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Fuel Pump or other?Boat: Malibu wakesetter VLX with '03 Indmar Monsoon 335 EFI engine


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"Boat: Malibu wakesetter VLX with '03 Indmar Monsoon 335 EFI engine

Late last season my boat started to cut out while wakeboarding and loaded. I wouldn't go past 11mph and would sputter if I pushed the throttle forward. I could turn off the boat and bring it up to 25mph for about 3-4 minutes then it would start cutting out and go back down to 11mph. The 1st time I took it to the shop they cleaned a fuel strainer that had some sand in it they said. That fixed it for about a month. I took it back and they replaced the fuel filter (didn't have the part my previous visit or would've done it then) and then the season was over, after about 1 month's use this year the same problem is occurring. Does anyone have any troubleshooting ideas, possible candidates, or suggestions as to what might fix or temporarily remedy the situation? The boat only has about 350 hours on it, I'm the original owner, only been in lake water and it's been taken care of pretty well w/o any big problems.

By Karl De Looff (boarditup) on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 10:52 am:

Likely the fuel line is gummy from alcohol in the gasoline. Replace the fuel lines and this will likely take care of the problem."

I posted above about 2 years ago and am still having the same problems. Not sure if it's electrical, fuel pump, or what. It used to only occur with under 1/2 tank and under load of towing with ballast. Now it started happening with 4/5 of a tank and under no load and it's driving my crazy. Had 2 different mechanics check it at 3 different times and still no luck!! I'm not sure about replacing the fuel lines or how much that may cost. I can change the oil and winterize the boat myself but I haven't tried much more but willing to learn. I've also saw some similar threads saying fuel pumps are being replaced now after 4 years due to ethanol in the gas. Any ideas?

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Has this problem been going on for a long time (it kind of seems that way from your post)? If so, in my experience, once fuel pumps begin to show symptoms of failure, the actual failure is not far behind. I would think your fuel pump would have failed by now.

Is the fuel tank vent line plugged?

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Has this problem been going on for a long time (it kind of seems that way from your post)? If so, in my experience, once fuel pumps begin to show symptoms of failure, the actual failure is not far behind. I would think your fuel pump would have failed by now.

Is the fuel tank vent line plugged?

This has been going on for the past 2-3 years. From what I could tell by looking at the vent lines, they look OK. I was looking to see if they had a bend or twisted up, but they look OK. As far as inside the lines, I've never checked. Not sure of my confidence working with anything fuel related. I want to check the screens (apparently there are 2) but not sure exactly where they are.

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  • 1 month later...

Wow-

I have exactly the same problem in my 2002 Malibu Wakesetter XTi,,but with a hammerhead engine. I can run for about 8-10 miles and the boat will sputter and lose power. Shut it down for a few minutes and can run another mile or so...I figured it was probably due to particulates in the gas line or fuel tank that would clog a screen and were then heavy enough to fall off when the gas flows were slow....ie something like sand.

I have replaced the rotor, cap, wires, pulled and cleaned the fuel tank (not much, if anything there), replaced several gas filters. I then replaced every sensor on the motor. I replaced the pressure regulator. It has a Carter fuel pump and that is sitting in front of me while I change the fittings to the new one. Everyone thinks it should be the fuel pump, although if replacing it doesn't work, I would wonder if it was some intermittant electrical connection to the pump....There is a screen on the intake to the carter fuel pump, which I scraped out with a toothpick, just for kicks. I don't think there was enough gunk in there to shut it down...but who knows...The good news is that there isn't much gas that spills when you work on the pump and lines,,,,just a few ounces....

Did you ever get it figured out? So far mechanics and 2 mechanical engineers are unable to come up with a solution....although, one wanted me to put a pressure valve on the pump to measure pressures when it loses power.

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A simple fuel pressure test will confirm or eliminate fuel delivery problems. There is a valve on the fuel rail for connecting a fuel pressure gauge. Pressure should stay between 37 and 45 psi at all operating ranges.

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I had all of your problems and tried all of your solutions. It turned out to be something inside the alternator causing it. Bad diode or something. Switched out the alt and everything is fine. The funny thing is that the alt checked out in my driveway but apparently not under load.

Hope this helps

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I had all of your problems and tried all of your solutions. It turned out to be something inside the alternator causing it. Bad diode or something. Switched out the alt and everything is fine. The funny thing is that the alt checked out in my driveway but apparently not under load.

Hope this helps

I remember your thread and you bring up a good point. Looking at your volt gauge when the problem starts should confirm what Awest had. Make sure volts are well above 12, like high 13s to low 14s.

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I remember your thread and you bring up a good point. Looking at your volt gauge when the problem starts should confirm what Awest had. Make sure volts are well above 12, like high 13s to low 14s.

The thing about my alternator was that it did put out 13.6 volts at the meter. But I am not sure that meter was really that accurate to begin with. So you should test it with a hand meter. Even then the problem was not that it would not put out the proper voltage. It was the fluctuation in the voltage. Especially under load.

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I have the very same problem, see my post, about to change distributor cap, coil and alternator as next steps unless I get any other advice from this board.

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