Tahiti Trip:
Alright. Tahiti canceled. Boo.
The new starter works great, but still can’t get the engine running. I’ve spent a week now trying to trace this pesky air leak in the fuel system. I’ve spent hundreds on mechanics to watch them do their magic and learn from but they didn’t have much magic. Still broken. Although I can get her to run after every bleed process for 20 seconds smooth before she hits the air bubble and quits again.
I’ve replaced all the rubber fuel lines with clear hose but they all show pure fuel with no bubbles. So it’s gotta be past the first of the hard fuel pipes. Lift pump? Injector pump? That’s where I’m at, in troubleshooting purgatory…
I did get a good group together to take her out the other day. We warped poor Siren out of her tight slip using lines and brawn, maneuvered her to an upwind position and sailed out of the harbor for a fun cruise to Waikiki. Lots of work but worth it!
There’s still hope to hit the line islands or even just a local island hop, but the engine is a great safety backup and time is running out!