primer bulb don't stay hard

**Willbreaku** · 03-19-2012, 07:10 AM

I have a mercury 50 hp 2 stroke my boat is 1 and half years old it has always done this hard start after sitting at a spot long time my bulb want stay firm should change bulb or is it something else.

**Archerguy1** · 03-19-2012, 09:41 AM

Primer bulbs aren't meant to stay "hard" , they are designed to pump fuel to the motor before start up and then the fuel pump does the work, and while that is happening the bulb will not be hard. If you are having a problem starting the motor after it sits for a while after running that sounds like "Heat Soak" which means the gas left in the engine is flashing off or evaporating after you shut the motor off, to high of octane gas, or possibly a weak water pump allowing the engine to get above normal temp at idle can contribute to these problems, and if the area you live in is still selling winter blend fuel and you are having very warm temps that will cause bad running , starting problems also.

**FisherMike** · 03-19-2012, 06:12 PM

Try flashing the choke after setting to see if it starts rite up. Definitely a 2 stroker issue.

**BarryG** · 03-19-2012, 06:51 PM

Talk to it very nicely and gently stroke it, give it a little kiss..........

**Willbreaku** · 03-20-2012, 09:16 AM

ok thanks guys i'll try them lol even kiss it.

**broharrell** · 03-20-2012, 11:09 AM

Try positioning the bulb so that it is inline with the hose going to the engine, bulb straight not laying to the right or left. I was told on this forum that there is a small ball inside the bulb that falls back to the bottom of the bulb when not running engine and it blocks fuel from leaving the bulb. I cut some hose off and made mine sit in that position, but I still have the problem, but only when it is warm weather. I have not experienced a "soft" bulb all during the winter months when I've been out. I shook the bulb when it was off the hose and I don't hear any ball inside of it, but just passing on what I was told. I'm using the Quicksilver bulb from Mercury.

**SeaRay** · 03-24-2012, 09:33 AM

I have a Merc 2 stroke and I was having problems with it cutting off when I gave it the gas. I suspected that ethanol had maybe deteriorated the bulb and line so I replaced with an OEM Merc hose and bulb. (I only use non-ethanol gas but I bought thte boat used so not sure what else had been used.)
I could not get the bulb to pump up hard no matter what I tired. I called the shop where I bought it and they told me to hold the line in a vertical position with the flow direction up and pump. To my amazement it pumped right up and has worked fine since. They told me that sometimes you can get an airlock and holding it upright allows the air to escape past the checkvalve in the bulb.
If you have used ethanol gas in the past, I would change out the hose assembly to eliminate that being the problem. Also I have had to choke it for a few seconds to get it running even with a warm engine.
SeaRay

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