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HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue #14515069 10/25/22 01:05 PM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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Looking for some help diagnosing an HDPI issue and trying to decide what to look for next. The engine is on a Skeeter 21i, and is new to me about a year ago, it. Out of the last five or six times of use I've had the alarm go off twice as soon as I would start giving it gas. Both times it was mid morning after having run the engine a while. When the alarm sounded, I would immediately shut the motor off, restart it and it wouldn't repeat the issue. I dismissed the alarm thinking it was just something goofy with the system.

Then I took it out and while going across the lake, the engine died and there was no fuel in the priming bulb and it wouldn't prime. I replaced the fuel/water separator filter, the fuel filter in the cup, the fuel filter in the VST, the high pressure fuel filter and the inline oil filter. Nothing looked terribly wrong other than the fact the fuel water filter was dated in 2013 and crazy hard to get off. The seller told me the boat was just serviced. There was some brown crust on the rubber seal of the fuel water filter but I did my best, without removing it to clean the assembly. When changing the fuel water filter I filled it full of gas to prime it. When I completed everything I pumped the priming bulb and it filled the fuel cup and the arming bulb was hard.

I did a quick lake test and ran it for 20 minutes and all seemed good. Then my son had a high school tournament and we fished all day burning lots of gas and it ran great. Sure enough as soon as he had the last cast, we headed for the weigh in and immediately after getting on plane, the engine cut out. It was the same, no fuel issue and the bulb wouldn't prime. I've since replaced the fuel line from the cup back to the fuel water separator and that did nothing, it still won't prime. Since the boat ran out of gas last time around, I can only assume the fuel water filter is empty but I've read that the bulb should be able to prime the filter, but it's not. I'm not able to pump any gas into the fuel cup using the bulb, so I don't think it is the low pressure fuel pump.

My next step was to plumb around the fuel water separator to see if it would then prime. However now I'm thinking about the fuel tanks. The boat has two 25 gallon tanks with a manual selector for the gas (port, starboard, or both) and it would always drain one side faster than the other again I thought maybe a goofy thing with a 10 year old boat. There is no obvious sign of a fuel leak or air leak in the rear hatch when priming the bulb. Does anybody have any thoughts or wisdom for me? Thanks!

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515203 10/25/22 03:38 PM
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Fish Killer Offline
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Ive had the tank selector handle get moved before. Typically, i run from both tanks at the same time. Ran out of gas and didn't know it since I was had the port side gauge turned on.

If your primer bulb is empty, I would suspect vapor lock from something. Your loosing prime from either a clogged line from the tank or from a clogged vent.


These models skeeters always drain one side quicker than the other.

Verify all your lines from the tank out are ethanol approved lines.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515224 10/25/22 03:57 PM
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Chris B Online Content
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Not only will it suck from one side faster, I’ve had mine run out of gas twice when one tank still had fuel. If both tanks have fuel I would check the fuel tank vents.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Fish Killer] #14515225 10/25/22 03:57 PM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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I figured one always drained faster than the other so I never paid much attention to that issue. Has anyone ever heard of an issue with the selector itself? Since I know the fuel pump forward is fine. It really only leaves the fuel water separator, the selector and then the individual tanks. If it were a vent, I would think I would hear the vapor lock release when I open the fuel filler and I'm not hearing anything when I do that.

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515230 10/25/22 04:01 PM
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Chris B Online Content
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Both times mine ran out of gas the port side was sucked dry. Take a flashlight and shine it in the tank and check the level.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515249 10/25/22 04:19 PM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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If it is a vent issue, wouldn't I hear the pressure release when I open the gas cap?

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515252 10/25/22 04:23 PM
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Chris B Online Content
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Originally Posted by Clint1
If it is a vent issue, wouldn't I hear the pressure release when I open the gas cap?

Not if it is just partially restricting.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14515278 10/25/22 04:49 PM
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I bet the fuel tank selector valve is the area of trouble guys. These valves have a real nasty habit of getting in the position where they pull from both tanks at the same time, which is not a good thing. One all ways pulls better than the other and once that tank gets where all it has left is air, your motor basically runs out of fuel...

Those valves and the switching from one position to the next can be a pita. You must make sure it goes all engaged to one tank or your going to suck air before you ever run out of fuel.

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14516033 10/26/22 03:17 AM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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OK I did some additional digging tonight and I think Rowdy nailed it.

All the gas vents work fine. I pulled one fuel pickup out of the tank and there were no issues other than the threads sheared off when I took it out, sweet! I was having a really hard time seeing where the fuel was in that tank and I finally figured out is was basically empty. Of course my gas gauges suck and rarely work, probably a whole other post. One tank is basically full and the other is empty and the selector was set to both. I turned the selector with to the the tank with the gas and it won't prime the bulb. I then hooked the gas hose directly to the tank with gas and it immediately primed. That just leaves the hoses and the tank valve. I guess the next step is to pull the valve and replace it. Am I missing anything else?

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14516260 10/26/22 02:21 PM
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Chris B Online Content
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Mine since the day it was new has always pulled more from the port side. It’s never ran out with the starboard full. Usually about 1/4 tank still in it. I always fill up the port side in the morning and have had no problems since.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14518435 10/28/22 03:21 PM
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One thing about the primer bulb - there is an arrow on it - be sure that when you are priming - the arrow is pointed up or it may not draw properly.


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Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14523932 11/03/22 12:58 PM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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It's taking forever but I believe I've figured this out, one of my anti siphon valves was stuck closed. I couldn't find the right size locally so ended up ordering one. I have a brand new brass Moeller valve and you can blow in the opposite direction of the fuel flow it's tight but air is getting through ever so slightly. On the older valve I have, the one that I know worked, you can't blow through it at all. Anybody else have any experience with these valves?

Re: HPDI 250 - Fuel Issue [Re: Clint1] #14527727 11/07/22 03:47 PM
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Clint1 Offline OP
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I finally resolved it this weekend, it was one of the fuel pumps. I still don't understand that one but I replaced them both and the the fuel bulb would pump up hard.

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