Y2K challenger 2000 240 efi stalled at 30 mph

[copperhead]

Hi everyone,<br>Had trouble on the water today,needed to be towed in. Have put approx. 40 hours on the boat this summer to date. The boat has been running great. Took the boat out on Thursday night with no problem. We ran the boat about six miles up the river today and stopped for a swim then when over to our fishing hole for about and hour. Pulled out and ran about 1/4 mile at 30 mph and engine stopped instantly. Tried to restart, the engine turns over and fires but barely idles and then stops. It will idle slightly every once and a while and when you go to forward it dies. I had put new fuel filter and water/fuel separator in it in the spring along with new plugs. When the boat restarts the engine sounds fine, however will not stay running. I drained the fuel/water separator and the fuel looked fine. The electric fuel pump sounds the same as always. I checked the battery connections and they seem fine. Could this be the fuel filter plugged after 200 gallons of gas? I have been using Star- tron in every five gallon pail and Sea Foam in every second tank. I am going to order new fuel filters tomorrow. Has anybody got any other suggestions? Hope everyone is having a great summer!<br>best regards<br>Terry

 

[ForHogan]

Hey, Terry.

Did you check to see that all the spark plugs are still tight?

But, it really does sound like a fueling issue. There are 2 other fuel filters on the engine besides the outside ones....as well as other fuel system components that could be the problem. Do you have access to the service manual and the ability to run fuel system checks?

Mike

 

[copperhead]

New filters did not solve the problem

Hi, I checked the plugs for tightness. I finally got the filters from the dealer and installed them. I cleaned the final filter in the VST and the filter in the pressure regulator. Engine starts but still does not keep running. I did a flow test on the electric lift pump and pulse pump. The high pressure electric pump in the VST is running and stays running during the entire start-up and run time (between 1 to 5 seconds).The engine sounds fine when it is idling. I did a pressure test with a gauge attached to the test port on the VST. The pressure comes up to 35 psi and stays there while the engine runs and then drops of and the engine dies. A strange thing happened during my first pressure test. I attached the fitting and hose of the pressure gauge to the test port and started the engine, the engine idled beautifully for about three minutes and did not die with the pressure remaining at 35 psi, luckily I looked down in time to see fuel leaking from the test port into the bilge and running over the two electric connections for the high pressure pump in the VST. No fire or explosion thank God! I cleaned up the leaked fuel and tightened the fitting on the test port and ran another fuel pressure test on the engine. The engine starts and pressure is at 35 psi, I ran flow downstream of the gauge into a pail, the engine ran for five seconds then the pressure dropped and the engine died. Another interesting thing I noted is after the engine dies I check at the test port on the VST for pressure and I am thinking from my reading in the service manual that there should be pressure in the system (they tell you to hold a cloth over the test port when you are relieving the fuel system pressure prior to taking any lines off) I have no pressure at the test port. Is there a check valve malfunction in the pulse pump? or is the pressure regulator failing? Any way I am hoping to hear from Richard Hartman or some other jet boating wizard. Thanks for your reply and interest in my problem.
Best regards
Terry