Outboard Motor Primer Ball Not Getting Hard

[RiverCat09]

On out last trip out, I noticed that the gas primer ball on my 150 HP Yamaha 2-stroke did not get hard after many pumps. It typically gets hard with gas after 6 or 8 pumps or so, and lately I was doing 20+ with no change.

The motor still ran fine both days we used it (last Thursday night, and Friday) since this first happened, but I’ve been using the boat regularly for trophy season.

Can anyone offer some insight on what might be going on here, and offer some advice? I just don’t want to plan a wasted trip only to have the motor not start :eek:, or worse, I don’t want to get stuck in the middle of the bay. :eek2: Thanks!

[RickyF]

Disconnect hose from engine and see if it will get hard just pumping it. If not, the check valve in the ball is probably bad. Just replace it.

[night nurse]

My bulb never get "hard" like a samll engine would. it's a 200 2cycle. If I do keep pumping it I just end up flooding the engien. Never a problem.

TED

[monkeyslapper]

If it is a carb motor, one of your needle vales may not be seating correctly. Take the cover off of the carbs and see if gas is pouring out of one of the carbs when you are sqeezing the bulb.

Also check your hoses for cracks around the clamps.