Wayne,
This is simple. You have fuel feed leakdown on that engine. On the detroits,
you have a gearpump that draws fuel from the tank and pushes the fuel
through a strainer and then a filter. From the filter it enters the Cylinder
head where it passes through a cast feed log. Unused fuel is turned around
and again passed through the return log in the head. From there it is
returns heated to the tank. Fuel pressure at the out side of the pump should
be about 45 lbs. Your problem is that the feed line to the inlet of the pump
is draining back to the tank. Probably a very small leak in that line.
Steve


"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:31:55 +0100, "Steve Lusardi"
wrote:

I think you should identify symtoms,
if you want meaningful help.

It's a 1981 Johnson & Towers marine conversion, supposedly rebuilt
within the last 1,000 hours or so by the previous owner.

My port side engine is taking longer to cold start than it used to,
sometimes needing 8 to 12 seconds of cranking. It used to start on
the first or second turn even when stone cold, and the starboard
engine still does. If it has been run within a day or two it still
starts very quickly. There is very little exhaust smoke at startup
even when cold, and what little there is goes away quickly. The
engine is running well and making full power as far as I can
determine.