MrGiggles

Frames and drivetrains are the same, although it's not quite as simple as same truck with different badges. The differences are in trim packages and how they're outfitted. GMC is marketed as the higher end luxury option, Chevrolet is the everyman's truck. The GMC will often come standard with what a Chevy only includes in the higher trim packages. Could be a bigger engine, air suspension, heated/cooled seats, etc. There are exceptions though and some trims that overlap.

Cost savings and the ability to use the same FSM from a 75hp all the way to a 350hp Verado probably. I'm not sure how well a pulse driven pump works on multi-cylinder 4 strokes, BRP made it work on a 2 stroke, wouldn't think it would be all that different. Looks like Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki use cam driven diaphragm pumps to supply the VST. Other than a sticking needle and seat, not much to go wrong. Mercury has had a lot of trouble with them, mostly float switch problems and the regulator hoses blowing, causing them to suck gas into the intake.

Just got back from a test run. Took a while to get it to act up. Seems to run perfectly forever until you shut it down hot and fish for a while. It quit shortly after my first stop. No light, no power to the lift pump. Next I checked the float switch. Ground on one side and 5v on the other. It's supposed to close and show 5V on both sides when the FSM is empty, however it was definitely empty and the circuit was open like it was full. Then I jumpered the float switch wires and the lift pump kicked in like it was supposed to, although it overfilled and set a vent switch code, which is normal since the float was bypassed. I cleaned and tested that float switch probably 20 times in a jar a gas before, but I guess it doesn't really compare to being loaded and hot. There really isn't any moving parts to it, must have an internal magnetic switch, not much you can do there except replace it. Hopefully that takes care of it, I'm starting to question my skills since I've "found the problem" three or four times now.

It is stupid. Electric pumps suck at drawing fuel, especially this type. That is no secret. A mechanical pump and a needle/float would have made way more sense. And the fact that the lift pump is totally computer controlled makes it worse. Honestly I'm kind of leaning towards the lift pump driver in the ECM being no good, but I don't have any hard facts to back that up. It would be easy enough to bypass with a relay, but I'm not sure you could ever make the ECM live happily knowing it's not running a lift pump. I guess it makes sense from an R&D standpoint since they can use the same FSM for all 75-135 motors, saves some money there. I'll take it out tonight and see what it does.

That's fair, I knew you don't mess with four strokes but I thought you may use it on Opti's and the newer 2 strokes. Looks like there's a guy in Bolivar that does it and could help me out if I needed it. It would sure save a lot of time, instead of back probing and running two or three meters, just plug it in and verify that the float switch is open, vent switch status is satisfactory, and see that the lift pump is supposed to be running. Then back probe the connectors at the ECM for the lift pump to eliminate the harness. Looks like the PCM handles both power and ground for the lift pump, the high pressure pump has a relay. Should be the other way around since the lift pump is the one being modulated constantly. Call me weird but I'd rather diag electrical than fool around with itty bitty screws and linkages on a carburetor.

The fishing and weather have been so good I've just been putting up with it. Troubleshooting this stuff without the Merc CDS software is difficult to say the least. You don't have that stuff do you, @fishinwrench?

So I guess it's time for an update. The Merc runs beautifully, for short periods at a time. I'm still having fuel pump problems. I tried another aftermarket part which still had that bleeder hole. Worked better but would still quit after running for a while. I ordered the Walbro pump last week and put that in. This pump has no bleeder hole. Holds prime much better but still, same problem. Runs like a champ 2-3 miles out to the first spot, fish for a while, start it up and it won't pump after that. Back to priming. I've got a small LED light back probed into the lift pump power/ground wires that will show whenever the PCM has it powered up, and another wire going into the float switch signal. I will leave them coiled up on the deck, so when it acts up I'll be able to see what's going on. For some reason I don't think the lift pump is running after a short while.

I think it's cool and all, but at the end of the day the most expensive power is the kind that you make yourself. I don't know why people spend all kinds of money just to say they're "off grid." Doesn't seem like it would ever pencil out to me.

https://www.renogy.com/2000w-12v-pure-sine-wave-inverter/ That's about equal to what a standard outlet in your house would provide before the breaker popped.

Seems like it would work but only being 50ah would be sapped pretty quickly if you tried to do much with it other than charge cell phones. A $100 Everstart 29DC, some cheap panels, and a good inverter would give you twice the capacity for half the price if weight and packaging is not a big deal. You can buy used Lipo medical batteries on eBay under the Valence brand name. They're pretty cheap compared to other lithium options.

Many have a few of my flicker shads stuck in them. If you ever want to find some just go troll for a while. You'll find every one in the lake.

Having the waypoints makes a big difference. There are a lot of piles that do not have signs, and even if they do it makes them way easier to find. Looks you were headed right to a couple of good piles in your second pic. It almost looks like you already have the waypoints loaded, I know a lot of those symbols match up to brush piles that I know of. I don't know the lake that well from Masters to where both arms meet. I usually fish from Masters down to the 245 bridge. Past the bridge you start getting into a lot more timber. Just west of the island, there is a long, shallow, underwater point that is pretty good spot. I think it's an old road bed, and there are some brush piles scattered along it. Without a contour map, you wouldn't know it's there. It's not really a big secret, as there are usually several guys fishing it at any given time in the warmer months. Stockton is pretty cold hearted. 90% dead water and it's always been kind of feast or famine for me. But when you get on them, makes it all worth it.

So how did you do? I just couldn't help it and fished Crabtree yesterday. Couldn't believe the water temp was 50*. Didn't find a whole lot. Trolled around for a while looking for shad and couldn't find much but a small school here or there. Found one and spooned a small white and bluegill out of it. I hit a brushpile after that until dark and only managed one crappie.

I'm not sure what you mean? Like on a separate pole that you can swivel 360*? When I had it set up that way on one side, I could see every direction, the boat didn't impede anything. Could even see the trolling motor and the prop spinning.

Crabtree is the worst ramp when there's a bad south wind. Can't go anywhere without crossing the big water. At Hawker you can hug the west bank and work Hawker branch, all of those bluffs to the north, and the coves that run up to Orleans while staying out of the bad stuff for the most part. If it's bad windy, I prefer Cedar Ridge since that cove is pretty sheltered and you can go either way in calm water with a south wind. That said I like the ramp at Masters a lot better. I haven't seen the giant shad schools that I like for spooning yet. Not quite cold enough. This is the hardest time of year to catch walleyes for me. Turnover is all over and done with, so they can pretty much go anywhere.

Delmar's expression in the back of that GIF cracks me up the most.

One short of a limit in 1.5 hours tonight. The bite is hot and not many shorts either. Main lake brush in 25 feet today. Caught most on a white shad style plastic, but natural and black/chart produced as well.

That was one of the good ones, along with the 5.4/4.6 2V motors, although they still have the spark plug issues. It's the later ones that were a trainwreck. I still see them around quite a bit. Farmers loved them, super reliable, always started in the winter, and would pull pretty good. They love to break manifold bolts and eat coil packs but are usually pretty trouble free.

I agree with you. More stress equals more wear, and there's a lot more complexity added with turbos. Plus a fuel issue becomes a lot bigger deal with forced induction on gas engines, lose fuel under boost and things go bad real quick. Seems like Ford learned some things with the Triton and 6.0/6.4 diesel debacles. They really invested in engine design and the results show. That would make sense since the whole front clip doesn't need to come off to slide the cam out.

Do you see similar claims with Ram and Ford? I have only done a little bit of work on Ecoboosts, enough to know how much of a PITA they are to work on. I don't know if they could've shoved that motor further down and under the cowl if they tried. Rams have all of the same MDS crap on the hemi.

Ole' Scotty is also a Youtuber and hasn't worked on anything in any significant capacity for years. He's right in this instance but I don't put much faith in his squawking.

Jeez. I bet the flat rate guys are loving those jobs. You could pretty much dismantle the whole truck in 36 hours.

You seem to know a lot about them, what do you do? Is that time for for engine replacement or lifters?

Just 2D. I sold my Livescope. Any graph will do it. Turn up the scroll speed and sensitivity. 1/16 oz shows up no problem.