No Prime - Puzzled

[boatnamesue]

As part of my helm rebuild, I moved the fuel/water separator and primer bulb from under the center console to the transom.  The fuel tank outlet hose (direct from tank) was not modified or moved or anything likewise.  I hooked up the fuel line to new fuel/water separator and primer bulb and cannot get prime.  I removed the fuel/water separator from the equation...still no prime.  I moved the primer bulb from the transom back to its original position nearest the tank....still no prime.

So we've got a full fuel tank, a 90º elbow, 3 feet of fuel outlet hose, and a primer bulb.  Prior to this rebuild there were no fuel issues.  I even removed the primer bulb and hooked up a hand siphon pump in is place to apply a greater negative pressure in hopes to pull the fuel out....nothing but a mist or drizzle.  I'm completely puzzled.  Everything points to there being a hole in the hose between the elbow and the primer/pump.....but I haven't touched this hose.  And given all my attempts to prime today, if there were a hole in the outlet hose then I would have fuel in the bilge (fuel coffin has drainage holes).

The fuel access hatch is down and new console and rigging hooked up to helm.....Think I'm gonna need to detach all the rigging and the helm to open the access hatch so I can get at the fuel outlet hose.  Gosh I hope not, but I'm out of ideas.  Any suggestions?  What are your thoughts about opening fuel fill cap and applying positive pressure to the fuel outlet hose instead of vacuum?

[Fishhead]

Might want to check the anti siphon valve when you get the cover off of the tank area. That’s about the only thing left in the loop

[boatnamesue]

That came to mine, but I had this tank fabricated new 2017 and installed it myself....I'm 99.9% certain there is no anti-siphon valve, only the 90º brass elbow between the tank and the fuel pickup hose.  Good suggestion though, thanks.

[CTsalt12]

When you say no prime, is the ball stuck in deflated position, or it pumps but doesn’t fill with gas?  If the former, I’d say a venting issue or clog of some sort like the anti siphon.  You could test the vent issue by taking off the fill cap.  If the latter, I’d say you pulled something loose when moving the lines and there’s a leak somewhere or a disconnect.

I can’t picture a primer and fuel separator in the console. A diagram may help.  Did the fuel line run in the trough after the separator ?

[Fishhead]

Can you blow through the hose into the tank ?  When you get it figured out really should use a siphon valve. Good luck

[BradC]

Primer pump installed in the wrong direction perhaps

[boatnamesue]

Problem solved....the inner tube delaminated then shriveled causing an obstruction

[CTsalt12]

ethanol's a nasty SOB.  How old were the lines?

Also is that above deck or below?