Need mechanic advice!

So here's the story. I have an '07 Malibu VLX. Took the boat out a few times in the first of spring. Boat ran well with no problems. Memorial day weekend took it out all day Saturday with no issues. Sunday we had been riding for about 30 minutes and while in idle it just went dead. Motor was turning over, it was just like it was not getting fuel. Fuel pump is working, and if you let it sit for about 20 minutes it will crank up for just a little bit and then die again. Took it to a local boat mechanic a few days later and he hooked it up to a fake-a-lake and it cranked up fine and ran for about 20 minutes with no problems. He said he even gave it quite a bit of throttle a few times. He suggested I put a little sea foam in and try running it again just to make sure I didn't get any water in my fuel. So I took it out today, cranked right up, after about 5 minutes of driving it shut down again. Never got it to start back up. It sounds like it has something to do with the fuel system but I am open to test for anything else. Any suggestions on what to do? I want to WAKEBOARD!

I had a somewhat similar issue on my 2000 moomba with an indmar 5.7L carb engine. There is a engine oil pressure switch that when the oil pressure gets low it shuts off the fuel pump. Mine slowly got worse to where it wouldn't start at all. If your engine has this pressure switch it may be possible that it went bad and or is going bad. It is a $30 part and you should be able to do it yourself. I didn't do it myself so I can't tell you where it might be.

I had a mechanic tell me the malibus have a fuel pickup line that cracks and lets it suck air. It could also be water in the fuel as this new ethanol fuel loves to soak in the water.

Any idea where this fuel pick up line is? What is crazy about the water in gas issue is that it ran fine after winter storage. I had stabil in it, but you would think that if it was going to have water in it, then it would have been after it set up for the winter. I put 15 gallons in today and it had about 1/4 tank in it already. I put the sea foam in it before I filled it up with new gas today. Anyone think it could be trash or something somehow that keep getting sucked in the fuel line after a little while. My non mechanical thinking is that something could be getting lodged in there and that is why it is running after it sits for a while. It might be giving it time to dislodge and float back in the tank, subsequently getting sucked up again. I started trying to take the fuel filter out of the tank, but I had to quit for the night because it requires me to take half the boat apart.

have you ever replaced the fuel filter, this would explain why it ran fine on the hose with no load but dies when in the lake.......wix part number 33299 $30

I haven't tried replacing the fuel filter yet. I tried getting to it today, but I am going to have to take half the boat apart to get to it. Since the fuel line goes directly to the engine I am under the impression that the fuel filter is inside my gas tank. I pulled the 10 or so bolts off the top of the tank but to get it completely off it looks like I am going to have to pull the vertical part of the seat platform that is above it as well. If I am wrong please tell me because it will save me a lot of work. Thanks for all the feedback!

you should fill your tank and add the blue stabil in the winter.the blue stabilis for marine [high moisture]situations.also a full tank leaves no room for moisture.

To get to your fuel tank you don't have to remove any seats on the VLX so if your doing that stop!

There is for lack of better words like a 4x8 sheet of plywood with carpet on it in the center of the floorboard, I know there's no wood in a malibu just speaking metaphoricaly here. Put it is secured by just a few screws through the carpet. Here's the fun part find the seems on this piece then start searching for screw heads. I think on mine there was only 4 screws for the whole cover 2 in the very front and two in the back. Lift this piece up and there is your whole fuel tank!

I would check the fuel filter first I believe as you stand in your boat and look at the motor its to the left about even with the v-drive as far as height goes. I can dig some pics up of when I gutted my 06 to a bare hull so you can see where everythings at.

That would be a huge help if you could post some pics. I pulled the cover in the floor fairly easy yesterday. The part i was talking about having to take off is the seat support right over the top of where the metal cap is that attaches to the top of the fuel tank. It won't come off the tank with that that support in the way.

As far as I know the fuel filter isn't in the gas tank. I changed my buddies on an 06 which I'm guessing would be the same and it wasn't in the fuel tank. It was a in line filter.

How did you test the fuel pump? The fuel pump could be running, just not at 100%. Fuel injected motors are very sensitive to fuel pressure. Put a gauge on the fuel rail and see what you pressure is at the injectors. If when you give it some throttle the pressure goes down, you fuel pump is weak. I was told that the pressure should stay the same or increase a little when you give it some throttle. I am no mechanic, just what I was told by a auto mechanic when I experienced similar problems. Mine was vapor locking which is sort of what yours sounds like but it wouldn't vapor lock after just 5 minutes and while the motor is still running.

I have no idea about the fuel pump pressure. I just know that it is cutting on when I turn the key over. Going to try replacing the fuel filter today and see what I get, along with putting some more blue stabil in it as well. We'll see what happens.

My 07 the Fuel filter is in the tank. Not bad to change and you can leave the seat support in just need a ball headed allen wrench.

Originally Posted by rfmediagroup

I have no idea about the fuel pump pressure. I just know that it is cutting on when I turn the key over. Going to try replacing the fuel filter today and see what I get, along with putting some more blue stabil in it as well. We'll see what happens.

Someone mentioned the wix 33299. You should be able to get that for far less than $30. A Napa 3299 is the same exact filter.

I just did mine in an 07 lsv, but should be the same setup. You don't even need to take anything out just follow the hose to the tank. Remove the snap ring that holds the part the the hose attaches to and lift up. Mine was half under the floor and I figured I had to move the tank, but the piece only comes up like 1/4 inch. The filter was like $5 at napa. Just take the old one with you.