Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
It sounds like it is a fuel line issue for the most part. Somewhere along the line, air is getting in, and you are losing prime.
First off, how old are your hoses? Do they have pipe clamps or are they factory clamps?
many times when hoses have a few years on them, they become less pliable, and can crack around hose ends. If that is the case, time to replace. If the bulb is getting hard and not pliable, it may be time to replace that as well. All of those are items that will, over time, dry rot, and just need normal replacement.
The second thing to check are all connections from inside the motor, following the fuel line in. Possible to change a fuel filter as well (preventative maintenance) and tighten any clamps/connections there also.
This is a start, but my gut says it will be fuel line related by what you describe.
Steve |