course it was a duh moment, but again, my sharing might save someone enough time to drink one more beer! Cheers!

[romantic comedy]

Thanks for sharing. We are rather humble around here.

I locked my wife in the car, and it took me 6 hours to get her out.

[Mo]

Originally Posted by gmilburn

I thought I would share a bit of my plight with the group in the hopes that it will save someone some time and grief!

I replaced my old mechanical fuel pump with a new electric one from MM. I chose the block mounted version and after painfully mounting it with only about an inch of side clearance (Ericson 29) I discovered that it blocked the throttle cable from attaching to the carburetor! So on a rainy day, prior to sailing weather, I decided to remove it from the engine block and mount it to the rear of the engine compartment. After all mounting, electrical and plumbing connections were complete, I turned the key. There was no clicking pumping sound. Thus I started troubleshooting fuel to the pump, I bypassed the oil pressure switch, primed the pump with a fuel bulb, etc.--all to no avail! After a couple of hours of working on it, it dawned on me that it was an electric pump, but only had a single wire to attach to the coil (via the oil pressure switch)--thus it needed a ground! I added a ground wire to the metal mounting bracket and walla, I had clicks, fuel, my A4 purred and all was well.

Of course it was a duh moment, but again, my sharing might save someone enough time to drink one more beer! Cheers!

We all have those moments...some of us more than others Nice clean engine compartment you have there and it's obvious you look after the boat. That would be your two thumbs up

[Mo]

Originally Posted by romantic comedy

Thanks for sharing. We are rather humble around here.

I locked my wife in the car, and it took me 6 hours to get her out.

Hilarious!!

Years ago driving home from vacation. Wife was young, all upset after saying bye to her mom etc etc etc...about an hour in started picking on me, them my driving, then couldn't get comfortable, THEN she finally fell asleep (bliss). I drove 2 more hours and hauled in the driveway. Got quietly out of the car and went to bed and asleep. I woke up and she was in bed next to me...never heard a word about it since.

[ndutton]

Re: ground wire,

Same thing with a relocated oil pressure sensor array. Hanging 3 sensors on the tiny 1/8" nipple looked like a disaster waiting to happen. Relocating it to the bulkhead meant bringing a ground wire with it otherwise neither the oil pressure gauge nor the alarm sensor would work.

[Skywalker]

I find it weird and positive at the same time.

This forum brings out so much good will, humility, humor, not to mention technical support. I'm not a big tech guy, but it is amazing how real and personal these virtual friendships become.

Thanks for sharing the ground story and the wife stories!

Nice way to wake up.

Chris

[Administrator]

This thread is classic!

BTW, I admit to not having done my homework, but does the fan installation strike anyone as peculiar?

Bill

[Dave Neptune]

Bill, I agree with you!!! That fan should be as near the transom exit as it can be. If the fan goes on and there are fumes and a spark FROM THE FAN~~~.
The exhaust fan should suck the air our not blow it from the box.
I would seriously consider relocating it. Nice looking instalation other than that.

Dave Neptune

[Administrator]

Those were my two thoughts:

1. Shouldn't be so close to the engine.
2. Appears to be plumbed backwards.

[TomG]

Originally Posted by Administrator

This thread is classic!

BTW, I admit to not having done my homework, but does the fan installation strike anyone as peculiar?

Bill

I was wondering about that too. When I got the boat, the blower was in the engine compartment like gmilburn's. I moved it to the lazarette near the transom (and the blower exhaust port), just to keep it away from fumes should she spark, but aren't bilge blowers all ignition protected?

[ndutton]

Hmmm, I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Tom's ignition protection comment is on the mark and West Marine specifically mentions engine room mounting in their product description.

Where does the 'plumbed backwards' camp think the inlet and outlet are? The view from behind my keyboard is the inlet is the visible duct hose no doubt routed to the bilge area under the engine (the Ericson 29 has a bilge under the engine pan) and the discharge is out the mounting flange through the wood block and into the compartment to the left. I expect there's another duct hose connected to the discharge that runs through the compartment to a deck mounted cowl vent at the stern likely on the starboard side.

What's the problem??

[Kelly]

I have to agree with Neil. It would even seem that the flexible input tube just loops down on the aft side of that plywood and comes back to the engine compartment nearer the bilge and below the fan.

[Dave Neptune]

I've seen the armatures turning on functioning ignition protected fans that have rusted through. It is for this reason I like them "high and aft" in sailing vessels. In power boats with an engine room you have nowhere near the confinement issues that exist in a sailboat and I'd still rather "draw" the air than being emersed in possibly ignitable fumes. There are a lot of possible sparks from any engine, why add another?

Just my opin.

Dave Neptune

[Kelly]

Well, when you get right down to it, the proximity of the fuel line and filter to the hot exhaust made me raise my eyebrows...

[romantic comedy]

You see what happens when you post a picture of your engine?

Try posting a wife picture, LOL.

Actually, that fuel line is too close to the exhaust, I agree.

[sastanley]

I'm with Dave Neptune on this one..just because something is ignition protected doesn't mean it always will be.

Why risk it? My Catalina 30 even has (had) the ground wire for the blower (mounted near the transom) run all the way to the engine for grounding..I assume so that the blower has less chance to create a spark, and originally the engine was the main ground to the 12v DC system. I recently cut this wire and re-grounded it to the new bus bar behind my gauge panel, which goes to the big ground bus in the engine room, similar to what Ed described in this post, which is now how my DC system is grounded.

I love those Blue Seas things. I am adding them all over my boat!

edit - Jerry, htanks for the pic \/ \/ \/ \/.

I recently ran out of terminals on mine (chart table light install) since I since I am finally getting around to using my new panel and wiring it up. So, I'll use one of those blocks like Ed posted and that will be the main ground block for all panel circuits, and its large post will have a short 4# wire run to the unit in your picture, which is main distribution to the rest of the boat after the 1 - 2 - ALL switch. Doesn't that sound all complex and yachty??!?!?! I think I am using like 7 switches now on the panel..

[roadnsky]

Originally Posted by sastanley

...I love those Blue Seas things.

For Shawn...

[gmilburn]

Thanks all for your input--I didnt know I would start such a discussion. But, just to clean up a few loose ends, the blower hose is deep down in the bilge under the engine--and blows out through the aft air cowl vents. The blower is spark protected for engine compartment mounting--though it has always been a question mark for me.

Regarding the routing of the fuel line--it was temporary only while I was trouble shooting the fuel pump. As you can see, it is 5/16 inch auto fuel hose--as I was waiting on 5/16th marine fuel hose from MM. I have already swapped it out and the fuel line is now as far from the exhaust hot section as is possible.

Thanks!

[Administrator]

Here's what set me to wondering...

The ductwork to the center of the blower (which I take to be the intake) disappears from the engine compartment through a bulkhead to some location which is not evident in the image.

The discharge side of the blower is not easily seen under the blower, but I took it to simply discharge into the engine compartment.

With this translation, the blower seems to be pressuring the engine compartment, rather than extracting air from it. That's what led me to the "plumbed backwards" suspicion.

The concerns about the location of the blower are presumably self-evident.

Now for the more important stuff. What beer do you favor? (long story...., but beer has a way of showing up in members' images as well, provoking occasionally lengthy additions to the thread.)

Bill

[ndutton]

Mmmmm beeeer,

helping unattractive people reproduce for centuries.

I've mentioned my two favorites before: cold and free.

[sastanley]

My preference should be pretty obvious....but cold & free work too.