3.0 mercruiser dieseling

cyclops222

Commander
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Mar 21, 2024
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2,254
Hot humid weather starts the Dielsing sooner and more violently. Some gasoline My be prone to Dieseling. Engine rooms that are too tight around the engine can cause overheating from a fast high speed stop. Like going to pick up a skier. And shutting off the engine.
 

Grub54891

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Jun 17, 2012
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6,206
Certainly anything to get it running cooler, like 140 thermostat or cool down idling will help.

Two other things that helped on mine was running GM top engine cleaner down the carb to remove carbon deposits from the combustion chambers. The top engine cleaner works great, as does sea foam or berrymans. Pour down carb at fast idle eventually stalling the engine let it sit 20 min, then start it. Just dont pour it too fast as you can hydrolock the engine (speaking form experince).

Also try fattening up the idle mix especially if the plugs look lean.
Years ago when I was in tech school, we were showed that slowly pouring a half bottle of water into the carb while high idle, then shut down and let sit for half hour. Start back up and give it a rev or two and yeah, the exhaust spit out lots of black carbon. Steam cleaning!
 

Scott06

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Apr 20, 2014
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6,905
Yes
Years ago when I was in tech school, we were showed that slowly pouring a half bottle of water into the carb while high idle, then shut down and let sit for half hour. Start back up and give it a rev or two and yeah, the exhaust spit out lots of black carbon. Steam cleaning!
for sure have used water too. Used to duct tape a funnel to the brake booster vacuum hose to suck it in.
 
Last edited:

Pdevito

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 22, 2022
Messages
100
725 RPM is too high

have you checked timing?

if all is good with timing after you get the idle within spec, let it idle a bit prior to shutting it off. if you have to pick up a skiier, key off while in gear
What rpm in gear do you suggest? Will shutting off in gear do damage? This is a new mercarb oem. I replaced the thermostat with a 160 as the one i took out was the same. You always seem to know a lot. I appreciate your wisdom
 

Scott06

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Apr 20, 2014
Messages
6,905
What rpm in gear do you suggest? Will shutting off in gear do damage? This is a new mercarb oem. I replaced the thermostat with a 160 as the one i took out was the same. You always seem to know a lot. I appreciate your wisdom
625 -650 in gear.

new mercarb is likely set too Lean to make emissions, try richening the mix screw a tad
 
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