Learned something today

[SeaRay]

I bought a new fuel line assembly for my boat. My old bulb was deteriorating and left black gunk in your hand when you pumped it so I figured it was time for a new one. Bought a Mercury assembly from a local shop and put it on my boat. It is a Tracker with a built in tank. Well I pumped until I was blue in the face and could not get it to pump up. Checked the fuel flow arrow 20 times and yes it was installed correctly. Called my buddy who is pretty handy with mecahnics and he headed over to see if he could help. I tried loosening the gas cap, holding the check valve open, holding the end of the hose down on the ground, nothing worked.
Called the shop where I bought it and after checking for the 21st time that the arrow on the bulb was pointed the right way, he said get up on the back deck and hold the hose straight up in the air above the tank and try it. I asked him to repeat what he said cause it did not make any sense to me. I was desparate and out of ideas so I did what he said and guess what? Pumped right up in about 4 or 5 squeezes of the bulb. My buddy drove up about this time and he was as puzzled as I was. Got no idea why it worked but it did.
SeaRay

[jimp]

gonna guess you had a air bubble somewhere in the line and it would not pump up, when you held the new gas line up it allowed the air to escape and in turn, when connected and pumped up, you got the pressure you were looking for. but I'm only guessing too.

[Slab Junkie]

The bulb on my previous boat was that way. I could squeeze it over and over and it would barely fill at all, tip it up vertical and it would get firm after two or three squeezes.....weird.

[wilbur]

The bulb on my previous boat was that way. I could squeeze it over and over and it would barely fill at all, tip it up vertical and it would get firm after two or three squeezes.....weird.

Mine is the same way. It must have somthing to do with the check ball inside

[BarryG]

x3

[Dutch552]

My OMC bulb is the same way, gotta be vertical for the check ball to seat on the valve.

[luckyeights]

My OMC bulb will not pump tight if the motor is tilted, but I can lower the motor to normal position at it will pump tight in 2-3 pumps. Does anyone else notice this?