Finally got my boat to the dealer this morning. Ski Boat Solutions in Ocala, FL. These guys seem pretty impressive and very willing to help me get this problem fixed. They have some good ideas of what might be the problem, and they are going to take a look at it this week. Hopefully they find the problem and i can turn my boat off in between riders. I'll let you all know how things turn out!

that sds like a common problem with malibu. I had the same problem for yrs with my response. I started reading malibuboatowners.com and discovered I wasn't the only one who had to swim hthat competition to shore or lifted the box looked tapped stuff and it started again. final solution was I left it running bet skiiers. Boat mechanics never fd anything wrong. Recommended I coat my starter with a waterproof spray. Boat did fine after that but I never really trusted it after that. but it hasn't done it in the last 2 summers.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>}{}

that sds like a common problem with malibu. I had the same problem for yrs with my response. I started reading malibuboatowners.com and discovered I wasn't the only one who had to swim hthat competition to shore or lifted the box looked tapped stuff and it started again. final solution was I left it running bet skiiers. Boat mechanics never fd anything wrong. Recommended I coat my starter with a waterproof spray. Boat did fine after that but I never really trusted it after that. but it hasn't done it in the last 2 summers.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>}}{}

OK, here is the latest. <BR> <BR>as you already know, I took the boat to the dealer last wednesday. To fix this problem, and to do a couple other maintenance items. They did a bunch of checking, found that the fuel pump was borderline. What they did to fix it was replace the pump with an '03 style pump (required some other hardware as well.) The '03 is a different make and apparently a much better pump. The dealer even took the boat for a spin pn saturday, to make sure that they didn't experience any problems. That gives me added confidence that I should not have any problems. <BR> <BR>I am very happy to have a solid dealership near me in my new residence!

Was it the owner you dealt with? (billy nicholes, im pretty sure). if so he is an excellent salesman and dealer, very experienced and i would definately trust him w/ my boat. <BR>Tim do you ever ride on lake kerr? Thats where my lakehouse is and i rarely see anyone else wakeboarding...

That is cool that it is fixed. Hmmmm....fuel pump? Hehe

billy is the owner yes, and kevin is the main mechanic, both are stand up guys. and pretty cool to shoot the poo with too. <BR> <BR>i usually ride on lake alto (just west of santa fe) this weekend we are going to hit lake george and silver glen springs. aww yeah. <BR> <BR>t

ok the final verdict is that the problem is GONE. also the slight hesitation after a few seconds of hard acceleration is gone. Ski Boat Solutions hooked me up! So Joyous!

Hmmmm....I just went back and re-read what you wrote previously on the other thread and saw no mention of a hesitation. That would have pointed directly to the fuel pump as it is a common symptom of lack of fuel.

peter, that is true....for some reason I did not connect the two until after mention of the fuel pump as the probable cause.

I also just started experiencing vapor lock problems this fall. About the last month going out if i left the boat sit for about 30-45 minutes when i started it up (EFI) it would sit there and rev up and down and stall out. Never got stranded but almost once. It was reving from like 400-1500 in idle. My merc mechanic said it was vapor problem after calling some other merc mechanics. Says there is a kit merc is sending him to help cure the problem, something like a fuel pump that runs in conjunction with the stock one. He also said it was due to the winter formulation, something like more alcohol in the gas which has a lower temp it vapor locks at. Ive had this boat for about 350 hours and the first 300 it never did this. Took it out sunday and opened the hatch every time we stopped for any amout of time and it was fine.