Starving for fuel?

[BugabooBlue]

Hi everybody. New to the forum. Purchased a 2004 Chris Craft 33 Express this year, still learning her nuances. Low hours, runs well. Twin Volvo 5.7s (fuel injected) and 5.0kw Westerbeke generator. Ran the generator for first time (except for survey) while anchoring. Ran it for about an hour, shut it down and then had trouble starting both engines. Seemed starved for fuel. Took a while but finally lit off. Any ideas? Vapor lock? Never had trouble before or after. Made me sweat a bit. Thanks for any advice.

[jimbunyard]

Seems a stretch for running the generator to result in vapor-locking the main engines, but I guess it's remotely possible.

Being a new-to-you boat, I'd have a look at how the engines are all plumbed to the tanks, and make sure that there aren't any user-installed 'improvements' that are causing starvation somewhere, or if there is a specific valve/tank/engine configuration that should be followed.

Minute vacuum leaks can also result in similar symptoms, loose or broken clamps, corroded filter sealing surfaces, old semi-permeable hoses, etc., are all possible candidates there.

[Lepke]

I don't know your specific engine, but gas engines with injectors sometimes get vapor lock after shutting down a hot engine. If there's a return line, the fuel in the line supplying the injectors gets hot sitting and the fuel expands, pushing fuel back to the tank. It leaves a void in the fuel supply that the lift pump has to make up before the engine with fire. Auto car makers solved this with electric fuel pumps.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Bug.