1984 85hp issue

A2M2

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Messages
39
Good day,
I recently purchased a bass boat with an 85 on it. I drove the boat before purchase and it ran great. It parked for a few months, then we took it out this weekend. It fired great, idles well, ran just fine for 3/4 of a tank of fuel. Topped up with a can which was filled from empty at the same time as the main tank was filled. After putting in this 5 gal, it wont give me me ANY top end. All linkage is fine, fuel pump seems fine, hoses look good, etc. it does not sputter or cough, or hiccup, or anything... It just wont go? I would think that if it was a high speed jet or something, there would be no way that all three carbs would gumm up in the exact same way??? Spark is good, plugs are new now too. Still starts and idles beautifully. Tips on where to start?
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: 1984 85hp issue

Probably best to start at the beginning: What year, make, etc. What type service has it had and/or what more do you know about the motor....(did you do a compression test and have the numbers? did you do a spark test? fuel system test?). Outside of something simple like knocking off a line or having a closed fuel tank vent, there's not a lot a person can do to "break" something when simply adding fuel. There's got to be more to the story. Does it idle well, get up to a certain amount of RPM/Speed? More is more in this case. There's plenty of experts around, but the more they know, the better help they can offer you.
 

foodfisher

Captain
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
3,756
Re: 1984 85hp issue

Adding fuel to an idle tank may have stirred up some sediment that clogged the intake screen in the pickup tube. Start there and go forward looking for plugups. Add or clean filters along the way. Waterseperating filter just after the tank and an inline filter just before the carbs.
 

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
18,076
Re: 1984 85hp issue

You mix oil with the gas?Believe it or not some don't know you need to do this.
Do a compression test.
Check the vent line for clogs,mud daubers just love the vent line.
Plugs burning good?
Check the fuel pump diaphram for holes.
Like food suggests,a filter before the carb and after the pump.
It only takes a piece of dirt the size of a pin point to stop a carb from working.
Remove any inline connectors.They can suck air,ethanol is messing with older hoses.J
 

KnarfOH

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
41
Re: 1984 85hp issue

Good day,
I recently purchased a bass boat with an 85 on it. I drove the boat before purchase and it ran great. It parked for a few months, then we took it out this weekend. It fired great, idles well, ran just fine for 3/4 of a tank of fuel. Topped up with a can which was filled from empty at the same time as the main tank was filled. After putting in this 5 gal, it wont give me me ANY top end. All linkage is fine, fuel pump seems fine, hoses look good, etc. it does not sputter or cough, or hiccup, or anything... It just wont go? I would think that if it was a high speed jet or something, there would be no way that all three carbs would gumm up in the exact same way??? Spark is good, plugs are new now too. Still starts and idles beautifully. Tips on where to start?
I am having similar problem. Went out on Monday (July 30th) and the boat ran great for a while. I opened it up, etc. I went into the cove where all the sailboats tie up and was running slow. Looked around at the sailboats and then came out of the cove. I never shut down the engine the whole time.

When I got into open water, I hit the throttle to go fast and it planed very slowly. Eventually, it reached about 25 mph. Normally, it goes about 38 mph on my 1984 Bayliner Capri 16 ft.

So I went from everything was fine, to it wasn't. I knew to check the siphon bulb, check the air vent, check the connections throughout the fuel system, etc. I also switched from one fuel tank to another to make sure the fuel wasnt the problem.

The motor is a 85HP Chrysler Force engine. 3 cylinders. I pulled the plugs and made sure they were clean, etc.

Finally, after talking to 3 dealers (no one wants to work on these things anymore, i.e. lack of parts, etc.) I took it to a dealer about 25 miles away.

If you find out your problem - let me know. If I discover my problem, I will let you know. You may want to send me your EMAIL address in a private message (PM). The dealer says it will be several weeks.
 
Top