Saving Old Seagulls

Hi people..i have just purchased my seagull and tested it on my 14' grp .the problem i am havins is when i pull the fuel valve open and run the motor for a few minutes the valve seems to shut on its own and therefore cut the engine .upon getting the outboard home for further inspection i noticed the fuel tank nuts were slughtly loose.could this be the reason or do i need a new fuel tap?.

Regards
Terry.

You don't need to replace the fuel tap, if it has not had fuel in the tank for some time then the cork would have shrunk, you can leave it to expand again, or just replace the cork.

It had fuel in the tank when i bought it.and was advertised as "used regularly" so going to tighten the tank up and see if this works..thx for the reply appreciate the help.

The cork wears too with time. It will probably still move unless you replace it. Cheap and easy fix. I've seen "o" rings used as well.

boiling in water 10 minutes works wonders. see FAQ.

Actually I suspect the needle valve in the carburettor may require a bit of attention...