The manual primer pump has been leaking forever, especially when fully pumped, so i glossed over that possibility. But when i re-read all the posts, Maxbumpo's mention of the primer pump being a very common problem, i looked thru my parts stash, and found i had ordered a new one from Pelican a year or 2 ago, so i installed it, and changed the short bit of hose that goes from the primary filter to what i think is the lift pump, and for good measure circumcised the section that goes to the hard line from the tank. Pumped the hell out of it, and Lo and Behold, with a little initial roughness and 3 or 4 tries, the motor started, and seems to run normally, knock on weird!


THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO OFFERED SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICE!!