I have a 1999 pontoon with a 50 hp Johnson outboard model J50PLEEA with the VRO/fuel system. I have owned this boat for 14 years. The motor has been setting up for the last 4 years. The motor has less than 150 total hours. I have completed the following in my effort to get her going again:
• Drained and cleaned the fuel tank
• Replaced the tank to engine fuel line and primer bulb (not OEM)
• Replaced fuel filter (not OEM)
• Compression test – cold engine, WOT, top-126, bottom-121
• Replaced the spark plugs
• Checked for spark at both cylinders (not actual spark jump test)
• Drained and flushed carbs with carb cleaner (did not remove and deep clean)
• Temporarily disconnected the oil tank from the VRO/fuel system (plugged the oil line)
The following is what the engine is doing/not doing:
• With a couple squirts of 50:1 fuel/oil mix from squirt bottle she fired up
• Runs good on muffs
• Won’t idle for more than 1 min when in the water
• Runs good at ¼ throttle
• When it dies, won’t start unless primer bulb is squeezed a few times
• When going to WOT it runs for about 1 minute and then bogs down
• When I was squeezing the primer bulb during initial startup, I noticed some bubbles coming out of the fuel pump side of the VRO (air motor housing)
Suggestions as to what the problem(s) could be and what I should do next would be greatly appreciated. Others have suggested the fuel pump is the problem.